Abiotic Factors

an abiotic factor is a non-living physical thing that affects an ecosystem. organisms within an ecosystem adapt to the abiotic factors so that they are still able to survive. the higher the temperature, the more frequently the reactions in cells of living organisms occur. endotherms can control their own body temperature, so this is not a concern. ectotherms, however, cannot control their body temperature so they must keep their body at the right temperature for the reactions to occur, otherwise they will die. terestrial animals lose water by evaporation and aquatic animals lose water by diffusion. terestrial nocturnal animals do not lose as much water as diurnal animals. fire and lightning can destroy entire ecosystems, however, some plants rely on it for regeneration as when they are burnt they drop their seeds into the soil. light is necessary for photosynthesis to occur. nocturnal animals are active during the night to avoid predators that are active during the day. difference soil types help different plants to grow. most australian plants require acidic soil, however some still require alkaline (basic) soil. oxygen is necessary for cellular respiration in animals and photosynthesis in producers. terestrial animals are able to access oxygen a lot easier than aquatic animals. cold water has more oxygen than warm water, moving water has more oxygen than still water and shallow water has more oxygen than deep water. aquatic animals have gills, which have a larger surface area than lungs and allow for more oxygen to be inhaled.