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Other external factors that play an important role in ecosystem functioning include time and potential biota.

Ecosystems are dynamic entities — invariably, they are subject to periodic disturbances and are in the process of recovering from some past disturbance.

Time plays a role in the development of soil from bare rock and the recovery of a community from disturbance.

Similarly, the set of organisms that can potentially be present in an area can also have a major impact on ecosystems.

Ecosystems in similar environments that are located in different parts of the world can end up doing things very differently simply because they have different pools of species present.

The introduction of non-native species can cause substantial shifts in ecosystem function.