abiotic environment
Quick Summary
The term "abiotic" refers to non-living components of an environment. In biology, an ecosystem is defined by the interaction between living organisms (biotic) and their physical surroundings (abiotic). These abiotic factors include minerals, climate, soil, water, and sunlight.12
The biosphere is the Earth's life-supporting layer, encompassing both living organisms and the nonliving factors from which they obtain energy and nutrients. Before life existed, Earth's environment was strictly inorganic, consisting of the geosphere (rock and soil), hydrosphere (water), and atmosphere (air). The emergence of life created the biosphere, a dynamic system where matter is continuously cycled, and solar energy flows through it. This interplay between biotic and abiotic elements is fundamental to all life on Earth.3
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