ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Aquatic ecosystem

An aquatic ecosystem is a place where lots of water animals, plants, and other living things live together. Imagine a big space like a lake, river, or even the ocean. In this ecosystem, all of these living things depend on each other to survive.

Water is very important for all these animals and plants because they need it to drink, breathe, and stay cool. The water in an aquatic ecosystem can be fresh or salty, and it's home to many different types of creatures. Some of these creatures are tiny, like plankton, which are the basic food for many other animals. Other creatures are big, like whales, dolphins, and sea turtles, which breathe air and swim around in the water.

Plants are also a part of an aquatic ecosystem, and they help provide food and shelter to many animals. For example, algae and seaweed grow in the water and are eaten by small fish, which are then eaten by larger fish. This food chain goes on and on until it reaches the top predators, like sharks and killer whales.

However, an aquatic ecosystem can be easily affected by pollution, climate change, and human activity. This can harm the living things that depend on the water, and even cause some species to go extinct. That's why it's important to take care of our water and keep it clean, so that all the creatures in the aquatic ecosystem can survive and thrive.