Organism
An Oregon Grape plant in a coniferous forest.
An organism is an individual living thing that is able to function on its own. A single White Pine is an example of an organism in a coniferous forest and so is this Oregon Grape plant pictured at the left.
Population
Douglas Firs in a coniferous forest.
A population is a group of the same species of organisms living in the same area. These Douglas Firs live together in the same area in a coniferous forest. A pack of wolves that live together is another example of a population.
Community
Seth's dog, Wendell, enjoying a walk in a coniferous forest, among a community of organisms.
A community is when different species populations interact in a geographical area. In a coniferous forest, that could be Douglas Firs, White Pines, Grey Squirrels, and White-Tailed Deer interacting on a mountain. This picture shows another example of a community because it has multiple species of trees, grasses, shrubs (and a dog) interacting in one geographical area.
Ecosystem
Coniferous forest near Portland Oregon
An ecosystem is a community of organisms that interact with each other and their physical environment. An ecosystem can be very large, like the coniferous forest, pictured left, or very small, like a pond.