Question

Biotic component of the biosphere is not constituted by
(a) Producers
(b) Consumers
(c) Decomposers
(d) Air

Answer 1

Hint: All the living organisms present on the earth are said to be the biotic components, together they shape the ecosystem. E.g, humans, and animals.

Complete answer:
Within an ecosystem, the biotic components include the living components such as producers, consumers, and decomposers i.e. the plants, animals, and microbes. This means that the biotic component of the biosphere is not constituted by non- living material like air. Other than these, the biotic components also include pathogens, human influences, and also disease outbreaks.
- A proper amount of energy and nutrition is required by every biotic component for the proper functioning of the body for day to day activities.
- They can be divided into three main categories:
1) Producers or autotrophs: They convert solar energy into food by the process of photosynthesis in the presence of sunlight, carbon dioxide, water, and minerals from the soil.
2) Consumers or heterotrophs: They mainly depend on producers and sometimes on other consumers for food and energy.
3) Decomposers or detritivores: They are mainly responsible for the chemical breakdown of dead and decayed producers and consumers into simpler forms that can be easily reused by the next generation of producers.
So, the correct answer is, ‘air’.

Note:
- Air, water, soil, temperature, sunlight, minerals, gases, and chemicals, as well as some natural forces like weather and climate of an ecosystem, are the non- biotic components of the biosphere.
- Although microscopic biotic factors are small but very much important to the health of an ecosystem. These can be said to be the primary producers that are the foundation of all life. They are present in numbers as compared to other organisms and with favorable conditions, they multiply quickly. E.g., bacteria, and plankton
- Microscopic organisms can adapt to unfavorable conditions very easily and can react very less to abiotic factors of the biosphere as compared to higher organisms.