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How is an ecological community different from an ecosystem?

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Diagram illustrating Earth's environmental spheres, with labeled sections showing the geosphere (land and crust), biosphere (living things), atmosphere (air), and hydrosphere (water), each extending vertically from the Earth's surface. — Biosphere Earth's environment includes the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, the lithosphere, and the biosphere.

In ecology, the distinction between a community and an ecosystem lies in the inclusion of the physical environment.

Biological Community: A community refers specifically to an interacting group of various species living in a common location. It focuses on the biotic components—the plants, animals, bacteria, and fungi—and the complex interactions between them, such as competition, predation, and mutualism.1
Ecosystem: An ecosystem is a broader concept that encompasses the biological community of an area together with its physical (abiotic) environment. It functions as an ecological unit where living organisms interact with non-living factors, such as soil, water, and climate, to cycle nutrients and process energy.123

In short, while a community is defined by the relationships among living organisms, an ecosystem includes those organisms plus the environmental context in which they exist and function.12