The interaction of biotic and abiotic components results in a physical structure that is characteristic for each type of ecosystem. The important structural features include:
Species composition: It is the identification and enumeration of animal and plant species of an ecosystem. For example, the tropical rain forest is dense with an amazing number of biological species. On the other hand, vegetation is sparse in the desert ecosystem.
Stratification: The vertical distribution of different species occupying different levels is called stratification. Following are the examples of vertical subdivisions present in a forest:
a) Top layer: Trees.
b) Second layer: Shrubs
c) Bottom layer: Grasses and herbs.