Keywords

Ecosystem

The interaction of a community of living organisms with their environment

Biotic

Living factors

Abiotic

Non living factors

Interdependence

Different species rely on each other for survival within an ecosystem

Adaptations

Features that help an organism survive in a particular habitat

Habitat

Natural environment of a particular organism

Competition

The process by which organisms try to gain raw materials over each other

• Plants compete for space, light, water and mineral ions

• Animals compete for shelter, food, water and mates

Biodiversity

The variety of all the living organisms within the earth or ecosystem- positive

Biotic factors

• Availability of food

• New predators arriving

• New pathogens

• One species outcompeting another so the numbers are no longer sufficient to breed

Abiotic factors

• Light intensity

• Temperature

• Moisture levels

• Soil PH and mineral content

• Wind intensity and direction

• Carbon dioxide levels for plants

• Oxygen levels for aquatic animals