AboutElliott Reams Expertise I can answer questions on basic ecological principles, theories, equations etc. I have the most experience in lotic (moving water) ecology. I can also answer most questions undergraduate level or lower, on topics in entomology (insects), but most of my experience is in aquatic entomology. I also have experience in agro-ecology (farming) and soil invertebrate ecology.
Experience B.S. - Biology - Field Emphasis
- 3 years lotic restoration habitat assessment, fish shocking and identification, macroinvertebrate identification, chemical properties.
- Lotic ecology consulting eagle valley nature preserve same as above.
- Agro-ecology: vegetation analysis, insect composition, pitfall trapping, small mammal trapping.
- Genetic analysis of brown trout, western-blacknose dace.
- Ant mound soil composition, geologic oven procedures, particle size diffraction.
- Misc. Other ecological research projects.
Organizations The Society of Conservation Biology
The Wilson Ornithological Society
The Ecological Society of America
Trout Unlimited
Education/Credentials BS - Biology
Applying for graduate schooling.
Question what are the abiotic factors of ecosystem?
Answer Hey Carina,
Abiotic factors are pieces of an ecosystem that are not part of biology, the A before the word means a lack of. For instance the word Asymmetrical means something lacks symmetry the two sides or multiple sides of something are not exactly the same.
Abiotic factors in an ecosystem would include things such as weather (Temperature, Climates, tidal movements etc) , geology (Type of parent material meaning the how the rocks were created sedimentary and/or igneous), geo-morphology (Shape and type of rocks and soils), hydrology (Water structure, and movement like rivers compared to lakes, and marshes etc.)
Most of the abiotic factors influencing ecosystems are dependent on the above factors, but there are some other ones like underwater sulfur vents in the deep oceans crevasses, but basically the abiotic factors are just those types of things that are not dependent on biology.
A key point to remember is that even some of the pure abiotic factors can in some ways be altered by biology. For instance climate can sometimes be affected by tree configuration like the rainforest, if an area has many trees or plant life it can change the temperature or moisture level, thus changing the rate of erosion etc.
Just keep in mind that abiotic means the lack of life, if something happens in the absence of life, it is abiotic.
