In addition, lobster, crabs, scallops, clams, and other invertebrates declined. A vital part of the food chain in coastal areas had been removed, and the decline in Zostera also caused significant problems with coastal erosion. It was not until 1945 that a recovery began. Zostera is now once again abundant. Such a complex combination of living and nonliving elements in a natural setting is referred to as an ecosystem.
Ecosystems are large and complex.
Eelgrass lives in the salt pond ecosystem but has its own habitat within that ecosystem. A further refinement can be made by stating that organisms sharing a common habitat and interacting with each other create a community.