Abiotic Components and Ecosystem Energy Sources

Biotic factors of an ecosystem include all plant and animal species present in there. The abiotic factors include a physical environment in which they can survive. It includes light, temperature, humidity and other climatic condition as well as physical factors like soil. Thus, the correct answer is D. 

Pedology is the study of soils in their natural environment. It is one of the two branches of soil.

• Abiotic components: These are non-living components of the environment and consist of two things, materials and energy (that may be light or chemical energy). Materials include land, air, water, minerals, salts, atmospheric gases, rainfall, temperature etc.
• Biotic components: These are living components of the environment and divided into autotrophic and heterotrophic components. An autotrophic component is the producers or green plants while heterotrophic component includes consumers (primary, secondary and tertiary consumers) and decomposers (microbes).

The pedosphere is the outermost layer of the Earth that is composed of soil and subject to soil formation processes, forming the direct interface between the biosphere, atmosphere, lithosphere, and hydrosphere.

Nitrogen (N2) makes up approximately 78% of the Earth's atmosphere, making it the most abundant gas in our environment.

Because the Earth is a sphere, the Sun can only illuminate one half of its surface at any given time, while the other half remains in darkness.

• Various environmental factors can be divided majorly into climatic factors, edaphic factors and biotic factors.
  
• The factors which relate to structure and composition of soil are called edaphic factors. Soil composition, organic matter, soil water, soil air and soil organisms are examples of edaphic factors.
• Humidity, rainfall and wind velocity are climatic factors.
• Examples of biotic components include animals, plants, fungi, and bacteria.
  
• So the correct option is B.

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas. It has the ability to trap sunlight and thus causes the increase in the temperature of Earth surface. If the situation on the Earth was with a lesser amount of $CO _2$, the temperature would have been very little. More pollution will cause the release of more $CO _2$ to the atmosphere causing global warming. 

Limited or no sunlight in deeper waters keep the temperature lower in the regions making it suitable for fishes when surface water become warm due to increasing in average global temperature. Likewise, higher latitudes maintain lower temperatures due to the angle of irradiance. Salinity does not affect the temperature range of water bodies. Thus, the correct answer is E.

The Siberian city of Yakutsk is the coldest in the world. It was -89.8$^0$C temperature in 1947. Coldest Temperature in North America was -62.8$^0$C in 1949. The temperature of Mt. Everest, Himalayas in 1954 was -36$^0$C. Antarctica's lowest temperature was recorded in 1982 and was -89.2$^0$C. 

• Abiotic components: These are non living components of environment and consist of two things, materials and energy (that may be light or chemical energy). Materials include water, minerals, salts, atmospheric gases etc.
• Biotic components: These are living components of environment and divided into autotrophic and heterotrophic components. Autotrophic component is the producers or green plants while heterotrophic component includes consumers (primary, secondary and tertiary consumers) and decomposers.

The temperature of the surface waters varies mainly with latitude. The polar seas (high latitude) can be as cold as -2 degrees Celsius (28.4 degrees Fahrenheit), while the Persian Gulf (low latitude) can be as warm as 36 degrees Celsius (96.8 degrees Fahrenheit).
Temperature varies in ponds and lakes seasonally. During the summer, the temperature can range from $4^0$C near the bottom to $22^0$C at the top. During the winter, the temperature at the bottom can be $4^0$C, while the top is $0^0$C (ice).

The thermosphere is too high for balloons and radiosondes, and satellites orbit within it, making direct temperature probes difficult due to the low density of air. Scientists instead infer the temperature by observing the drag effects on satellite orbits, which are directly influenced by the density and temperature of the thermosphere.

In ecology, the environment is divided into biotic factors (living components) and abiotic factors (non-living components). Abiotic factors include things like sunlight, temperature, water, and soil.

Mean annual temperature is calculated by subtracting the lowest recorded temperature from the highest recorded temperature of the of the day. It can vary depending on the weather and climate of an area.

 The Sun is the major source of energy for organisms and the ecosystems of which they are a part. Producers such as plants, algae, and cyanobacteria use the energy from sunlight to make organic matter from carbon dioxide and water. This establishes the beginning of energy flow through almost all food webs. The continual input of energy, mostly from sunlight, sustains the process of life. Sunlight allows plants, algae and cyanobacteria to use photosynthesis to convert carbon dioxide and water into organic compounds like carbohydrates. This process is the fundamental source of organic material in the biosphere. The overall productivity of an ecosystem is controlled by the total energy available.

