What are biotic components of an ecosystem?
The living parts of an ecosystem, such as plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms.
What are abiotic components of an ecosystem?
The non-living parts of an ecosystem, such as sunlight, temperature, water, soil, and air.
Give an example of how biotic and abiotic components interact.
Plants (biotic) need sunlight and water (abiotic) to perform photosynthesis.
Compare two ecosystems: desert vs rainforest.
Desert: Low rainfall, extreme temperatures, sparse vegetation, animals adapted to conserve water.
Rainforest: High rainfall, stable warm temperatures, dense vegetation, high biodiversity.
What is zonation in a community?
The horizontal distribution of different species in distinct zones, often due to changing abiotic conditions (e.g., intertidal zones along a beach).
What is stratification in a community?
The vertical layering of species in an ecosystem, often in forests:
Why do zonation and stratification occur?
They occur because different species have different tolerances and adaptations to abiotic factors such as light, temperature, and moisture.
