Abiotic Factors
- Light
The sun is the main source of energy for all life on earth.
Light is used by green plants and photosynthetic bacteria for photosynthesis.
Animals depends on plants for food.
It affects living organisms in terms of intensity, quality (wavelength/colour) and duration.
Role of light in Plants;
- Photosynthesis
- Flowering
- Germination
Role of light in Animals:
- Migration
- Hibernation
- Reproduction
Instrument
Photographic light meter – measure light intensity.
Seechi disc – measures light penetration in water.
2. Temperature
Affects biochemical processes in living organisms.
Temperature variations influence the distribution of organisms more in terrestrial than aquatic habitats.
Water has high heat capacity, which keeps the temperature of aquatic habitats relatively constant.
Living things develop physiological and behavioral adaptations to cope with extremes of temperature.
Very low temperature inactivates enzymes while very low temperature denatures enzymes.
Instruments:
Thermometer – measure air temperature.
Maximum and minimum thermometer – measure air temperature range.
