Biotic + Abiotic Factors Flashcards
What is an abiotic factor?
How non-living things affect ecosystems
What are the main abiotic factors?
Temperature
Soil pH
CO2 levels
O2 levels
Wind intensity
Moisture levels
How does temperature affect organisms?
Organisms are adapted to live in a certain temperature, if it changes they could struggle to survive
How does soil pH affect organisms?
Some plants + aquatic organisms are adapted to live in a certain soil pH, if it changes they could struggle to survive
How do CO2 levels affect organisms?
CO2 is needed for photosynthesis so the more CO2, the more plants grow meaning more food for consumers
How does wind intensity affect organisms?
Plant seeds are more likely to settle + germinate in lower wind intensity, animals that depend on the plants are more likely to live closer to them
How do moisture levels affect organisms?
Low water levels means organisms may die
Too much moisture means plant roots get surrounded by water so they can’t get O2 from the soil + die
How do O2 levels affect organisms?
Organisms need O2 to respire, without it they suffocate + die
Polluted water contains little O2, so many species cannot survive
What is a biotic factor?
How living things in an ecosystem affect each other
What are the main biotic factors?
New predators
Food availability
New pathogens
New species outcompeting native species
How do new predators affect organisms?
Less prey as there’s another predator hunting for them, less food available so number decrease
How does food availability affect organisms?
More food means number of organisms that eat it increase, limited food means number of organisms that eat it decrease
How do new pathogens affect organisms?
Organisms have no immunity to new pathogen so numbers decrease
How do new species outcompeting native species affect organisms?
Native species get less resources so number decrease
