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How do ecosystems differ from biomes?

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A tundra landscape in summer on the Yamal Peninsula, Siberia, with grassy hills, scattered rocks, and shallow lakes or streams under a cloudy sky. — ecosystem Tundra and lakes during summer in the Yamal Peninsula of Siberia, Russia. Tundra ecosystems are found primarily in the Low Arctic region of North America and Eurasia. Most regions—with the exception of rock outcrops, dry ridge tops, and river gravel bars—are fully vegetated, primarily by dwarf shrubs, lichens, and mosses.

While both ecosystems and biomes are ecological classifications, they differ in scale and focus. A biome is a large geographic area characterized by specific climate conditions and dominant plant and animal communities, such as a grassland or coniferous forest. An ecosystem, on the other hand, is a more localized system comprising living organisms (biotic components) and their nonliving environmental factors (abiotic components) interacting within a defined area. Essentially, an ecosystem is a smaller, more specific unit that can exist within a larger biome.12345