How do biotic and abiotic factors influence an ecosystem?

Every Biotic and Abiotic factor effects or causes a change in the environment.

• When a living organism interacts with the environment, this causes a change in the environment. Thus, living organisms are considered biotic factors.

Examples of Biotic Factors and some of their effects include:

A giraffe feeds on thorn trees, for instance. As the giraffe is eating, it takes in oxygen as it breathes, gives out CO2 from respiration. The CO2 can be taken in by the tree's leaves and be used in the process of to make food/energy, that can be used to produce for eg, more leaves, growth etc, which will be affect the ecosystem.

Also, the giraffe could excrete waste materials that will contain substances and minerals that the plant can take in through the roots.

Other changes: - Predating: when animals, for example, predate on other animals, this reduces the numbers of prey, which in turns affects the the ecosystem. - Parasites: cause diseases that may slow down the growth rate of a population and/or reduces the number of organisms. - Competitors: When organisms compete over nutritional resources, this could reduce the growth of a population.

Abiotic Factors: Temperature of the place, light availability, pollutants, for eg affect the plants, and also animals (positively or negatively, depending on the condition and it's extremity), and that affects the ecosystem.