What typically happens to abiotic factors in an ecosystem when biotic populations increase?

• A. Abiotic factors always increase in abundance as biotic populations grow.
• B. Abiotic factors remain completely unchanged regardless of biotic population size.
• C. Abiotic factors are not influenced by changes in biotic populations.
• D. Abiotic resources such as nutrients and water may become depleted due to increased consumption.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the relationship between abiotic and biotic factors in an ecosystem. Abiotic factors include non-living components like water, sunlight, nutrients, and temperature, while biotic factors refer to living organisms such as plants, animals, and microorganisms.
2. Recognize that biotic populations rely on abiotic factors for survival. For example, plants need sunlight, water, and nutrients from the soil, while animals depend on water and food derived from other organisms.
3. Consider the impact of an increase in biotic populations. As the number of organisms grows, their demand for abiotic resources such as water, nutrients, and space also increases.
4. Understand that abiotic factors can become depleted when biotic populations consume them faster than they can be replenished. For instance, a growing population of plants may deplete soil nutrients, or a larger animal population may reduce the availability of water in the ecosystem.
5. Conclude that abiotic factors are influenced by changes in biotic populations, and their abundance may decrease due to increased consumption, contrary to the options suggesting they remain unchanged or are not influenced.