After a Nice Break, the Regents Return...

Hey everyone, hope you all had a nice and relaxing vacation, and that you're ready to get back into the swing of things...I know how much you all have missed practicing those regents questions. But science is cool! At least, Robert Downey Jr. and Mark Ruffalo think so.

In any case, my old favorite website nyslivingenvironment.net seems to have been shut down, hopefully temporarily, so this one is from regentsprep.org.

Which is a biotic factor operating within an ecosystem?

1. the type of climate in a given region
2. the carnivores that consume other animals
3. the amount of helium gas in the air
4. the rate of flow of water in a river

The correct answer here is 2. Biotic means living, and abiotic means nonliving. Climate, helium gas, and water are all nonliving, while carnivores are indeed alive. Biotic also refers to organisms that were once alive.

Test out your skills with this quiz...remember, biotic refers to organisms that are alive/were once alive. http://www.quia.com/quiz/244317.html