Biotic data

• Biotic factors are living elements of an ecosystem, such as plants and animals
• Biotic factors include:

  • Availability of food
  • The presence of new predators
  • Pathogens (microorganisms that cause disease)
• Both the abundance and distribution of living organisms in an ecosystem are affected by biotic factors
• Red squirrels are native to Great Britain and weigh around 300 grams, about half the mass of the larger grey squirrel
• The larger grey squirrel was introduced from America around a hundred years ago, providing competition for the native red squirrel and resulting in a lack of food for the species
• Grey squirrels were only found in central Southern England and in small numbers on the East coast of Northern England in 1945. By 2000, they had spread throughout England and Wales. Red squirrels are now only found in parts of Scotland and Ireland
• To improve the conclusions drawn from the data, it could be compared with other sources to ensure reliability