Biotic and abiotic factors interact to form what we call an ecosystem. By biotic factors we mean all living beings that live in a given region, including bacteria, animals, protozoa, algae, fungi and plants. Abiotic factors are lifeless components of an ecosystem, such as water, atmospheric gases and solar radiation. Both biotic and abiotic factors are essential for the balance of the ecosystem.
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Topics of this article
- 1 - Summary of biotic and abiotic factors
- 2 - What are biotic and abiotic factors of an ecosystem?
- 3 - Difference between biotic and abiotic factors
- 4 - How are biotic and abiotic factors related in an ecosystem?
- 5 - What is the importance of biotic and abiotic factors for the ecosystem?
Summary on biotic and abiotic factors
Biotic factors are the living components of an ecosystem.
Examples of biotic factors are bacteria, algae, protozoa, fungi, plants and animals.
Abiotic factors are the non-living components of the ecosystem.
Examples of abiotic factors are atmospheric gases, solar radiation, mineral salts and water.
What are biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem?
In a simplified way, we can define an ecosystem as the set of all living beings that occur in a given location, together with the environment with which these beings interact, that is, the interaction between biotic and abiotic factors. Biotic and abiotic factors are components that interact to form an ecosystem.
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Difference between biotic and abiotic factors
The biotic factors correspond to living beingsthat make up a given ecosystem. This group includes everything from microscopic individuals to macroscopic beings, from bacteria to large mammals and angiosperms. Thus, among the biotic factors we have living beings occupying different trophic levels.
Already the Fabiotic actors are non-living components environment, whether physical or chemical. Among these components we can mention solar radiation, temperature, mineral salts, oxygen, water and soil.
Although they do not present life, abiotic factors are fundamental for the balance of an ecosystem, since each species is found in specific places that present the necessary physical and chemical conditions for its survival and reproduction.
See too: Biodiversity — what is it and why is it so important?
How are biotic and abiotic factors related in an ecosystem?
All ecosystems on the planet are made up of biotic and abiotic factors that interact with each other. Living things are constantly interacting with each other. through ecological relationships.
In a coral reef, for example, different living beings are present, and different ecological relationships can be observed. Sharks feed on other animals, performing the so-called predation. The remora interacts with the shark, feeding on the remains it leaves, without causing any harm, in a relationship known as commensalism.
Another relationship that can be observed is mutualism, which occurs between the clownfish and the anemone, for example. Anemones feed on the leftover food left by the fish and, in return, provide the animal with protection from predators.
What is the importance of biotic and abiotic factors for the ecosystem?
In addition to the interaction that occurs between biotic factors, abiotic factors are also present and they are fundamental to the balance of the ecosystem. Light, for example, is essential for the survival of photosynthetic beings, which use it in the process of photosynthesis.
Temperature is another essential abiotic component, as some cells can even rupture at low temperatures, and many proteins denature at high temperatures. Without adequate amounts of water and oxygen, many species would also disappear.
We can see, therefore, that all living species on the planet need other species and also non-life factors for them to occur. Changes in any of these components directly impact the ecosystem.
By Vanessa Sardinha dos Santos
Biology teacher
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
SANTOS, Vanessa Sardinha dos. "Biotic and abiotic factors"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/biologia/fatores-bioticos-e-abioticos.htm. Accessed on July 6, 2023.
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