ECOLOGY
Abiotic Factors
Abiotic factors are nonliving objects that have a specific effect on an ecosystem and the organisms in it. Some examples would be temperature, water, rocks, the sun, minerals, and soil. Organisms are dependent on all abiotic factors. If any were to somehow disappear from the environment, this would have a major influence on these organisms, and will cause them to slowly die off, or they would migrate to another area where these factors are still present.
Sun
The sun is one of the most important abiotic factors in the ecosystems It is the main source of light for all organisms. This light provides energy for animals, plants, etc, and plays an important role in the photosynthesis of plants. (Photosynthesis is the process in which plants convert the light energy from the sun into chemical energy.) Many insects use the UV light from the sun to distinguish flower from flower. The sun's rays affect the skin color and sight of many land and sea animals.
Soil
The soil holds the plants down into the ground. It contains the nutrients that the plants need to stay alive. The soil also provides shelter for animals such as worms, who burrow into the ground. Soil is the basis of all plant life, and without it, plants would not survive.
Temperature
All organisms have different adaptations as to how much heat or cold they can withstand. Some can live in temperatures that are scorching hot or freezin cold, while others can only survive well in moderate temperatures. If a snake were put into a freezing cold environment (like Antarctica), it would die of frostbite because it has nothing to protect it from the cold temperatures. If a polar bear were put into a scorching hot environment (such as the Sahara Desert), it would die of heat exhaustion because it has a thick layer of fur which is used to protect it from the cold. This would just make it hotter in the warmer environments.
Air
Air surrounds every single one of us, and is the most important abiotic factor (for land animals) that there is. The air consists of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, .9% argon, and about a tenth of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxides, methane, and ozone. All organisms, including plants and animals, are dependent on air. We breath in air, birds breath in air, and when we breath out we convert it into carbon dioxide, which the plants breath in. When the plants respirate, it converts the carbon dioxide into oxygen. Organisms need oxygen to carry out respiration, releasing carbon dioxide into the air.
Water
Water is another one of the most important factors of ecosystems. 71% of Earth's surface is covered in water, and in these aquatic environments live many different kinds of marine lifeforms, such as fish, sharks, jellyfish, etc. Many land aniamls are dependent on water as well, as they use it to rehydrate themselves. If water were to disappear from any environment, then the aquatic life will dry out and the land animals would die of dehydration. We need water for our cells to maintain homeostasis, keeping eveything at equilibrium. It increases the volume of blood, which affects blood perssure and heart rate.