Question

How does biological diversity relate to the characteristics of the abiotic factors of an ecosystem?

Answer 1

Ans. Abiotic factors of an ecosystem are mainly light, moisture, mineral salts, heat and carbon dioxide. These factors are directly related to the biodiversity of that ecosystem. For any ecosystem, photosynthesis is the primary phenomenon for producers to harness biotic factors and produce food for the consumers and then subsequently secondary consumers. In this way the food chain of that ecosystem withstand in proper manner. The intensity of light, availability of water, balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide, sufficient presence of minerals are is critical for photosynthesis. In non restrictive environment for these factors in an ecosystem the photosynthesis and the organic matter synthesis is at its maximum pace, due to which plants and algae reproduce faster, leading to their increased population, and hence provides potential echological niches for the multiplication and emergence of new species. Viceversa a restrict environment like desert of glaciers lead to the less development of producers due to which they have have less diversity. This led to the decreased no. of consumers and cause lesser ecological niches to be explored. In this way the ecological diversity is a consequence of availability of abiotic factors. The large mass of producers makes the appearance of a diversity of consumers of several orders possible