Ecosystems - Biotic Factors (GCSE Biology)
Biotic Factors
Biotic Factors
A biotic factor is a living factor that can affect an ecosystem.
Availability of Food
- Organisms require food to live. The areas where food is in abundance, such as rainforests, allow a great amount of growth. Tundra areas, such as Siberia, however, have less food and so fewer organisms can survive here.
New Predators Arriving
- New predators can devastate an ecosystem. When a new predator enters a stable ecosystem, they provide more competition to the organisms in their trophic level. This will mean that the number of prey will dramatically decline. This could wipe out all of the other predators, as their food supply will be reduced dramatically.
New Pathogens
- New pathogens can be introduced into an ecosystem. Pathogens being introduced into an ecosystem can have a dramatic effect. When Europeans colonised Australia, smallpox was introduced from the colonisers. This devastated the Aboriginal population, as they had not developed the required immunity.
- Pathogens can be used for biological control. Ash borers are controlled by introducing pathogens and parasites into their population.
One Species Outcompeting Another so the Numbers are no Longer Sufficient to Breed
- New species can outcompete an existing species. The cane toad was introduced from Europe to Australia. This led to it outcompeting the existing species’ and led to an increase in the population of the cane toad. Such a system also occurred with the introduction of grey squirrels in Europe.
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