Which is an example of a climatic factor affecting living organisms?

Prepare for the Leaving Certification Ecology Exam with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each with hints and explanations. Ensure your success!

Temperature is a fundamental climatic factor that significantly influences the distribution, behavior, and survival of living organisms. It affects physiological processes such as metabolic rates, reproduction, and development. For instance, many species have specific temperature ranges in which they thrive; deviations from these ranges can lead to stress or mortality.

In ecosystems, temperature also plays a crucial role in determining seasonal patterns, influencing plant growth cycles, and affecting the behavior of various animal species. As temperature varies across geographical regions, it shapes the types of ecosystems that can exist in those areas, dictating which organisms can adapt and survive.

In contrast, soil composition is more an edaphic factor than a climatic one, as it relates to the physical and chemical characteristics of the soil rather than climatic conditions. Predatory behavior and competition for food are interactions that occur between organisms and are influenced by environmental factors, but they do not fall under climatic factors themselves. Therefore, temperature stands out as the clear example of a climatic factor that directly impacts living organisms.

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