Which term describes the nonliving components of an ecosystem such as climate and minerals?

• A. Abiotic
• B. Biotic
• C. Trophic
• D. Niche

Answer: (A)

Abiotic factors are the nonliving parts of an ecosystem. These shape where organisms can live and how they survive, including climate (such as temperature and precipitation) and minerals in soil or water. Because they are not living, these components are described as abiotic, unlike biotic components, which are the living beings like plants, animals, and microbes. Trophic relates to feeding relationships and energy transfer, not the nonliving environment. A niche refers to the role a species plays in its ecosystem, including how it uses resources and interacts with others, which also involves both living and nonliving factors but isn’t the term for the nonliving components themselves. So the term that best fits the description is abiotic.