In the field of ecology, we study how living things (like plants, animals, and bacteria) interact with each other and their environment. Two important terms we use to describe parts of this environment are "biotic" and "abiotic."
"Biotic" refers to all the living things in an ecosystem. This includes plants, animals, fungi, bacteria, and anything else that's alive. Biotic factors are all the organisms that directly or indirectly affect each other. For example, a plant might provide food for an animal, which in turn helps the plant by spreading its seeds.
"Abiotic," on the other hand, refers to all the non-living things in an ecosystem. This includes things like sunlight, temperature, water, soil, rocks, and air. Abiotic factors are the physical and chemical parts of the environment that influence living organisms but are not alive themselves. For instance, the amount of sunlight and rainfall in an area can determine what kinds of plants can grow there, which then affects the animals that depend on those plants for food.
So, in summary, when we talk about biotic factors in ecology, we're talking about living things, and when we talk about abiotic factors, we're talking about non-living things. Both biotic and abiotic factors play crucial roles in shaping ecosystems and determining which organisms can survive and thrive in them.