Transcript Abiotic Factors - Holy Family Regional School

Ecology: Abiotic Factors
Ecology: Abiotic Factors Unit
Concept: Everything is connected to
the non-living environment.
• Abiotic: All non-living chemical and physical
factors in the environment.
• Biotic: Of, pertaining to, or produced by life or
living organisms.
• What are some of the abiotic factors that
affect living organisms?
Moisture
Temperature
Wind
Light
Soil
Nutrients
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNfmew9C508
Abiotic Factor: Light
Factors in the environment that
affect the amount of light.
Time of day, morning-noon-dusk
Cloud Cover
Seasons.
Location.
• Video! 24 hour time lapse from the arctic
– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9t1KIWRP9ig
Abiotic Factor: Temperature.
Temperature can effect
organisms by…
•Causing flowers to open and close.
•Causing seeds to germinate
•Causes some trees to drop their leaves
•Affects the activity in warm and cold
blooded animals
•Creates huge temperature swings in the
desert from day to night.
•Creating seasonal changes in temperature
•Change posture in one place
Abiotic Factor: Moisture (water)
• Water availability varies greatly on this planet.
Water is essential for life, and all
organisms depend on it.
Abiotic Factor: Wind
Wind is moving air and has a number of
important functions in an ecosystem.
Wind brings weather, especially
precipitation.
– Water evaporates over ocean, wind carries
water over land where it falls.
Wind can also cause erosion of soil, and
will dry out areas much faster.
Wind can be very damaging to plants and
animal populations.
Cycles in
nature:
Water
Carbon
Nitrogen
Nutrients