14+ Abiotic Components of the Ecosystem and Types The term “biotic” is formed by the combination of two terms, “bio” meaning life and “ic” meaning like. Thus, the term means life-like and is related to all the living entities present in an ecosystem.
On this page, we discuss 14+ abiotic components of the ecosystem and their types. We will also differentiate between biotic and abiotic components.
Difference between Biotic and Abiotic Factors
Following are the important difference between abiotic and biotic factors:
| Difference Between Biotic Resources and Abiotic Resources | |
| Biotic Resources | Abiotic Resources |
| Definition | |
| Biotic factors include all the living components present in an ecosystem | Abiotic factors refer to all the non-living, i.e. physical conditions and chemical factors that influence an ecosystem |
| Examples | |
| Examples of biotic resources include all flora and fauna | Examples of abiotic factors include sunlight, water, air, humidity, pH, temperature, salinity, precipitation, altitude, type of soil, minerals, wind, dissolved oxygen, mineral nutrients present in the soil, air and water, etc. |
| Dependence | |
| Biotic factors depend on abiotic factors for survival and reproduction | Abiotic factors are completely independent of biotic factors |
| Origin | |
| Biotic components originate from the biosphere | Abiotic components originate from the lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere |
List of 14+ Abiotic Components of the Ecosystem and Types
Aquatic abiotic components:
- water pH,
- sunlight,
- turbidity,
- water depth,
- salinity,
- available nutrients
- dissolved oxygen
Terrestrial abiotic components:
- soil,
- soil types,
- temperature,
- rain,
- altitude,
- wind,
- nutrients,
- sunlight
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are biotic factors?
2. State a few examples of biotic resources.
- Plants
- Animals
- Fungi
- Bacteria
3. What are abiotic factors?
4. State a few examples of abiotic factors.
Abiotic factors comprise the following:
- Climate
- Humidity
- Precipitation
- Wind
- Altitude
- Type of soil
- Light penetration
- Water depth
- Oxygen content
- Turbidity
5. Elaborate an example of the interaction between abiotic and biotic resources.
Biotic resources include every lifeform in an ecosystem. These lifeforms rely on abiotic factors as they directly affect their growth, survival and reproduction. For instance, turbidity is an abiotic factor that majorly affects the aquatic ecosystem. High levels of turbidity inhibit the growth of submerged plants. This consequently affects other species which depend upon these plants for food or shelter.