7.2 Biotic & Abiotic factors

Biotic - any living thing that affects another organism, or shapes the ecosystem in some way

  • examples - predation (influences population of another species)

  • Competition for resources / habitat

  • Amount of disease

  • Availability of food

Abiotic - non-living parts of environment that can affect organisms (chemical and physicals parts of environment)

  • examples - light intensity

  • Temperature (increases photosynthesis - increase in rate of overall plant growth)

  • Carbon dioxide concentration

  • Moisture levels

  • Wind intensity & direction

  • pH & mineral content of soil

Example of what happens if factors change

A clownfish in sea anemone

  • Biotic - predation by bigger fish

  • Competition for sea anemone (habitat) / plankton & algae (food)

  • Burden of disease

  • Abiotic - temperature of water

  • Oxygen concentration of water

  • Levels of acidity & salt in water