Home >> Science & Nature >> Science

Biotic Factors Operating Within an Ecosystem

Biotic factors are all of the organisms in an ecological setting. They are all of the things that are considered alive in ecosystems, such as animals, plants and trees. Any materials they directly produce, such as waste or falling leaves, are also considered biotic factors. An ecosystem is made up of abiotic factors, too, which are chemical and physical factors, such as temperature, soil composition, minerals, climate and sunlight. Biotic factors range from some of the largest components in ecosystems, such as elephants and redwood trees, to the smallest, such as algae and viruses.

Plants
- Plants are known as primary producers because they produce their own food. They are also known as autotrophs, or self-feeders. They make up the basis of the food chain, and are the source from which all other animals obtain their energy, either by eating the plants or by eating the animals that gather sustenance from the plants. Varying types of plants include trees, shrubs, flowers, grasses, vegetables, mosses, ferns and aquatic plants. Though plants are a biotic factor, they require abiotic factors to help grow and survive, such as soil and water.
Animals
- All the animals in the world are categorized as either mammals, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, insects or arachnids. The most visible animals are often large mammals, such as tigers and whales, but that doesn't mean that the smaller insects and amphibians are any less important. Each species plays a vital role in maintaining a healthy ecosystem by playing a particular role in the food chain. Herbivores are animals that eat plants, carnivores are animals that eat other animals and omnivores are animals that eat both plants and animals.
Other Biotic Factors
- Monera, protists and fungi are also kingdoms of living things. These organisms are very important within an ecosystem. Plankton, viruses and bacteria are all vital microscopic biotic organisms. Plankton marked the beginning of life 3.5 billion years ago and it is still a vital resource in ocean ecosystems. Bacteria can be helpful in breaking down dead organisms into nutritious matter and helping larger organisms digest food; however, it can also be harmful in spreading infections. Viruses can spread disease within an ecosystem and have the potential to disrupt its balance.
Changing Factors
- Biotic factors are the living parts of an ecosystem, and how they operate and affect other organisms depends on what type of organism it is. Roles that biotic factors play include predators, parasites, prey, producers, symbionts and competitors. In a healthy ecosystem, a relative balance is maintained, with each organism playing a vital part. By altering one link of the food chain, either through a disease or die-off of predators, the other links are inevitably affected.

Science