Final answer:
Abiotic and biotic factors interact significantly within ecosystems. For example, changes in abiotic factors like rainfall and temperature influence soil quality, plant growth, and subsequently, the availability of resources for animals.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ecology is a discipline in biology studying the complex interactions among living organisms, referred to as biotic factors, and their physical environment, known as abiotic factors. Understanding how abiotic and biotic factors interact to drive community changes is a central theme in ecology. For instance, when abiotic factors like temperature and rainfall change, these can influence soil quality, which then affects plant growth patterns.
A clear example of an interaction between abiotic and biotic factors can be seen in how plants, which are biotic components, require sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide abiotic elements to carry out photosynthesis. In turn, the oxygen produced by plants during this process is an abiotic factor that animals (biotic) need to survive. Similarly, in aquatic biomes, abiotic factors such as salinity and temperature impact the species of fish and plants that can live in those waters.