Question

Explain five abiotic factors that affect living organisms in an ecosystem.

Answer 1

1. Water – The availability of adequate amounts of water lead to plant growth which provides food for animals. In aquatic environment, water is a medium in which gametes are released thus lead to continuity in procreation.
2. Temperature – influences the rate of enzyme catalysed reactions. Therefore, it exerts an influence on almost all activities of plants and animals such as respiration, photosynthesis, growth, transport e.t.c.
3. Light – is necessary in plants for photosynthesis as it influences flowering of a wide variety of plants, affecting opening and closing of stomata, affects the rate of transpiration.
4. Salinity – is the salt content of eater. It varies in aquatic habitat. Fresh water organisms suffer the risk of loosing water.
5. Humidity – determines the amount of water loss from a bodies animals and organs of plants; high humidity means high rate of evaporation and transpirations;
6. pH – it determines if water habitat is acidic or alkaline; pH has a great influence on physiological function of organisms affects enzyme controlled reactions since enzymes operate within a narrow pH ranges.