Abiotic and Biotic Factors Flashcards
what is an abiotic factor?
A non-living factor of the environment
what are some examples of abiotic factors?
1)light intensity
2)temperature
3)moisture levels
4)soil pH and mineral content
5)wind intensity and direction
6)carbon dioxide levels
7)oxygen levels for aquatic animals
how does light intensity impact a community?
-light is required for photosynthesis
- the rate of photosynthesis affects the rate at which a plant grows
how does temperature impact a community?
it affects the rate of photosynthesis
how do moisture levels impact a community?
both animals and plants need water to survive
how does soil pH and mineral content impact a community?
-soil pH affects the rate of decay and therefore how fast mineral ions return to soil which are then taken up by other plants
-different species thrive in different nutrient contents, a decrease could affect plant growth
how does wind intensity and direction impact a community?
- wind intensity affects the rate of transpiration in plants
how does carbon dioxide impact a community?
-it affects the rate of photosynthesis in plants
-it affects the rate of distribution of organisms that thrive in high carbon dioxide environments
how does oxygen levels for aquatic impact a community?
most fish need a high concentration of oxygen to survive
what is a biotic factor?
a living factor of the environment
what are some examples of biotic factors?
food availability, new predators arriving, new pathogens, competition
how does new predators arriving impact a community?
a new predator could decrease the prey population
how does food availability impact a community?
more food means that organisms can breed more successfully
how do new pathogens impact a community?
when a new pathogen arises the population has no resistance to it so they can be wiped out quickly
how does competition impact a community?
if one species is better adapted to the environment than another it will outcompete it until the number of the lesser adapted species are insufficient to breed
