Download Why Abiotic Factors Are Important

Why Abiotic Factors Are Important
Planet Earth is the only known planet that has conditions suitable enough for living organisms
to grow, reproduce and survive. These conditions are a combination of non-living components
like water, sunlight, temperature and living components like micro-organisms, plants and
animals. The non-living components of a particular environment that make the conditions ideal
for sustenance of life are known as the abiotic factors. Some of the important abiotic factors
that
affect
living
organisms
are:
Water
Water can easily be called the lifeblood of Earth. The planet’s surface is covered by 70% water
and it is the essential component of all living beings. 75 % of the human body is comprised of
water, with 90% of blood being water. All living beings, whether they are animals or plants,
need a definite percentage of water present in their body to remain healthy. In human beings
water helps regulate the body's temperature and blood pressure. It is also an important part of
saliva, sweat and tears. In plants important nutrients are carried from the soil to the plants
through water. The water bodies of the world have more life forms present in them than found
on land. Water has the property of its solid frozen form being less dense than the liquid form.
This important property makes ice float on water and allows many aquatic life forms to survive
in cold conditions in the water in spite of the surface being frozen. There is a wide range of
temperature in which water remains in liquid form and it has the ability to dissolve many
essential nutrients & minerals. All this and more make water an iessential factor for survival of
life.
Temperature
All plants and animals are adapted to survive between a minimum and maximum range of
temperature. The earth’s surface has different temperatures in different zones and while some
animals and plants can bear extreme heat or extreme cold, some survive well in moderate
temperature ranges. There are animals whose body temperature fluctuates in different
seasonal conditions. These are animals like fishes and frogs that are called poikilothermal or
cold blooded animals. Others are those animals and mammals who can regulate their body
temperature according to the outside temperature. These are known as homeothermal or
warm blooded animals. In geographical processes temperature also plays an important role.
The difference in the temperature of different oceanic water in combination with winds and the
earth’s rotation gives rise to oceanic currents. Heat and cold equilibrium in combination with
various other factors thus governs many physiological and biological process of the planet. Light
Light is the main source of energy for organisms. Natural light has an important part to play in
the life of most plants as it is utilized by them for the process of photosynthesis where light
energy is converted into chemical energy and into complex organic substances important for
growth, flowering and germination. Plants as food source indirectly transfer the energy to
animals. For animals the intensity of light affects their skin color, sensitivity, sight etc. There are
insects that use UV light to distinguish between flowers and many experts believe that birds too
orient themselves in a specific direction depending on the slight difference of UV light reflected
from object such as trees. Light not only is an energy source but an important factor for
maintaining
the
biological
rhythm
of
life.
Atmospheric
Pressure
Because of the gravitational force of the earth the atmospheric gases are pulled towards the
surface. This phenomenon leads to the air pressure being more near the surface of the earth
and it decreases as the altitude or the height increases. All organisms can again survive only in
particular range of atmospheric pressure and when the air pressure is low, especially in higher
altitudes some may find it difficult to breathe because of the insufficient amount of oxygen
present at a height. In the depth of the oceans the atmospheric pressure increases with the
increasing depth and again this induces only certain kinds of animals and plants to survive in
certain
specific
ocean
regions.
Chemical
components
Carbon, Oxygen, Hydrogen and Nitrogen are four natural elements that constitute 97 % of the
molecules of life. Of the 92 known natural elements in Earth, 25 elements are found in living
beings. Organic and inorganic compounds derived from plants and other food sources ensure
the
smooth
functioning
of
many
vital
organs.
Soil
For plants soil type is a major factor in deciding the type and variety of species growing in a
particular area as the minerals, water co ntents, microorganisms etc. all differ in different soils.
Soil is a combination of various organic and inorganic matters and with the varying content the
water retention capacity of the soil, the fertility, and presence of minerals also changes. While
clay soil can retain more water but less air, black soil is ideal for plant growth with balance of air
and water retention capacities. To conclude, every living organism needs certain climatic and
environmental conditions that are decided by the temperature, rainfall, water availability,
minerals, atmospheric pressure, humidity etc. of that place. The abiotic factors in combination
with the biotic factors provide ideal living conditions and if the critical balance of nature is
maintained, the species inhabiting their particular environment may continue to do so without
a
problem
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