The term for physical, nonliving factors that shape an ecosystem is:

Prepare for the Ecology and Ecosystems QBA Exam 1. Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question comes with hints and explanations. Ace your exam!

Multiple Choice

The term for physical, nonliving factors that shape an ecosystem is:

Explanation:
Abiotic factors are the physical, nonliving components that shape an ecosystem. These include temperature, rainfall, sunlight, soil chemistry, wind, and other chemical and physical conditions. They influence where organisms can live, how they grow, and how ecosystems function, because living beings must operate within these nonliving constraints. Weather and climate fall under abiotic conditions, but the broad category describing all nonliving influences is abiotic factors. Biotic factors, in contrast, are the living components like plants, animals, and microbes that interact within the ecosystem.

Abiotic factors are the physical, nonliving components that shape an ecosystem. These include temperature, rainfall, sunlight, soil chemistry, wind, and other chemical and physical conditions. They influence where organisms can live, how they grow, and how ecosystems function, because living beings must operate within these nonliving constraints. Weather and climate fall under abiotic conditions, but the broad category describing all nonliving influences is abiotic factors. Biotic factors, in contrast, are the living components like plants, animals, and microbes that interact within the ecosystem.

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