Communities and Factors affecting a Community

• Community

  All populations of different species living together in a habitat
• Ecosystem

  Interaction of a community of living organisms with the non-living (biotic) parts of their environment
• Habitat

  Place where an organism lives
• Population

  All the organisms of a particular species that live in that habitat
• Abiotic factors(Non-Living)

  • Light intensity
  • Temperature
  • Soil pH
  • Minerals
  • CO2 levels for plants
  • Oxygen levels for aquatic animals
  • Wind intensity
  • Wind direction
• Biotic factors(Living)

  • Availability of food
  • New predator
  • New pathogens
  • Competition between species for resources
• What is Interdependence?

  • Within a community each species depends on other species for food, shelter, pollination, seed dispersal etc
  • If one species is removed it can affect the whole community
• What is a Stable Community?

  • One where all the species and environmental factors are in balance so that population sizes remain fairly constant