The environment we are living in is filled with a lot of different organisms. The air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, and the land we live on are all home to different types of living things.
| Abiotic | Biotic |
| Non-living things. | Living things. |
| Determines the conditions in which the biotic factors live. | Provide nutrients to keep abiotic factors flourish. |
| Affects the environment. | Interacts with the environment. |
Some of these organisms are helpful to us, while others can be harmful. It is important for us to understand the different types of organisms that live around us. We also need to understand the relation between organisms and the environment.
Abiotic is the study of non-living things and their effects on the environment. Abiotic factors in an ecosystem include:
- The physical environment (e.g. climate, topography)
- The chemical environment (e.g. water, minerals)
- The light environment (e.g. intensity, wavelength)
- The time environment (e.g. season, day length)
Biotic is the study of living things and their interactions with the environment. Biotic factors in an ecosystem include:
- The producers (e.g. plants, algae)
- The consumers (e.g. herbivores, carnivores)
- The decomposers (e.g. bacteria, fungi)
The difference between abiotic and biotic factors is that biotic factors are alive, while abiotic factors are not.
Abiotic factors are important in an ecosystem because they determine the conditions in which the biotic factors live. Biotic factors are important in an ecosystem because they are responsible for the transfer of energy and matter.
Producers use energy from the sun to produce organic molecules, which consumers eat. This energy is transferred through the food chain, until it is lost as heat. Decomposers break down dead organic matter, and return the nutrients to the soil.
For humans, abiotic factors are significant because they provide us with food, water, and air. They also provide us with shelter, and materials for clothing and construction.
While biotic factors aside from plants and animals are not always important to humans, they can be important for our health. For example, healthy bacteria in the gut can help us digest food, and bacteria in soil can help us absorb nutrients.
In an ecosystem, abiotic factors are important because they determine the conditions in which the biotic factors live. For example, if the climate is too hot, the producers will die, and the consumers will have no food. If the climate is too cold, the producers will not grow, and the consumers will die.
Abiotic factors also include things like the water cycle, which helps to distribute water throughout the ecosystem. The water cycle also helps to regulate the temperature of the ecosystem.
Biotic factors are very dependent on these abiotic factors, so it is important to understand how they work together.
