What are some examples of biotic factors in an ecosystem?

5 Answers



In general, biotic factors are the living components of an ecosystem and are sorted into three groups: producers or autotrophs, consumers or heterotrophs, and decomposers or detritivores.

examples of different biotic factors

Examples of biotic factors include:

Grass as producers (autotrophs).
Mouse, deer, and owl as consumers (heterotrophs).
And earthworms as decomposers (detritivores).

To further understand the term "biotic factors", it's helpful to look at the meaning of the terms "biotic" and "abiotic."

Biotic means pertains to life. (Remember that Biology is the study of life?) Abiotic means pertaining to no life.

Abiotic examples include things that are not alive but you will find in an ecosystem such as air, gases, water, sand, stones and rocks.


So basically, the term "biotic" just means it's a living organism. The opposite version "abiotic" just means it's not living. Such as a rock, some sand, etc.

So your question really depends on what ecosystem you're looking at. Most of the time it can be very obvious, such as the plants and trees. Then there are the animals that live inside.

If you are studying biotic factors in a deciduous forest, you are likely to find hardwood trees, foxes, birds, rabbits, and lots of woodland creatures.

Now something that tricks a lot of students is when they say that dirt is abiotic. This is true, but you should clarify (since there are millions of tiny organisms inside of it).

Nov 16, 2014

Biotic factors in an ecosystem are simply living factors that have an effect on the said ecosystem.

For example, if you had an abundance of lynxes (they're a type of fox) in a given area, then there is a good chance that you'll have a limited number of hares in the area as well (because lynxes eat hares). Therefore, the lynxes would be a biotic factor that contributed to the limiting of the number of hares in the area.

If you thought about it, even we humans are biotic factors in some ways. We exterminate pests that keep our plants from growing, and breed & kill animals we like to eat (like chickens).

Feb 19, 2015

We were just asked about some abiotic factors in a desert, and specifically about abiotic factors of an owl in the desert.

It doesn't matter if an owl lives in a desert or not. The abiotic factors in any desert (with an owl as a biotic factor or not) are: sand, gravel, rocks, air, wind, clouds, sunlight and very little rain.




Feb 21, 2017

Biotic factors are living things in an environment or ecosystem


Biotic factors of the neighborhood

  • Humans
  • Dogs
  • Cats
  • Birds
  • Deer
  • Snakes
  • Fish
  • Frogs
  • Etc.

Abiotic Factors are the nonliving things of an environment or neighborhood.