Question

question 16 (1 point) match the item to its category (type a for b) column a 1 predators 2 natural disasters 3 human disturbance 4 food supply 5 soil chemicals 6 water column b a abiotic b biotic

Explanation:

1. Predators are living organisms, so they belong to biotic (b).
2. Natural disasters like earthquakes, floods are non - living components affecting ecosystems, so abiotic (a).
3. Human disturbance: Humans are living, but the disturbance here is considered as an abiotic factor in terms of ecosystem components? Wait, no. Wait, biotic factors are living or once - living. Human disturbance is related to human (biotic) activity, but in ecosystem categorization, abiotic factors are non - living. Wait, maybe I made a mistake. Wait, natural disasters (like fire, flood) are abiotic. Human disturbance: let's think again. Biotic factors are organisms (plants, animals, bacteria, etc.), abiotic are non - living (climate, temperature, water, soil chemicals, natural disasters, human - made disturbances? Wait, maybe the question considers human disturbance as abiotic? Wait, no. Wait, the options are a (abiotic) and b (biotic). Biotic is living or related to living. Predators are biotic (b). Food supply: food is made by living organisms or is part of the biotic system, so biotic (b). Soil chemicals: non - living, abiotic (a). Water: non - living, abiotic (a). Natural disasters: non - living, abiotic (a). Human disturbance: maybe abiotic? Wait, maybe the question's categorization: biotic is living components (organisms), abiotic is non - living (physical, chemical, or human - made non - living disturbances? Maybe). Let's re - evaluate:
4. Predators: living organisms → biotic (b)
5. Natural disasters: non - living → abiotic (a)
6. Human disturbance: non - living (as a factor, not the human itself) → abiotic (a)? Wait, maybe the question considers human disturbance as abiotic. Alternatively, maybe I was wrong. Wait, let's check standard ecosystem components. Biotic factors: all living organisms (plants, animals, bacteria, fungi, etc.) and their interactions. Abiotic factors: non - living components (climate, temperature, water, soil, light, natural disasters, human - made changes like pollution, deforestation which are abiotic in terms of being non - living factors). So:
7. Predators (living) → b
8. Natural disasters (non - living) → a
9. Human disturbance (non - living factor) → a
10. Food supply (related to living organisms, biotic) → b
11. Soil chemicals (non - living, chemical) → a
12. Water (non - living) → a

Answer:

1. b
2. a
3. a
4. b
5. a
6. a