Robert Constanza and his colleagues have put the value of ecosystem services to $33$ trillion dollars a year. Out of which $50%$ is proposed for formation of soil, prevention of flood and mitigating droughts. The value of $10%$ each for nutrient cycle and recreation and $6%$ for climate regulation and habitat preservation for wild flora and fauna has been proposed.

Edaphic factors are classified under the abiotic factors affecting an ecosystem. Edaphic factors include factors of soil, e.g., soil texture, substratum, topography, mineral composition, pH, etc. These factors can influence the distribution and interrelationships of organisms, as well as rate of decomposition.

The total amount of solar radiation reaching to the lithosphere do not enter the surface of the earth as it would heat up the earth making it unsuitable for any life. Therefore, 35% of the solar radiation are reflected back to the space.

Every living being on planet earth gets energy directly from the sunlight. Plants use it to manufacture food and other animals use the food manufactured by plants.

The constituents of the environment, which directly or indirectly influence the form and functioning of organisms in any specific way are known as environmental factors. They are of two types: abiotic and biotic. 

The source of energy in an ecosystem is the sun. The solar energy is trapped by green plants and converted into biologically useful form i.e., carbohydrates. All the consumers depend either directly or indirectly on green plants for nutrition. The energy flow in an ecosystem is always unidirectional i.e., solar radiation to producers to herbivores to carnivores.

In an ecosystem, green plants trap solar energy and convert it into sugars which are utilised by all the living organisms and also passed on to successive trophic levels. Thus, the correct answer is option A.

In an ecosystem plants produces their own food by utilising solar energy, water and carbon dioxide, which is then transfer to the successive trophic levels. Some of the minerals are locked in living systems as constituents of protoplasm. These minerals are returned to environment through the decomposition of death and decay of organisms.Thus, the correct answer is option B.

In an ecosystem, the ultimate source of energy is the sun. The solar energy is trapped by producers and converted to usable biochemical compounds like carbohydrates. These carbohydrates are passed on successively to higher trophic levels. Thus, the correct answer is option D.

An ecosystem consists of living things like producers, consumers and decomposers and nonliving things like air, water, land. The ultimate source of energy in an ecosystem is sun. The plants in presence of sunlight synthesize its food. From plants, the energy is transferred to primary consumers and secondary consumers and decomposers. 

A greater axial tilt increases the intensity of solar radiation received during the summer (hotter summers) and decreases it during the winter (colder winters) in middle latitudes, as the angle of the sun becomes more extreme.

In the stratosphere, temperature increases with altitude because the ozone layer absorbs ultraviolet radiation from the sun, which heats the surrounding air.

Reflection is the process where light waves bounce off a surface, changing direction without being absorbed or transmitted.

Approximately 30 percent of incoming solar radiation is reflected back into space by clouds, the atmosphere, and the Earth's surface (albedo).

At sunrise and sunset, the sun is near the horizon, meaning the sunlight must travel through a much longer path of the Earth's atmosphere compared to when the sun is directly overhead at noon.

Nearly all of the energy, that drives ecosystems ultimately comes from the sun. 

An ecosystem is made up of components, biotic and abiotic. Biotic components constitute all the living members of an ecosystem. While abiotic component of an ecosystem consists of non-living substances and factors such as air, water soil, sunlight etc. Thus option C is the correct answer. 

Soil is made up of many layers, forming soil profile. The uppermost layer of soil is made up of sandy soil that withers away quickly under the effect of blowing wind, flowing water in the form of rains or floods. Apart from this, trees hold the soil particles together with the help of their roots. Deforestation activities lead to a decrease in the number of trees resulting in an increase in the rate of soil erosion.

Flow of energy and consumers are part of biotic components of ecosystem. Water, carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous all take paths from the non-living environment to living organisms, such as trees and then back to non-living environment. These paths known as biogeochemical cycles. In these cycles, a pathway is formed when a substance enters into living organisms, stays for a long time, then returns to the non-living environment. As it is part of abiotic component of ecosystem.

