What term describes the nonliving components of an environment?

The term that describes the nonliving components of an environment is abiotic factors. These include elements such as sunlight, temperature, water, soil, and minerals, which all play crucial roles in shaping ecosystems and influencing the living organisms (biotic factors) within them. Understanding abiotic factors is essential because they affect the distribution and abundance of species, as well as their interactions with one another. For instance, the amount of water available in an environment can determine which plants can thrive, subsequently influencing the entire food web. This concept is foundational in ecology, highlighting the interplay between living and nonliving elements in an environment.