Illinois Ecosystems

All organisms need a few basic things to survive: food, water, shelter, and space. A habitat is the place where individual organisms or species live. An ecosystem is a community of plants, animals, and other organisms that interact with each other and the physical environment. Together they form an ecological unit which is largely self-contained. Each individual depends on other members of the system in order to survive.

The subtle balance that ecosystems require in order to function properly is often impacted by a variety of natural and human influences including: destruction of habitat, habitat fragmentation, pollution, and introduction of non-native species. When ecosystems change, either naturally or as the result of human intervention, the survival of certain organisms within the system can be affected.

According to the Illinois Critical Trends Assessment Project (CTAP), there are five major natural ecosystems in Illinois: Prairies, Wetlands, Forests, Rivers and Streams, and Lakes. Two other human-made ecosytems, urban areas and agricultural areas, are also prevalent in Illinois. Many smaller, more specific ecosystems can be found within larger ones.

[Prairie] Prairie [Forest]Forest [Wetland] Wetland

Rivers and Streams [Lakes]Lakes

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