3.12 Abiotic and Biotic Factors Flashcards
What are biotic factors?
Any living factors that affect another organism, or shapes the ecosystem in some way.
What are abiotic factors?
Non-living parts of the environment that can affect organisms.
Give 6 examples of abiotic factors
- Light intensity
- Carbon Dioxide concentration
- Wind intensity/Direction
- Temperature
- Moisture level
- Mineral content of soil
How could an increase in temperature (abiotic factor) affect ecosystems?
It would increase the rate of photosynthesis because the enzymes involved can work faster, and so as a result there might be an increase in the overall rate of plant growth. Also, it could mean that animals spend less energy staying warm so they might be able to use more energy for growth or spend less time searching for food.
Abiotic and biotic factors can affect the d______________ of animals.
distribution
How would you measure temperature?
themometer
How would you measure the level of moisture in some soil?
Using a soil moisture meter
How would you measure light intensity
Use an electronic device called a light meter to measure light intensity. Hold the meter at the level of the organisms you’re investigating (ground level for daisies) and make sure it’s at the same height and angle for every reading you take.
How would you measure soil pH
- Indicator liquid - water is added to a soil sample and then an indicator liquid (e.g. Universal indicator) is added that changes colour depending on the pH. The colour is compared to a chart to find out the pH of the soil
- Electronic pH monitors can be used to produce a more accurate pH value for the sample being tested.
Which 2 invertebrate animals are good indicators for water pollution and why?
Stonefly larvae and freshwater shrimps are good indicators for water pollution because they’re very sensitive to the concentration of dissolved oxygen in the water - if you find stonefly larvae in a river, it indicates that the water is clean.
Which 2 invertebrate species have adapted to live in polluted conditions?
Blood worms and sludge worms
What do blood worms and sludge worms indicate?
Highly polluted water
How can air pollution be monitored using animals?
Air pollution can be monitored by looking at particular types of lichen that are very sensitive to the concentration of sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere. E.g. the air is clean if there are lots of lichen - especially bushy lichen, which need cleaner air than crusty lichen.
