A biotic factor refers to a living organism or a product of a living organism that influences an ecosystem. In an agricultural ecosystem, an example of a biotic factor would be crop pests.
Crop pests are living organisms, such as insects, rodents, or weeds, that can cause damage to crops. They feed on crops, suck plant sap, or compete for resources like nutrients and sunlight with the cultivated plants. Crop pests can have a significant impact on agricultural productivity by reducing crop yields or even causing complete crop loss.
For example, insects like aphids or caterpillars can damage leaves or fruits, while rodents such as rats can feed on stored grains. Weeds can compete with crops for nutrients, water, and sunlight, leading to reduced crop growth.
Therefore, crop pests are a biotic factor in agricultural ecosystems as they are living organisms that interact with and can impact the plants being cultivated.