What is an abiotic factor?
Reveal answer
A non-living factor, e.g. light, temperature.
Key words: non-living
5(a) THE ORGANISM IN THE ENVIRONMENT · RECALL
5.5 Abiotic and biotic factors
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What is a biotic factor?
Reveal answer
A living factor, e.g. predators, disease.
Key words: living
What is meant by the term abiotic factor?
Reveal answer
A non-living condition that affects organisms.
Key words: abiotic factor
What is meant by the term biotic factor?
Reveal answer
A living factor, such as predation or competition, that affects organisms.
Key words: biotic factor
What is meant by the term competition?
Reveal answer
Organisms needing the same limited resource.
Key words: competition
What is meant by the term predation?
Reveal answer
One organism (the predator) killing and eating another (the prey).
Key words: predation
Factors affecting populations: for Light intensity, give the type and the possible effect.
Reveal answer
Type: Abiotic Possible effect: Limits photosynthesis and plant growth in shade.
Key words: Light intensity
Factors affecting populations: for Temperature, give the type and the possible effect.
Reveal answer
Type: Abiotic Possible effect: Affects enzyme activity, growth and breeding season.
Key words: Temperature
Factors affecting populations: for Water availability, give the type and the possible effect.
Reveal answer
Type: Abiotic Possible effect: Drought reduces plant survival and food for herbivores.
Key words: Water availability
Factors affecting populations: for Predation, give the type and the possible effect.
Reveal answer
Type: Biotic Possible effect: Reduces prey numbers; predator numbers follow prey.
Key words: Predation
Factors affecting populations: for Competition, give the type and the possible effect.
Reveal answer
Type: Biotic Possible effect: Limits share of resources, reducing growth or reproduction.
Key words: Competition
Factors affecting populations: for Disease, give the type and the possible effect.
Reveal answer
Type: Biotic Possible effect: Can reduce dense populations sharply.
Key words: Disease
True or false, and why? “Temperature is a biotic factor because it affects living things.”
Reveal answer
False. It is abiotic because it is non-living. Biotic factors come from living organisms.
True or false, and why? “Predators eat all the prey and then die out.”
Reveal answer
False. As prey becomes scarce, predators decline, allowing prey numbers to recover.
True or false, and why? “Only one factor controls a population.”
Reveal answer
False. Several abiotic and biotic factors usually act together.