BIOTIC FACTORS
These are the living components of an ecosystem.
Biotic factors
These are the nonliving components of an ecosystem.
Abiotic factors
A student calls soil completely abiotic. Explain why the statement requires clarification.
Soil is a nonliving environmental component, but it can contain living organisms such as bacteria, fungi, and worms.
This term describes a community of organisms interacting with its nonliving environment.
Ecosystem
These organisms use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to make food.
Plants / Producers
This factor supplies energy for photosynthesis.
Sunlight
Classify these four components: butterfly, soil, bacteria, and air.
Biotic: butterfly and bacteria. Abiotic: soil and air.
Insects disappear from a garden. Explain a possible effect on flowering plants.
Plants that depend on insects for pollination may produce fewer seeds or fruits.
These living organisms break down dead plants and animals.
Fungi
This abiotic factor is needed by plants to transport nutrients and carry out life processes.
Water
A fallen leaf was once part of a living plant. Classify the leaf as living or nonliving now.
Nonliving; it is organic matter from a once-living organism.
A pond becomes polluted. Explain how an abiotic change can affect more than one biotic component.
Pollution can harm aquatic plants and animals, disrupt feeding relationships, and reduce survival.
These are tiny living organisms that often require a microscope to observe.
Microorganisms
A pond becomes unusually warm. Name the abiotic factor that changed.
Temperature
Classify sunlight and rocks.
Both are abiotic.
Plants depend on this abiotic factor to produce food through photosynthesis.
Sunlight
A forest loses its producers. Explain a likely consequence for the consumers.
Consumers would have less food and energy, causing their populations to decrease.
A long drought occurs. Explain two possible effects of reduced water availability on an ecosystem.
Plants may wilt or die, and animals may migrate or experience population decreases.
Classify a mushroom as biotic or abiotic.
Biotic
A fish depends on dissolved oxygen and suitable water conditions. Identify two abiotic needs.
Dissolved oxygen and suitable water temperature or quality.