8.5: Local Environment

Abiotic and biotic features

Abiotic and biotic are terms used to describe the features of the environment.  Abiotic refers to non-living characteristics of an ecosystem.  This includes, but is not limited to:

• water
• light
• pH
• temperature
• turbidity
• wind speed
• salinity
• buoyancy
• viscosity

Abiotic factors are physical and chemical factors.

Biotic refers to the living characteristics of an ecosystem.  This includes, but is not limited to:

• plants
• animals
• fungi
• protists
• bacteria 

Together abiotic and biotic features interact to create an ecosystem.

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Outcomes 8.5.1: Students learn to describe the difference between abiotic and biotic features of the environment