State true or false.
An ecosystem always encompasses a large area.

Answer

**Step-by-Step Solution:**

1. **Understanding the Question**: The question asks whether the statement "An ecosystem always encompasses a large area" is true or false.

2. **Defining an Ecosystem**: An ecosystem is defined as a community of living organisms (biotic factors) interacting with their physical environment (abiotic factors). This can include plants, animals, microorganisms, water, soil, and climate.

3. **Size of Ecosystems**: Ecosystems can vary greatly in size. They can be very small, such as a pond or a small patch of forest, or they can be very large, such as a desert or a rainforest.

4. **Examples of Ecosystems**:
- A **pond ecosystem** is a small ecosystem that includes aquatic life like fish and plants such as phytoplankton, along with abiotic factors like sunlight and temperature.
- A **forest ecosystem** is a larger ecosystem that includes various animals, plants, and abiotic factors like rainfall and temperature.

5. **Conclusion**: Since ecosystems can be both small and large, the statement "An ecosystem always encompasses a large area" is not accurate. Therefore, the answer is **False**.

**Final Answer**: False

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