Abiotic and Biotic Factors

Term 1, Week 1, Lesson 2

Published

February 3, 2026

Do Now

In your book, answer this question:

“Write down your definition of an ecosystem and list 3 examples of different ecosystems.”

You have 3 minutes.

Daily Review

Answer the following 5 multiple choice questions in your book:

  1. An ecosystem includes:
      1. Only living things
      1. Only non-living things
      1. Both living and non-living things interacting
      1. Only plants and animals
  2. Which of these is an example of an ecosystem?
      1. A single tree
      1. A pond with fish, plants, and water
      1. A rock
      1. The Sun
  3. A population is:
      1. All living things in an area
      1. A group of the same species in an area
      1. Only animals
      1. Non-living things
  4. A community is:
      1. Only one species
      1. All populations of different species in an area
      1. Only humans
      1. Non-living things
  5. Why are ecosystems important?
      1. They only look nice
      1. They provide resources and support life
      1. They are not important
      1. They only affect animals

Learning Intentions

Today we are learning about the biotic and abiotic components that make up ecosystems.

Success Criteria

You will be successful if you have:

Keywords

Biotic factors
The living components of an ecosystem. Examples include plants, animals, fungi, and bacteria.
Abiotic factors
The non-living components of an ecosystem. Examples include water, sunlight, temperature, and soil.

Learning Activities

Activity 1 — I DO: Biotic and Abiotic Factors

Every ecosystem is made up of two types of factors: biotic and abiotic.

Biotic Factors — The Living Things

Biotic comes from the Greek word “bios” meaning “life.”

Biotic factors include ALL living things:

Category Examples
Plants Trees, grass, flowers, algae, seaweed
Animals Mammals, birds, fish, insects, reptiles
Fungi Mushrooms, mould, yeast
Microorganisms Bacteria, protists

Abiotic Factors — The Non-Living Things

Abiotic means “without life” (a = without, bios = life).

Abiotic factors include ALL non-living things:

Category Examples
Water Rain, rivers, lakes, humidity
Temperature Hot, cold, seasonal changes
Light Sunlight, day length
Soil Nutrients, pH, texture
Air Oxygen, carbon dioxide, wind
Landforms Rocks, mountains, slopes

How to Tell the Difference

Ask yourself: “Is it alive, or has it ever been alive?”

  • YES → Biotic
  • NO → Abiotic

Tricky examples:

  • A dead tree = Biotic (it was once alive)
  • Fallen leaves = Biotic (they were once part of a living plant)
  • A fossil = Abiotic (it’s now rock, even though it came from something living)

Check for Understanding

Quick check: Is water biotic or abiotic? What about a fish?

Answer: Water is abiotic (non-living). A fish is biotic (living).

Activity 2 — WE DO: Sorting Activity

As a class, we will sort ecosystem components into biotic and abiotic categories.

Sort These Items

Item Biotic or Abiotic? Why?
Sunlight
Kangaroo
Rocks
Grass
Temperature
Bacteria
Rainwater
Fallen log
Wind
Mushroom

Discussion

  • Which items were easiest to classify?
  • Which items were tricky? Why?
  • Can you think of any items that might be confusing?

Activity 3 — YOU DO: Identify the Factors

Complete the worksheet: 112-abiotic-and-biotic-factors-you-do.docx

You will analyse images of different ecosystems and identify all the biotic and abiotic factors present.

Work independently. You have 10 minutes to complete the worksheet.

Notes

Use this space to write any important points from today’s lesson.

Reflection

Quick Quiz

Classify each of these as biotic or abiotic:

  1. A koala → ___________
  2. Soil → ___________
  3. Seaweed → ___________
  4. Ocean water → ___________
  5. A dead insect → ___________

Home-study

Look at the list of 5 living and 5 non-living things you made for homework. Rewrite the list using the terms “biotic” and “abiotic” to categorise each item.