The fundamental source of energy in almost all ecosystems is radiant energy from the sun. The energy of sunlight is used by the ecosystem's autotrophic, or self-sustaining, organisms. Consisting largely of green vegetation, these organisms are capable of photosynthesis - i.e., they can use the energy of sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into simple, energy-rich carbohydrates. The autotrophs use the energy stored within the simple carbohydrates to produce the more complex organic compounds, such as proteins, lipids, and starches, that maintain the organism's life processes. Organic matter generated by autotrophs directly or indirectly sustains heterotrophic organisms. Heterotrophs are the consumers of the ecosystem; they cannot make their own food. 

The flow of wind and its rate affects the rate of soil erosion. Rainfall governs the amount of groundwater available to the soil. Temperature also affects the constitution of soil. The amount of sunlight and humidity in the air also affect the type of soil and characteristics of soil particles. 

Abiotic factor means the non living chemical or physical parts of the ecosystem. So, considering that only water and temperature are the abiotic components out of all the given options. Since, pond is the ecosytem here, water is the most important abiotic factor, because pond is essentially made of up water. If water isnt present no pond ecosytem will exist.

In gaseous cycles of matter the materials involved in circulation between biotic and abiotic components of biosphere are gases or vapours and the reservoir Pool is atmosphere or hydrosphere. e.g $N _2$,$CO _2$ and $H _2O$
So, the correct answer is 'Both (a) and (b)'

Edaphic factors refer to the physical and chemical properties of the soil that influence the growth and distribution of organisms.

Edaphic factors are soil-related. Rainfall is a climatic factor, not a soil factor, although it influences soil properties.

A food chain is series of plants/animals which are interrelated in the form of organism being eaten as food by the other. It consists of producers, consumers and decomposers. It always starts with photosynthesis as plants are producers. The ultimate source of energy for living beings is sunlight. The plants in presence of sunlight synthesize its food. From plants, the energy is transferred to primary consumers and secondary consumers and decomposers. The animals eating plants are called as primary consumers and animals eating primary consumers are called as secondary consumers. 

Ecosystem is made up of living and nonliving things. Living things or biotic things include plants and animals. Nonliving things or abiotic things include air, water, land.  It is composed of organisms interacting within communities. The driving force for an ecosystem is solar energy. Plants use solar energy to synthesize their food by the process of photosynthesis. From solar energy, the energy is transferred to plants and other organisms via plants.

• The sun is made up of about 80% hydrogen, 20% helium and only 0.1% other elements. 
• Sun is the most important source of energy. The sun is the source of life on our planet Earth and, directly or indirectly, is the fuel for most renewable systems. Photovoltaic and solar thermal systems, as well as solar thermal power stations, convert solar irradiation directly into useable energy.
• Hence Multinational source of energy is the sun.
• So, the correct answer is 'Sun'.

Sun is the ultimate and major source of energy which is required and fulfills the need of the world. photosynthesis and chemical bonds are performed and formed respectively by the sunlight due to which all the necessary reactions occur leading to the completion of all the processes. Green plants require sunlight to produce organic food in which water and gases mix with sunlight to produce their food.

Clouds act as a blanket at night by absorbing longwave infrared radiation emitted by the Earth's surface and re-radiating a portion of it back down, which reduces the rate of surface cooling.

Saturated air contains the maximum amount of water vapor possible at a given temperature, meaning there is no net evaporation or condensation occurring at the water surface. Therefore, the water level remains constant because the rate of evaporation equals the rate of condensation.

The sun provides the vast majority of the energy that drives atmospheric circulation, weather patterns, and the heating of the Earth's surface and atmosphere. Other sources like geothermal or volcanic activity are negligible in comparison to solar radiation.

Aluminum foil is highly reflective. By placing the shiny side outward, it reflects the incoming solar radiation away from the object, preventing it from absorbing heat.

The lag in daily temperature occurs because the Earth's surface continues to receive and store heat even after the sun has passed its peak intensity at solar noon. The maximum temperature is typically reached a few hours after the maximum solar radiation.

If all the air spaces of soil are filled with water, the condition is known as water logging of soil. Such soils are physiologically dry soils. 

Solar radiation is radiant energy emitted by the sun. The land being darker and less reflective will absorb great deal of solar radiation and will have significant increase in temperature.

Biotic factors are those related to living organisms. Carbon dioxide levels in soil are significantly influenced by the respiration of soil microbes, plant roots, and the decomposition of organic matter, making it biotic in origin.