What describes the nonliving parts of an ecosystem?

The correct answer is that nonliving parts of an ecosystem are referred to as abiotic factors. Abiotic factors include all the physical and chemical components of the environment that are not living, such as sunlight, water, temperature, soil, and air. These factors play a crucial role in influencing the living organisms (biotic factors) within the ecosystem, as they determine the types of organisms that can thrive in a particular environment and how they interact with one another.

Understanding abiotic factors is essential for studying ecosystems, as they are foundational elements that affect everything from climate to nutrient availability. For example, sufficient sunlight is necessary for photosynthesis in plants, which is vital for the energy flow within food webs. Additionally, different organisms have specific requirements for temperature and moisture, which are determined by abiotic factors.

In contrast, biotic factors pertain to all living components, living organisms encompass all species in the ecosystem, and ecosystem services refer to the benefits that ecosystems provide to humans, such as clean water, pollination of plants, and climate regulation. Each of these concepts is important in ecology, but they do not describe the nonliving aspects of an ecosystem.