The difference between an environment and an ecosystem lies in their definitions and scopes. The environment encompasses all external conditions affecting organisms, including physical, chemical, and biological factors. It represents a broader context in which living organisms exist. An ecosystem, however, is a specific ecological unit consisting of living organisms (biotic factors) interacting within their physical environment (abiotic factors) in a defined area. Ecosystems include dynamic interactions and relationships among species, energy flow, and nutrient cycling, making them a subset of the broader environment.