AP BIOLOGY NOTES ON ECOLOGY (CHAPTERS 50 ? 55) CHAPTER 50 ? INTRODUCTION TO ECOLOGY AND THE BIOSPHERE YOU MUST KNOW: The role of abiotic factors in the formation of biomes. Features of freshwater and marine biomes Characteristics of the major terrestrial biomes NOTES: WHAT DOES ECOLOGY STUDY? Ecology ? the Study of Interactions Between Organisms and the Environment Organisms all live in complex environment that include: Abiotic components ? The nonliving components of the environment such as water, light, temperature, nutrients, soil. Biotic components ? the living components of the environment such as other organisms as foods, other resources, or predators. These environmental factors limit the geographic range (distribution) and the abundance of species.