Abiotic and Biotic Factors in Ecosystems

Differences Between Abiotic and Biotic Factors

• Abiotic factors: Non-living elements in an ecosystem.
• Biotic factors: Living components of an ecosystem.

Examples

• Abiotic factors: Sunlight, temperature, wind.
• Biotic factors: Plants, animals, bacteria.

Impact of Abiotic Factors

• Abiotic factors can influence the growth, survival, and reproduction of living organisms.
  • Example: Sunlight affects photosynthesis in plants.

Levels of Organization in Ecosystems

Individual, Population, Community, Ecosystem

Individual (Species)

• A single organism that is a part of a species.

Population

• A group of individuals of the same species living in the same area.

Community

• Different populations of species living together in a specific area.

Ecosystem

• Composed of both living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) components interacting as a system.

Basic Needs of Living Things

Five Basic Needs

1. Water
2. Food
3. Shelter
4. Air
5. Favorable temperature

Importance of Water

• Essential for all biochemical reactions in living organisms.

Dependence on Energy

• Living things require energy (often from the sun) to perform life processes.

Interactions Among Living Things

Types of Interactions

• Competition: Occurs when organisms vie for the same resources such as food or space.

Predator-Prey Relationship

• One organism (predator) hunts and eats another organism (prey).
  • Example: Lions (predator) and zebras (prey).

Producers and Photosynthesis

Producers

• Organisms that can make their own food, typically through photosynthesis.
  • Example: Plants.

Photosynthesis

• Process by which producers convert sunlight into chemical energy.
• Critical for supplying energy to the ecosystem.

Consumers and Types

Definition of Consumers

• Organisms that cannot make their own food and must consume other organisms.

Types of Consumers

• Herbivores: Eat plants (e.g., cows, rabbits).
• Carnivores: Eat other animals (e.g., lions, hawks).
• Omnivores: Eat both plants and animals (e.g., bears, humans).

Detritivores vs. Decomposers

• Detritivores: Consume detritus (dead organic matter), breaking it down into smaller pieces.
• Decomposers: Break down dead organisms and waste, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.

Food Chains and Food Webs

Food Chains

• Linear sequence of organisms through which nutrients and energy pass as one organism eats another.

Simple Food Chain Order

1. Producer →
2. Primary Consumer →
3. Secondary Consumer →
4. Tertiary Consumer

Food Webs

• A complex network of interconnected food chains.

Importance of Food Webs

• More accurate representation of energy flow and ecosystem dynamics compared to a simple food chain.