An ecosystem, and its parts
A pond has water, a stone, a plant and a fish. Which parts are alive?
Step 1 of 3
- A pond: water, a stone, a plant, a fish, bacteria.
- Water and the stone are abiotic — not alive.
- The plant, the fish and the bacteria are biotic — alive.
Read each item. Is it abiotic or biotic?
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The plant and the fish are alive. The water and the stone are not.
New words
- Ecosystem — living things and their surroundings, all linked to each other.
- Abiotic — the non-living parts: sunlight, air, water, soil, rainfall.
- Biotic — the living things: plants, animals, bacteria and fungi.
The rule
An ecosystem is living things plus the non-living parts they need. The living things are biotic. The non-living parts are abiotic.
| Part | Kind |
|---|---|
| Sunlight, water, a rock | Abiotic |
| A water plant | Biotic |
| A fish | Biotic |
| A mushroom on a dead log | Biotic |
A garden works the same way. Soil, air and rain are abiotic parts of it. A rose bush, a bee and soil bacteria are biotic.
A forest is a natural ecosystem. A crop field is one that farmers make.