I am trying to understand what the characteristics and boundaries are of the ecosystem, So I can compare them to the ecosystem where I live. Please help!

Ecosystems are large-scale units, such as a major watershed for a river system. What's important is that the ecosystem has a roughly similar climate and shares inputs (water, nutrients).

You probably know that a community is just the living organisms that live in a particular area or ecosystem. The ecosystem includes the living organisms and everything else, including energy from the sun (which varies with latitude and cloud cover), rain, lakes, rivers and streams, geography and geology, and so on.

To give an example, a single circle of marsh grass is not really an ecosystem, although teachers will sometimes speak of it that way. A little marsh near your house is more like habitat. But the Mississippi Delta is an ecosystem. Water and nutrients come from the river. It has a relatively uniform climate and topography, similar organisms throughout...

If you give me more information, I can help with the specifics of your question.