Abiotic and Biotic Features in Ecosystems

Study Notes

Abiotic features are non-living components that affect the environment, including sunlight, water, temperature, soil, air and nutrients.
Biotic features are living components within an ecosystem, such as plants, animals, bacteria, fungi and microorganisms.

Autotrophs are organisms that produce their own food from inorganic substances, like plants, algae, and certain bacteria.
Heterotrophs consume other organisms for energy and nutrients, including animals, fungi and many bacteria.
Producers are autotrophs that convert energy into usable forms, such as plants and phytoplankton.
Consumers are heterotrophs that eat other organisms for energy, categorized as primary, secondary, and tertiary consumers.
Decomposers break down dead or decaying organisms.

Habitat is the specific environment where an organism lives, encompassing both abiotic and biotic factors.
Community refers to all the populations of species living and interacting within a particular area.
Ecosystem encompasses a community of organisms interacting with their physical environment.

Food Chain depicts a linear sequence showing energy transfer between organisms.
Food Web represents a complex network of interconnected food chains, illustrating multiple energy flow paths.
Ecological Pyramid graphically illustrates energy distribution among trophic levels.
Energy Pyramid shows that only 10% of energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next, with the remaining 90% lost as heat.
Biomass Pyramid represents the total mass of organisms at each trophic level, typically decreasing due to energy loss.

Water Cycle involves evaporation, condensation, precipitation, runoff and infiltration.
Carbon Cycle includes photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition and combustion.