Ascites refers to abnormal accumulation fluid in the abdominal (peritoneal) cavity. The most common cause of ascites is cirrhosis of the liver. Treatment of ascites depends on its underlying cause.
Ecosystem. A functional system that includes an ecological community of organisms together with the physical environment, interacting as a unit. Ecosystems are characterized by flow of energy through food webs, production and degradation of organic matter, and transformation and cycling of nutrient elements.
Ecosystem(s) The complex system of plant, animal, fungal, and microorganism communities and their associated non-living environment interacting as an ecological unit. Ecosystems have no fixed boundaries; instead their parameters are set to the scientific, management, or policy question being examined. Depending upon the purpose of analysis, a single lake, a watershed, or an entire region could be considered an ecosystem.