G06: Sciences Ecosystems, Biomes and Habitats: Abiotic Factors

Abiotic factors, also called abiotic components are non-living factors that impact an ecosystem. Abiotic factors are part of the ecosystem and can impact the associated living things, but they are not living. The term “abiotic” comes from the root parts “a-” meaning “without,” and “bio,” meaning “life.” The living parts of an ecosystem are called “biotic factors.”

What causes a plant to be stressed? As with humans, stresses can come from the surrounding environment. These stresses are called abiotic, or nonliving stresses. Stresses can also come from living organisms that can cause disease or damage. These are called biotic stresses.

What Happened to All the Soil?
The planet is losing topsoil at an alarming rate, fortunately, we know why and we know how to fix it. To better understand the problem and the sweeping consequences of soil degradation, look to the oceans.

The Soil Regeneration Project begins in Singapore, showing that urban soil can be regenerated, and regenerating social trust between communities, governments, and businesses. By regenerating the physical condition of urban soil, it also regenerates the value of our non-urban imaginaries.

* Minimum to zero tilling
* The use of “cover crops, crop rotations, compost, and animal manures, which restore the plant/soil microbiome to promote liberation, transfer, and cycling of essential soil nutrients.”
* Building biological ecosystem diversity and restoring soil system energy via “inoculation of soils with composts or compost extracts” and “full-time planting of multiple crop intercrop plantings, multispecies cover crops, and borders planted for bee habitat and other beneficial insects.”
* Stimulate plant growth, while also increasing soil carbon deposits and fertility, insect and plant biodiversity, and soil carbon sequestration via well-managed grazing practices.