Question

Give an account of three abiotic factors of the ecosystem.

Accepted Answer

Abiotic factors refer to non-living physical and chemical elements in the ecosystem. Abiotic resources are usually obtained from the lithosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere. Examples of abiotic factors are water, air, soil, sunlight, temperature and minerals.

Life on earth first originated in water. The solvent property of water make it as excellent transport medium in blood, lymphatic system, alimentary canal, xylem and phloem in plants. Of all the water that exists on our planet, roughly $97 %$ is saltwater and less than $3 %$ is freshwater. Most of Earth’s freshwater is frozen in glaciers, ice caps, or is deep underground in aquifers. Less than $1 %$ of Earth’s water is freshwater that is easily accessible to us to meet our needs, and most of that water is replenished by precipitation—a vital component of the water cycle, affecting every living thing on Earth.

Sunlight is the main source of energy on Earth, which makes it an extremely important abiotic factor. Sunlight is necessary for photosynthesis, the process by which plants convert carbon dioxide ( $C O_{2}$ ) and water to oxygen ( $O_{2}$ ) and sugar(glucose) – food for the plants that later becomes food for animals.

Ambient temperature has a powerful affect on organisms. Some organisms, such as extremophilic bacteria, are specially adapted to live in environments experiencing extremes of heat and cold, and will thus thrive in such environments. Most organisms are mesophiles, growing best in moderate temperatures between $25 ° C$ and $40 ° C$ . Seasonal changes in temperature often influence the growth patterns and reproduction of organisms. Seasonal temperature variations affect when plants flower, when animals breed, when seeds germinate and when animals hibernate.

Pranab Kumar Pradhan Solutions for Exercise 3: EXERCISE

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