"physical rather than biological; not derived from living organisms. devoid of life; sterile." Wind- Wind can drastically alter the landscape of an environment over time. Air can also hold moisture that can later be dropped in the form of precipitation, which is needed by plants to survive. Winds can also spread seeds and spores of plants and fungi to help them reproduce. Temperature- The temperature of our biome is mild. Temperature can sometimes be a limiting factor in certain environments but with our temperate climate and distinct seasons many plants species have adapted to suit our biome. Temperature can also be an indicator to some animals on the timing of their migration patterns. Sunlight- All plants require sunlight to do photosynthesis, which is necessary for all trophic levels. Without sunlight there would be no plants which would mean that essentially no other life that exists now, could remain in existence. Rocks- Rocks play a key role in adding to the minerals and nutrients available in the soil through weathering and erosion. They can also provide suitable homes for many plant and animals species that inhabit the temperate deciduous biome. |
Biotic Factors-
"of, relating to, or resulting from living things, especially in their ecological relations" Predation, Competition and parasitism- A major biotic factor is other animals eating each other, exploiting another for their own benefit, or competing with one another for resources. Predation and Competition are the root causes of trophic diagrams and ecological niches. Without all of these things populations would be able to grow exponentially and over population would be rampant. Pathogens and disease- These two factors can largely affect population sizes and they are not species specific. They are almost there to level the playing field. The larger and more condensed your population is the more likely pathogens are to spread and reduce that size. They can be the cause of extinction in entire species of animals. Plants- Plants rule the world! Primary production through photosynthesis is the energy source that each succeeding trophic level feeds from. Plants take in CO2 and replace it with O2 which is an essential molecule in animal life. |