Abiotic factors are the non-living parts of the environment that can often have a major influence on living organisms. Abiotic factors include water, sunlight, oxygen, soil and temperature.
Water (H2O) is a very important abiotic factor – it is often said that “water is life.” All living organisms need water. Plants must have water to grow. Even plants that live in the desert need a little bit of water to grow. Without water, animals become weak and confused, and they can die if they do not rehydrate. Think of how you feel after you take a long run. Do you feel thirsty? This is your body signaling to you that you must rehydrate.
Biotic factors are all of the living things in an ecosystem, such as plants and animals. These living things interact with one another in many ways. Biotic factors and their interactions can be broken down into three groups:
