Abiotic and biotic Factors - Meaning, Examples & Differences (2024)

Table of Contents

• Biotic
• Abiotic
• Difference between Biotic and Abiotic

Biotic and abiotic are the two essential factors responsible for shaping the ecosystem. The biotic factors refer to all the living beings present in an ecosystem, and the abiotic factors refer to all the non-living components like physical conditions (temperature, pH, humidity, salinity, sunlight, etc.) and chemical agents (different gases and mineral nutrients present in the air, water, soil, etc.) in an ecosystem.Therefore, both the abiotic and biotic resources affect the survival and reproduction process.

Furthermore, both these components are reliant on each other. Suppose if one of the factors is removed or altered, its repercussions will be faced by the entire ecosystem. Without a doubt, abiotic factors directly affect the survival of organisms. Read on to explore what role do abiotic and biotic resources play in the ecosystem.

Also read:Ecosystem

Biotic Meaning

The term “biotic” is formed by the combination of two terms, “bio”meaning life and“ic”meaning like. Thus, the term means life-like and isrelated to all the living entities present in an ecosystem.

Biotic Factors

Biotic factors relate to all theliving thingsin the ecosystem. Their presence and their biological by-products affect the composition of an ecosystem. Biotic factors refer to all living organisms from animals and humans, to plants, fungi, and bacteria. The interactions between various biotic factors are necessary for the reproduction of each species and to fulfil essential requirements like food, etc.

Examples ofBiotic Factors

Examples of biotic resources include all the living components present in an ecosystem. These include producers, consumers, decomposers and detritivores.

Abiotic Meaning

The term abiotic refers to all the non-living factors present in an ecosystem. Sunlight, water and land, all constitute the abiotic factors.

Abiotic Factors

Abiotic factors refer to all the non-living, i.e. chemical and physical factors present in the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere. Sunlight, air, precipitation, minerals, and soil are some examples of abiotic factors. These factors have a significant impact on the survival andreproductionof species in an ecosystem.

For instance, without an adequate amount of sunlight, autotrophic organisms may not be able to survive. When these organisms eventually die, it will create a shortage of food for primary consumers. This effect cascades up the food chain, affecting every organism. Consequently, it leads to an imbalance in the ecosystem.

Examples ofAbiotic Factors

Abiotic examples typically depend on the type of ecosystem. For instance, abiotic components in a terrestrial ecosystem include air, weather, water, temperature, humidity, altitude, the pH level of soil, type of soil and more. Abiotic examples in an aquatic ecosystem include water salinity, oxygen levels, pH levels, water flow rate, water depth and temperature.

Now, let’s have a look at the significant difference between the abiotic and biotic factors.

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Difference between Biotic and Abiotic Factors

Following are the important difference between abiotic and biotic factors:

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