What Factors affect our Ecosystem?
Abiotic Factors
Abiotic factors are nonliving parts of the environment in an ecosystem that interact with organisms that live in that environment. Variations in these factors can affect how organisms in the environment live and how population sizes grow and fall.
One of the key abiotic factors of the tropical rainforest is the very high amount of rainfall that falls each year. (see chart below) The tropical rainforest experiences on average more than 100 inches of rain annually. Because of this high amount of rainfall, it forms an integral significance in our ecosystem. This high amount of rainfall creates a high humidity in the area, which indirectly becomes a biotic factor due to increasing the fitness of the local bacterial pathogens. These pathogens can then affect organisms in our park, possibly creating widespread disease. (14)
One of the key abiotic factors of the tropical rainforest is the very high amount of rainfall that falls each year. (see chart below) The tropical rainforest experiences on average more than 100 inches of rain annually. Because of this high amount of rainfall, it forms an integral significance in our ecosystem. This high amount of rainfall creates a high humidity in the area, which indirectly becomes a biotic factor due to increasing the fitness of the local bacterial pathogens. These pathogens can then affect organisms in our park, possibly creating widespread disease. (14)
Another signature abiotic factor of the tropical rainforest is its very poor
soil quality and the relative thinness of the topsoil in the biome. Because of
this poor topsoil, the plants within our ecosystem usually will have a root
system that is far spread but not very deep. (14)
soil quality and the relative thinness of the topsoil in the biome. Because of
this poor topsoil, the plants within our ecosystem usually will have a root
system that is far spread but not very deep. (14)
One very unique abiotic factor in the tropical rainforest in the dispersion of sunlight throughout the ecosystem. The very thick canopy of foliage at the highest altitudes of our ecosystem takes in almost all of the light in the environment. This leaves very little sunlight to reach the forest floor and the organisms that typically live on it. Because of this, many plants in our ecosystem will grow very rapidly in a vertical direction to ensure they stay in the canopy and receive large amounts of sunlight; however, plants on the forest floor have slowly adapted over time to require less sunlight in order to survive. (14)
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Biotic Factors
Biotic factors are animal, plants, and other organisms in an environment that affect the other organisms in the same environment. Since the tropical rainforest is one of the most diverse biomes in the world, there is an incredible amount of biotic factors that can be found in our ecosystem. (15)
One very important biotic factor of the tropical rainforest is the diversity of plants it is famous for. Many plants will act as biotic factors in the environment and affect other plants indirectly through an abiotic factor that they create. Through transpiration, the large amounts of plants in our ecosystem release a huge amount of water in the atmosphere that will then often precipitate back down. This continual water supply allows the many plants of the rainforest to grow and also provides drinking water for the various animals. (15)
One very important biotic factor of the tropical rainforest is the diversity of plants it is famous for. Many plants will act as biotic factors in the environment and affect other plants indirectly through an abiotic factor that they create. Through transpiration, the large amounts of plants in our ecosystem release a huge amount of water in the atmosphere that will then often precipitate back down. This continual water supply allows the many plants of the rainforest to grow and also provides drinking water for the various animals. (15)
An often forgotten but very important biotic factor in our ecosystem is the interaction between decomposers and other organisms. Due to the large amount of organisms in the tropical rainforest, a large amount of dead organic matter builds up on the forest floor. This organic matter contains a large amount of nutrients. Decomposers digest this organic matter and cycle the nutrients back into the ecosystem where they are then used by other organisms to grow and sustain life. (15)
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