Biotic

Definition

Biotic components are the living organisms that shape an ecosystem. They interact with each other and their abiotic environment to influence the structure and function of the ecological system.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Biotic factors include plants, animals, fungi, bacteria, and any other living things.
2. Biotic interactions can be predatory, competitive, symbiotic, or parasitic.
3. The presence and activities of biotic factors significantly impact nutrient cycles within ecosystems.
4. Biotic factors depend on abiotic elements such as water, temperature, and sunlight for survival.
5. The balance between different biotic components maintains ecosystem stability.

Review Questions

• Name three types of biotic interactions in an ecosystem.
• How do biotic components affect nutrient cycles?
• Why is the balance between biotic components crucial for ecosystem stability?

Related terms

Abiotic: non-living chemical and physical parts of the environment that affect living organisms.

Ecosystem: a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.

Symbiosis: a close and long-term biological interaction between two different biological organisms.