Distinguish between abiotic and biotic components of the environment

Many forces influence the communities of living organisms present in different parts of the biosphere (all of the parts of Earth inhabited by life). The biosphere extends into the atmosphere (several kilometers above Earth) and into the depths of the oceans. Despite its apparent vastness to an individual human, the biosphere occupies only a minute space when compared to the known universe. Many abiotic forces influence where life can exist and the types of organisms found in different parts of the biosphere. The abiotic factors influence the distribution of biomes: large areas of land with similar climate, flora, and fauna.

What You’ll Learn to Do

• Define the term biogeography and the abiotic factors that impact it
• Discuss how abiotic factors affect species distribution
• Identify ways energy sources impact the biotic factors of biogeography
• Identify ways temperature impacts the biotic factors of biogeography
• Identify abiotic factors that impact plant growth
• Identify other abiotic factors that impact the biogeography of our world

Learning Activities

The learning activities for this section include the following:

• Biogeography and Species Distribution
• Energy Sources
• Temperature
• Abiotic Factors Influencing Plant Growth
• Water and Other Factors
• Self Check: Biotic and Abiotic Factors