Biotic and Abiotic: Definition, Difference, Components, Meaning, Examples & Differences

An ecosystem's biotic components are all the living things present there, while its abiotic components, such as the physical circumstances, are made up entirely of non-living things (temperature, humidity, salinity, sunlight, pH, etc.). Both biotic and abiotic elements must interact for the ecosystem to be stable and have a chain of interactions. These factors are an important part of the Organism and Population Chapter Class 12th Biology.

What are Biotic Components?

The words "bio" and "tic," which both indicate "like," are combined to make the phrase "biotic." As a result, the phrase refers to all the living things that create an ecosystem and indicates life-like.

Biotic Components refer to the living species that directly or indirectly affect other organisms in an environment. For instance, consider plants, bacteria, animals, and the waste products they produce. The non-living, or abiotic, aspects of an ecosystem include all chemical and physical substances. Some basic points are discussed below:

• The ecosystem is made up of both biotech and abiotic factors.

• The biotic factor includes living beings like plants, animals, bacteria and fungi.

• It plays a very important role in the Survival and reproduction process that takes place inside the ecosystem.

• The biotic factors are also responsible for balancing out the ecological balance and are interdependent upon other factors responsible for it.

Also Read:

• MCQ Practice on Organisms and Populations

• Organisms And Population

• Organisms and Population Attributes

• Ecosystem

Biotic Factors

Biotic variables are connected to every organism in the environment. Their existence and the organic byproducts they produce cause an ecosystem's structure to change. All living organisms are regarded as biotic factors, including humans, fungi, bacteria, as well as plants and animals. The interactions between a wide range of biotic factors are essential for each species to reproduce as well as to fulfil fundamental needs like food.

Examples of Biotic Factors

Biotic resources include all of the living things that can be found in an ecosystem. Some of these include consumers, producers, detritivores, and decomposers.

What are abiotic components?

The term "abiotic" refers to all the nonliving components that make up an ecosystem. The abiotic factors are made up of the sun, water, and terrain.

Nonliving elements that have an impact on an ecosystem are known as abiotic components or abiotic factors. Despite not being alive, these elements affect the connected living things and are a component of the ecosystem. The phrase "abiotic" is made up of the prefix a-, which indicates without, and the word bio, which signifies life. Some of the important points are mentioned below:

• The abiotic factors are nonliving components of the ecosystem which are important for the environment and living organisms.

• Some of the important abiotic factors are temperature, sunlight, water, soil and air all across the ecosystem.

• Chemical factors such as pH level salinity and mineral nutrition are also essential for the habitat of different organisms.

Abiotic Factors

Abiotic factors are any chemical or physical elements that are not living and are found in the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere. Abiotic variables include things like the sun, air, rain, minerals, and soil. The persistence and procreation of species within an ecosystem are significantly influenced by these variables.

For instance, autotrophic organisms may not be able to survive in the absence of sufficient sunshine. There won't be enough food available for primary consumers when these organisms finally perish. Every organism is impacted by this effect, which cascades up the food chain. Ecosystem balance is subsequently disrupted.

Examples of Abiotic Factors

Examples of abiotic phenomena mostly rely on the kind of ecosystem. Abiotic elements in a terrestrial ecosystem could include things like air, type and pH of the soil, temperature, altitude, water, humidity, and more. An aquatic ecosystem's abiotic components include the salinity, pH and oxygen levels, depth and flow rate of water, and temperature of the water.

Differences Between Biotic and Abiotic Factors

Some of the major difference between biotic and abiotic is discussed below:

Tips, Tricks, and Strategies for Biotic and Abiotic Components

It takes effort to remember everything in a single go. We made the entire problem easy. Some of the tricks regarding Biotic and Abiotic components are given below which you can use to memorise the important points.

Biotic Components

"PPP: Producers, Primary consumers, Predators"

• P: Producers (organisms like plants that produce energy through photosynthesis)

• P: Primary consumers (herbivores that consume producers for energy)

• P: Predators (carnivores or omnivores that feed on other animals)

Abiotic Factors

"STAW: Sunlight, Temperature, Air, Water"

• S: Sunlight (provides energy for photosynthesis and influences ecosystem productivity)

• T: Temperature (affects metabolic rates and survival of organisms)

• A: Air (provides gases like oxygen and carbon dioxide essential for respiration and photosynthesis)

• W: Water (vital for all life processes and affects the distribution of organisms)

Interdependence of Biotic and Abiotic Factors

"SHC: Shelter, Habitat, Climate"

• S: Shelter (provided by abiotic elements like rocks, water bodies, and soil for various organisms)

• H: Habitat (biotic and abiotic factors create diverse habitats for species)

• C: Climate (affects the availability of resources and influences where organisms can thrive)

Impact of Abiotic Factors on Biotic Life

"TFO: Tolerance, Fluctuation, Organism Survival"

• T: Tolerance (organisms have tolerance ranges for each abiotic factor)

• F: Fluctuation (changes in abiotic factors can impact food webs and species distributions)

• O: Organism survival (abiotic factors like water and nutrients are essential for survival)

Adaptations to Abiotic Factors

"MCS: Migration, Camouflage, Storage"

• M: Migration (organisms migrate to favourable conditions when abiotic factors are unsuitable)

• C: Camouflage (organisms adapt to blend into abiotic surroundings like rocks or soil)

• S: Storage (organisms adapt by storing resources like water to survive in extreme conditions)

Types of Questions Asked from Biotic and Abiotic Components

During exam preparation, different types of questions about the Biotic and Abiotic Components are asked. The table below contains the various patterns of questions asked in other exams.

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