AQA · GCSE · Biology
Course version: 8461 · Version from Sept 2018
Abiotic (non-living) factors which can affect a community are: • light…
Full specification wording
Abiotic factors: Abiotic (non-living) factors which can affect a community are: • light intensity • temperature • moisture levels • soil pH and mineral content • wind intensity and direction • carbon dioxide levels for plants • oxygen levels for aquatic animals.
Abiotic factors are the non-living physical and chemical conditions of a habitat, and each can limit the distribution and abundance of organisms in a community.
Checked against the AQA 8461 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 2 of 3
- 3 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
Abiotic factors are the non-living physical and chemical conditions of a habitat, and each can limit the distribution and abundance of organisms in a community. Light intensity supplies the energy for photosynthesis, so it affects plant growth and the food available to consumers. Temperature controls the rate of enzyme-controlled reactions, so extremes reduce metabolism and survival. Moisture levels affect transpiration, transport and the availability of water for reactions. Soil pH and mineral content affect nutrient availability and root function, so they influence plant growth. Wind intensity and direction increase transpiration and heat loss and can disperse seeds, spores and pollutants. Carbon dioxide is a raw material for photosynthesis in plants, while oxygen is needed for aerobic respiration by aquatic animals.
What earns the marks
- States that abiotic factors are non-living conditions of a habitat.
- Names light intensity and links it to photosynthesis and plant growth.
- Names temperature and links it to enzyme activity and metabolic rate.
- Names moisture levels and links them to transpiration, transport or water availability.
- Names soil pH and mineral content and links them to nutrient availability or plant growth.
- Names wind intensity and direction and links them to transpiration, heat loss or dispersal.
- Names carbon dioxide for plants and oxygen for aquatic animals and links each to photosynthesis or aerobic respiration respectively.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Classifying a living factor such as food supply or disease as abiotic.
Put it right: Check that the factor is non-living.
Confusing the roles of carbon dioxide and oxygen.
Put it right: Link carbon dioxide to photosynthesis in plants and oxygen to aerobic respiration in aquatic animals.
Treating soil pH as a direct nutrient.
Put it right: State that pH affects the availability of minerals to plants.
Exam tips
- Learn the list as seven named factors and be ready to give one effect for each.
- When asked to name a factor, add a brief consequence to show understanding and secure the explanation mark.
- Use the phrase non-living when defining abiotic to distinguish it clearly from biotic.
Try the lesson
The start of the Abiotic factors: Abiotic (non-living) factors which can affect a community are: • light intensity • temperature • moisture levels • soil pH and mineral content • wind intensity and direction • carbon dioxide levels for plants • oxygen levels for aquatic animals. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
Which of the following is an abiotic factor that can affect a community?
Listen
Abiotic factors are the non-living physical and chemical conditions of a habitat, and each can limit the distribution and abundance of organisms in a community. Light intensity supplies the energy for photosynthesis, so it affects plant growth and the food available to consumers. Temperature controls the rate of enzyme-controlled reactions, so extremes reduce metabolism and survival. Moisture levels affect transpiration, transport and the availability of water for reactions. Soil pH and mineral content affect nutrient availability and root function, so they influence plant growth. Wind intensity and direction increase transpiration and heat loss and can disperse seeds, spores and pollutants. Carbon dioxide is a raw material for photosynthesis in plants, while oxygen is needed for aerobic respiration by aquatic animals. A strong answer earns marks for these points. States that abiotic factors are non-living conditions of a habitat. Names light intensity and links it to photosynthesis and plant growth. Names temperature and links it to enzyme activity and metabolic rate. Names moisture levels and links them to transpiration, transport or water availability. A common slip: Classifying a living factor such as food supply or disease as abiotic. Instead, check that the factor is non-living. Exam tip: Learn the list as seven named factors and be ready to give one effect for each.
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
Abiotic factors
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Light intensity
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Temperature
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See every definition
- Abiotic factors
- Non-living physical and chemical conditions of a habitat which can affect a community.
- Light intensity
- Supplies the energy for photosynthesis, so it affects plant growth and the food available to consumers.
- Temperature
- Controls the rate of enzyme-controlled reactions, so extremes reduce metabolism and survival.
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