General patterns of the influence of environmental factors on organisms.

Anything that affects organisms is called an environmental factor. Ecology is the science of the relationship between the environment and living organisms. Unchanging recurring environmental factors have a natural effect on organisms. For example, the annual cycle of weather changes, organisms are adapted to it, therefore they react to it normally. Daylight hours regularly change throughout the year, this is a signal for a new season. Environmental factors are different and can be divided into three main groups: 1. abiotic (inanimate nature); 2. biotic (influence of living organisms); 3. anthropogenic (associated with human activities). All factors do not act on organisms in the same way, but scientists have identified a pattern of their influence. The factors change and depending on the dose (the law of optimum – finds the maximum possible positive doses) can have a beneficial and negative effect on organisms (Shelford’s Law – the study of the ability to “tolerate” changes in the environment).