BRAINCAKEAbiotic Factors
Abiotic factors are the non-living, physical and chemical, conditions of an ecosystem. Each species survives only within a certain range of each factor, so abiotic factors decide where organisms can live.
• Light intensity: needed for photosynthesis, so it controls plant growth. Plants on a woodland floor have adaptations such as large leaves, or grow and flower early in spring before the canopy closes.
• Temperature: affects enzyme activity, so it affects the rate of photosynthesis, respiration and growth. It is especially important for plants and ectothermic animals.
• Water availability: needed for photosynthesis, transport and support. Where water is scarce, only drought-adapted plants (xerophytes) survive.
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More in Ecosystems
- Ecosystems
- Biotic Factors
- Producers and Consumers
- Trophic Levels
- Biomass Transfer
- Ecological Efficiency
- Calculating Efficiency of Biomass Transfer
- Human Activities and Biomass Transfer
All 21 lessons in Ecosystems · All OCR A-level Biology topics