Science 10: BiologyChapter 2
Biotic and Abiotic Factors in Ecosystems
Vocab:› Ecology› Organism› Habitat› Population› Community
› Ecosystem› Biosphere› Dynamic
equilibrium› Limiting factor
Biotic and Abiotic Factors in Ecosystems
Our focus this year during the biology unit will be ecology, so we need to know what this means:› Ecology: the study of
how organisms interactwith each other and with their physical (non-living) environment.
Biotic and Abiotic Factors in Ecosystems
To make the study of ecology easier, biologists organize their study into different levels.
The four levels of organization are:› First level: organism› Second level: population› Third level: community› Fourth level: ecosystem
Biotic and Abiotic Factors in Ecosystems
Biotic and Abiotic Factors in Ecosystems
Biotic and Abiotic Factors in Ecosystems
Biotic and Abiotic Factors in Ecosystems
The population of organisms within any community my be affected by two kinds of factors: biotic and abiotic.
Biotic and Abiotic Factors in Ecosystems
Biotic factor:› Any living part of an ecosystem.› Bio = life› Ex.
Cougars Parasites Rodents Vegetation Disease
Biotic and Abiotic Factors in Ecosystems
Abiotic factor:› Any non-living part of an ecosystem.› A = not› Ex.
Temperature Climate Water
Biotic and Abiotic Factors in Ecosystems
Biotic or Abiotic?
Biotic and Abiotic Factors in Ecosystems
Dynamic equilibrium:› The ability of an ecosystem to stay stable
even after undergoing small changes.
Biotic and Abiotic Factors in Ecosystems
Limiting factor:› Any factor that is critical in determining
what organisms live in an ecosystem.› Ex.
Coyote – food supply
Biotic and Abiotic Factors in Ecosystems
Assignment:› CYU p. 24
#1 (a-d) in full sentences. #2 (a-e) in point form. #3 (a-f) in point form. #8 (a,b) in full sentences.