BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC

FACTORS
Year 7 science
Learning Goals:
Use models, including food webs, to represent matter and energy flow in
ecosystems and predict the impact of changing abiotic and biotic factors on
populations.

Success Criteria:
Define biotic and abiotic, including examples of each.
examine how events such as seasonal changes, destruction of habitat or
introduction of a species impact abiotic and biotic factors and cause changes to
populations.
 Biotic Factors Animal
populations

Biotic (living) factors which can affect

populations.

Amount of
light
Bio means living.
So biotic factors means the things that are
living.
Plant populations
 Abiotic Factors Animal
populations

Abiotic factors are the non-living parts of

the environment that can often have a major
influence on living organisms.

Amount of
light
Bio means living.
Placing an a in front of a word can mean
without.
So abiotic factors means the things that are Water or
not living. moisture
levels
 Examples of Biotic Factors
Food availability New diseases
New predators

Populations growing or decreasing

 Diseases and Viruses
Do you recall looking at the organisms under the
microscope?

Diseases are often caused by tiny living creatures

called bacteria and viruses.

That means when you get sick (with a cold or

similar) tiny living creatures entered your body!

Because bacteria and viruses are (mostly)

considered living, if a population becomes sick, this
is considered a biotic factor.
 Examples of Abiotic FactorsMoisture levels
Light intensity Carbon dioxide levels for plants

temperature Wind intensity and

Oxygen for aquatic animals
direction
 Biotic or Abiotic factor?
Scenario 1: A population of freshwater shrimp
(Neocaridina davidi) live in a pond. The shrimp
eat algae. In their pond, however, the algae has
not grown this year and the shrimp are not able
to eat. The population in the pond was 241 but
has dropped to 71 shrimp.

Is the algae not growing a biotic or abiotic

factor?
Biotic or Abiotic factor?

Scenario 2: A population of trees has started to

die because the normal temperature range has
decreased. The decrease in temperature is due
to climate change.

Is the temperature range dropping a biotic or

abiotic factor?
Biotic or Abiotic factor?
Scenario 3: Ferns generally prefer to grow in low
light conditions, usually underneath tall trees.
This way they don’t experience the full intensity
of the sun. In the last few years, many more trees
have grown and causes there to be less light on
the ferns. The fern population has increased.

Is the increase in light a biotic or abiotic factor?

Bonus question: Is the increase in the fern

population a biotic or abiotic factor?
Question
Scenario 4: In a desert, not as many organism
can survive as a rainforest.

What type of abiotic factors prevent organisms

from surviving in the desert?

What type of abiotic factors in a rainforest help

lots of organisms survive?
 Question
Scenario 5: Bob cares for a lovely
fish tank. He wants his mini
ecosystem in the fish tank to
thrive.

What type of biotic factors would

help the fish population increase?

What type of abiotic would help

the fish population increase?
 Question
Scenario 6: The students of a
school would like there to be more
wildlife around the playground.

What type of biotic factors could

the students change to help
attract wildlife?

What type of abiotic factors could

the students change to help
attract wildlife?
 Question
Scenario 7: Indigenous Australians in
Arnhem land use ‘firestick farming’ in
the cooler months of the year. This
means they deliberately light fire to cut
down undergrowth and attract animals.
It also prevents out-of-control, huge
fires during the summer months.

What type of biotic factors would be

effected by firestick farming?

What type of abiotic factors would be

effected by firestick farming?
Seasons in Australia
Compare Summer and Winter in the Snowy Mountains, NSW, Australia

Winter:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4j3GSrkTbE

Summer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9YMMCwTlOA
 Seasonal Changes
Brainstorm biotic and abiotic factors that change during summer and winter
that you noticed in the videos of the Snowy Mountains.

Winter Summer
 Introduction of species
Cane toads are an introduced species in Australia. This
means that they do not normally live in this ecosystem.
They have a negative impact on Australian ecosystems. The
Australian government is trying hard to get rid of them!

Have you seen a cane toad in your yard before?

Have you ever been to Moreton Island?

Moreton Island is a sand island that is about 2 hours drive

from Ripley. The government is trying to keep cane toads
away by using dogs!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUatLfg6RAA
Cane Toads Diet
Cane toads can eat a
Predators
Cane toads hide during
range of organisms. the day under rocks,
They can eat plants, fallen trees, loose boards
insects, small or any shaded, cool cover
reptiles and small they can find. This is also
mammals. where native frogs, like
the green tree frog, like
to live.

Toxic
Cane toads have poison
glands and are toxic to
anything that eats them.
Often, birds and reptiles will
mistake them for non-toxic
frogs.
Predators
The Tawny Frogmouth (a
type of bird) is able to eat
cane toads without being
poisoned. Crows have also
learnt to flip cane toads
over and avoid their
poison glands to eat them.
 Cane Toad Questions
Complete the following table about biotic and abiotic factors and the cane toad.
Factor Biotic or Abiotic? How the cane toads have effect the ecosystem