Content
The biotic factors They are all living organisms that interact with other living organisms.
On the other hand, it is also called biotic factor to the relationships between the organisms of an ecosystem. These relationships condition the existence of all the inhabitants of the ecosystem, since they modify their behaviors, the way they feed and reproduce, and in general the conditions necessary to survive.
Among these relationships are relationships of dependency and competition. In other words, biotic factors are living beings, but always considered in a network of relationships between flora and fauna.
In the ecosystem there are also abiotic factors, which are those that also condition the existence of living beings, but which are not living beings, such as water, heat, light, etc.
- See also: Examples of biotic and abiotic factors
Biotic factors are classified as:
- Individual factor: An organism individually. That is, a particular horse, a particular bacteria, a particular tree. When studying changes in an ecosystem, it is important to determine whether a single individual of a species can cause significant changes or not.
- Biotic factor population: They are the set of individuals that inhabit the same area and that are of the same species. Biotic population factors always modify the ecosystem in which they are integrated.
- Biotic factor community: They are a set of different biotic populations that coexist in the same area. The concept of the biotic factor community allows observing the relationships between populations but also how the community as a whole is related to other populations that do not belong to the community.
Examples of biotic factors
1. Producers
Producers are those organisms that produce their own food. They are also called autotrophs.
| Dandelion | Sunflowers |
| Bamboo | Cane |
| Acacia | Plum |
| Wheat | Palmetto |
| Almond | Olive |
| Vine | Alfalfa |
| Peach tree | Rice |
| Grass |
2. Consumers
Consuming organisms are those that cannot produce their own food. This includes herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores.
| cow | snake |
| vulture | shark |
| crocodile | Tiger |
| coyote | caterpillar |
| horse | Panda bear |
| goat | sheep |
| kangaroo | Rhino |
| zebra | Eagle |
| deer | turtle |
| rabbit | Fox |
3. Decomposers
Decomposers feed on organic matter, breaking it down into its basic elements.
| Flies (insect) | Azotobacter (bacteria) |
| Diptera (insect) | Pseudomonas (bacteria) |
| Trichoceridae (insect) | Achromobacter (bacteria) |
| Aranea (insect) | Actinobacter (bacteria) |
| Calliphoridae (insect) | Mutualistic fungi |
| Silphidae (insect) | Parasitic fungi |
| Histeridae (insect) | Saprobic mushrooms |
| Mosquito larvae (insect) | Mold |
| Blowflies (insect) | Worms |
| Acari (insect) | Slugs |
| Beetles (insect) | Nematodes |
- More examples in: Decomposing organisms.
Follow with:
- Abiotic factors.
