The claim that "abiotic factors help determine the populations of an ecosystem" is strongly supported by the example of mangroves in the estuaries of the Florida Everglades. Mangroves thrive in this unique environment due to their tolerance of high salinity levels and their specialized prop roots that provide stability in the wet, spongy soil typical of estuarine ecosystems. These abiotic factors, including salinity, soil type, and water availability, play a crucial role in allowing mangroves to flourish where other tree species fail. In contrast, a biotic factor, such as herbivory by certain insects or animals, could negatively impact mangrove populations by damaging the plants and diminishing their growth and reproductive success, illustrating the interconnectedness of abiotic and biotic influences on ecosystem dynamics.
Consider the following claim:
"Abiotic factors help determine the populations of an ecosystem."
Evaluate this claim using the mangroves of the estuaries of the Florida Everglades as evidence. Then discuss how a biotic factor could affect the mangrove population.
Passage below:
Estuaries are wetlands that form near the mouths of rivers along ocean coastlines. Many trees fail in estuaries, but mangroves are an exception. Mangroves are common in tropical estuaries, especially the Everglades of southern Florida. They thrive in the Everglades because they tolerate much greater salinity (salt) levels than other plants do. They also have prop roots that support their weight in the Everglades soil. The soil is wet and spongy, and often is covered in water.
While the adaptations of mangroves are ideal for the Everglades, they are less useful for other tropical regions, such as tropical rain forests. They can survive in these regions, but are less common there.
18. The evidence in the passage most strongly supports which of these explanations of the range of mangroves?
Short answer pls. Make it a paragraph
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1 answer