What term refers to factors related to the living aspects of an ecosystem?

The term that refers to factors related to the living aspects of an ecosystem is "biotic." Biotic factors include all the living organisms within an ecosystem, such as plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms. These living components interact with each other and their environment, influencing population dynamics, community structure, and the overall functioning of the ecosystem.

Understanding biotic factors is essential when studying ecosystems, as they can provide critical insights into relationships such as predator-prey dynamics, symbiotic relationships, and competition for resources among organisms. Each species plays a specific role within the ecosystem, contributing to biodiversity and ecosystem stability.

In contrast, abiotic factors pertain to the non-living elements such as temperature, soil, water, and sunlight. Cultural factors refer to the human influences on an ecosystem, while geological factors relate to the physical characteristics of the earth that shape ecosystem structures, such as the terrain and rock formations. All these terms are important in ecology, but biotic specifically denotes the living components of an ecosystem.