Final answer:
All the options listed: soil chemistry, amount of annual rainfall, and the animals living in a given area, are parts of an ecosystem. They encompass both the biotic and abiotic components that interact within a particular area and are studied within Ecosystem Ecology. The answer is option E: all of these answers are part of an ecosystem.
Step-by-step explanation:
An ecosystem consists of all the biotic components (living things) and abiotic components (non-living things) that interact in a particular geographic area. The soil chemistry in a given area, the amount of annual rainfall, and the animals living in a given area are all part of an ecosystem, contributing to the complex interactions and cycles of energy and nutrients within that system. Ecosystem Ecology focuses on how these biotic and abiotic factors coexist and affect one another, including elements such as air, water, soil, temperature, and other physical factors that shape the living conditions and interactions in the environment.