The three biotic components of an ecosystem are:
- Producers (autotrophs) - organisms that produce their own food, typically through photosynthesis (e.g., plants, algae).
- Consumers (heterotrophs) - organisms that consume other organisms for energy (e.g., herbivores, carnivores, omnivores).
- Decomposers (detritivores) - organisms that break down dead organic matter and waste, returning nutrients to the ecosystem (e.g., fungi, bacteria).
Biotic components rely on abiotic components of the ecosystem to live. Abiotic components include non-living factors such as sunlight, temperature, water, soil, and minerals.