Factors that Impact Ecosystems AP Biology Unit 1 Abiotic vs

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Factors that Impact Ecosystems

• AP Biology
• Unit 1

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Abiotic vs. Biotic Factors

• Abiotic factors non-living components that
  affect living organisms
• Ex. Temperature, sunlight, rocks
• Biotic Factors all living things or their
  materials that directly or indirectly affect
  organisms in its environment (includes
  interactions)

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Affect of Biotic and Abiotic Factors

• Interactions with biotic and abiotic factors can
  have an effect on several different levels
  cellular, organismal, population, ecosystem
• Cellular Level ex. temperature, water
  availability can affect a cells function.
• Organismal level ex. interactions (such as
  mutualism, predation) as well as abiotic factors
  (water, temperature)

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Affect of Biotic and Abiotic Factors

• Population, Ecosystem, Community Level
• ex. Water availability, availability of nesting
  materials and sites, species diversity, can all
  contribute to the stability of these groups.

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Biomes

• Ecosystem types that are classified according to
  the dominant vegetation
• Locations are closely tied to abiotic factors
  such as temperature and rainfall
• Ex. Desert, tropical rain forest, tundra

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Geological Meteorological Events

• Impact ecosystem distribution
• Biogeographical studies
• Studies that determine the distribution of
  species
• Ex. Continental drift
• Marsupials fill ecological roles in Australia
  similar to those filled by placental mammals on
  other continent

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Species-specific events

• Keystone species have a strong influence on
  other species in the ecosystem
• Loss of keystone species can result in drastic
  changes to or the collapse of the ecosystem.

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Human Activities

• Occurs on a local, regional, and global scale
• Speeds up changes to ecosystems locally and
  globally
• Ex. Urbanization, global climate change,
  introduced species