7.4.2 Abiotic & Biotic Factors

• Niche → an organism’s role within the ecosystem. Each species occupies its own niche which is influenced by abiotic and biotic factors
• Biotic Factors → impact of interactions between organisms eg predation
• Abiotic Factors → non-living factors in an ecosystem eg weather
• Plants and animals are adapted to abiotic factors which develops through the process of natural selection
• Species diversity and population size is larger when abiotic conditions are less extreme
• Biotic Factors:

  • Interspecific Competition
  • Intraspecific Competition
  • Predation
• Interspecific Competition → members of different species compete for the same resource that is in limited supply eg light, water and food
• Intraspecific Competition → members of the same species compete for resources and a mate
• Biotic Factors

  More well-adapted individuals will be able to perform a more impressive courtship display or may have features in better conditions, so will be more likely to attract a mate and reproduce