Biotic Factors vs. Abiotic Factors: Examples and Dependencies

Various biotic factors drive ecological interactions including competition, cooperation, predation and parasitism. Biotic factors tend to be more dynamic, as living organisms grow, reproduce and evolve over time.

Abiotic factors create the backdrop that makes life possible. Abiotic factors provide relatively stable baseline conditions. However, these factors can change due to external forces like climate change, seasonal shifts and natural disasters.

Understanding the interaction between biotic and abiotic components can help us better manage natural resources. By studying how biotic factors like pests interact with abiotic factors like crops, we can create strategies to protect food production. If we know how soil quality affects plant growth, we can develop better agricultural practices.

Soil, interestingly, is made of both biotic and abiotic factors. The mineral particles, water and air within soil are abiotic. But soil also teems with living organisms, including bacteria, fungi and earthworms, which are biotic.

By exploring all these differences and connections, we can see how biotic factors directly affect the food chain, plant species and our everyday lives.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.