Question

Differentiate between Biotic and Abiotic components of an ecosystem.

Answer 1

Hint: Living and nonliving components of the ecosystem.

Complete answer:
Biotic components are the living components of an ecosystem, forming three groups: Autotrophs (producers), heterotrophs (consumers), and Detritivores (decomposers). Autotrophs convert energy into food by a process of photosynthesis like fungi, plants, lichens, and moss. Heterotrophs obtain their food from producers either directly or indirectly, examples of consumers include mammals, fish, frogs, etc. Detritivores or decomposers break down chemicals from consumers into simpler forms that can be used again. Examples of decomposers include earthworms, cockroaches, microbes, fungus, etc. Biotic components are capable of reproduction and are obtained from the biosphere.
Abiotic components of the ecosystem include non-living things that do not have a life like a climate, sunlight, temperature, soil, humidity, etc. Abiotic components are usually obtained from the hydrosphere, atmosphere, and lithosphere. Unlike biotic components, abiotic components do not depend on biotic components for their survival.

Additional Information:
- Biotic and abiotic components together form the functional ecosystem. Both components have effects on each other. Abiotic components play a major role in the natural selection of biotic components. Similarly, biotic components too have effects on abiotic components. Wherein, the increase in the number of biotic components has a huge effect on abiotic components like an increase in population causes an increase in temperature.
- These components of the ecosystem also have an impact on themselves (within the group). That is, living organisms representing biotic factors interact with each other and directly or indirectly affect each other through parasitism (may cause diseases), predators (the act of one organism eating another organism, which if not controlled can reduce the population of prey).
- The link between abiotic and biotic components involves two major sources:
Food chain: cycling of nutrients within the ecosystem
Energy flow through the ecosystem
- Fossils are classified as biotic components by many scientists as they are the dead remains of living organisms (biotic factors).

Note: A simple example of the interaction between the biotic and abiotic factors can be studied from a simple food chain (Producers – Consumers – Decomposers). The Producers require abiotic components like sunlight and carbon dioxide to synthesize their food, producers are then eaten up by consumers for their nutrition. Decomposers feed on dead and decayed organisms to break down into simple components that are used as abiotic components.