What are some abiotic features of a NSW rainforest?

Answer 1

The term "abiotic" refers to the non-living components of an ecosystem - the prefix "a" means "non" and "biotic" means "life".

The abiotic components of a NSW cool temperate or warm temperate rainforest are pretty much the same for any forest wherever you go, or that you may care to look at. I'm very familiar with the cool temperate rainforests of Tasmania and have a passing familiarity with the rainforests of the north-eastern Great Dividing Range and they share a lot of similar biotic and abiotic features.

The abiotic components are:
1. the soil;
2. the rocks and minerals underlying the soil, which are the basic foundation of the soil (rocks of volcanic origin create very rich soils which is what a lot of the NE rainforests are found on);
3. the climatic conditions (rainforests require LOTS of rain; the NE is in such a high rainfall area);
4. the quality of the air;
5. the amount of water available both in rivers and in subterranean aquifers (the water under the ground);
6. the ambient temperature and climatic conditions - warm weather produces a warm temperate zone as in NE NSW, a cooler climate like that found in the Barrington Tops NP allows the relic cool temperate rainforest which is found there to survive and
7. The amount of light available to a place - Tassie gets a slightly lesser amount of sunlight so the warm temperate forests did not get a chance to take off like they did in NSW.


Hope this answers your question!

Love and Light,


Jarrah

Answer 2

water, minerals, light