Biotic and Abiotic Factors

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Biotic and Abiotic Factors: The two primary forces influencing the ecosystem are biotic and abiotic. As opposed to the non-living elements like physical conditions (temperature, pH, humidity, salinity, sunlight, etc.) and chemical agents (different gases and mineral nutrients present in the air, water, soil, etc.) in an ecosystem, biotic factors refer to all the living things that are present in an ecosystem. As a result, both biotic and abiotic resources have an impact on how an organism survives and reproduces.

Biotic and abiotic elements depend on one another as well. Imagine, that if one of the variables is eliminated or changed, the ecosystem as a whole would be affected. Abiotic variables unquestionably have a direct impact on how long organisms survive. Continue reading to learn more about the functions of biotic and abiotic resources in an ecosystem.

Biotic vs Abiotic

Students can go through the following information to distinguish between Biotic and Abiotic elements:

Biotic

Biotic: The term “biotic” is formed by the combination of two terms, i.e. “bio” meaning life and “ic” meaning like. Therefore, the term life-like is related to all the living bodies present in an ecosystem.

Biotic Factors

Biotic factors are those which respond to stimuli and require energy to function. Additionally, they evolve and include genetic material, like DNA, that is passed down from one generation to the next. Additionally, they have the capacity to reproduce and create progeny. The most important point is that, whether directly or indirectly, biotic components are highly dependent on abiotic elements for their development and survival.

For instance, species that live in the ocean are influenced by the environment. They also include things like sunshine, temperature, water, pH, and access to food and minerals. Therefore, if these elements alter, it will negatively affect their way of life and population.

Examples of Biotic Factors

Examples of biotic resources include all the living bodies present in the ecosystem. These include producers, consumers, decomposers, and detritivores.

Abiotic

Abiotic: The term abiotic is used to refer all the non-living factors present in an ecosystem. All constituents like the sunlight, water and land are abiotic factors.

Abiotic Factors

Abiotic factors are also called as environmental factors. Furthermore, biotic factors cover approximately the entire biosphere. Abiotic factors consist of factors like pH, soil, temperature, wind, humidity, light climate, water, gases, and more.

Moreover, these non-living things influence the growth of the biotic factors directly or indirectly. For example, if the temperature of a particular ecosystem undergoes changes suddenly, it will bring ill-effects on the plants, animals, and living organisms living in that ecosystem. In result the living bodies will either migrate from that place otherwise they might not survive it and go extinct or they may also adapt to the changes and survive.

Examples of Abiotic Factors

Abiotic examples generally depend on the type of the ecosystem. For instance, abiotic components in a terrestrial ecosystem include air, weather, water, the pH level of soil, type of soil, temperature, humidity, altitude and more.

Abiotic examples in an aquatic ecosystem include oxygen levels, pH levels, water flow rate, water salinity, water depth and temperature.

Difference Between Biotic and Abiotic Factors

The following table provides a clear difference between Biotic and Abiotic Factors:

Biotic	Abiotic
Definition
Biotic factors include all the living components present in an ecosystem	The term abiotic is used to refer all the non-living factors present in an ecosystem. All constitutes like the S]sunlight, water and land are abiotic factors. i.e. physical conditions and chemical factors that influence an ecosystem
Examples
Examples of biotic resources include all flora and fauna	Examples of abiotic factors include abiotic components in a terrestrial ecosystem include air, weather, water, the pH level of soil, type of soil, temperature, humidity, altitude and more. Abiotic examples in an aquatic ecosystem include oxygen levels, pH levels, water flow rate, water salinity, water depth and temperature.
Dependence
Biotic factors depend on abiotic factors for reproduction and survival	Abiotic factors are completely independent of biotic factors
Origin
Biotic components originate from the biosphere	Abiotic components originate from hydrosphere, lithosphere, and atmosphere
Factors
The influence of an organism’s capacity for survival and reproduction, as well as the kinds and the numbers of organisms that can coexist in a given environment; growth is constrained by limiting variables.	Living things that directly or indirectly influence other living things in the environment, including parasites, sickness, and predators.

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