"Abiotic" means "without living organisms" and refers to non-living ecosystem factors — such as light, water, oxygen and tides — that affect how organisms grow and reproduce. The term also describes the origin of chemicals: abiotic methane, for instance, forms from rock-water reactions in Earth's crust, unlike biotic methane from decaying matter or gut microbes. A new exploration rush is underway for abiotic hydrogen, which forms deep underground and could become a renewable, carbon-free fuel.
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Science word of the day: Abiotic
Pronunciation: Ay-bye-AH'-tik
What it means: Abiotic means "without living organisms." Scientists typically use the term when referring to nonliving aspects of an ecosystem that affect organisms' growth or reproduction. Some abiotic factors might be light, water, fertilizer, nutrients or chemical elements, such as oxygen or sulfur. Others include the tides or rain. Sometimes, "abiotic" is used to describe the origin of a particular chemical. Abiotic methane, for example, comes from chemical reactions between rocks and water in Earth's crust, unlike biotic methane, which comes from decaying organic matter as well as microbes living in your gut.
How to use it in a sentence: A new "gold rush" of exploration is on for abiotic hydrogen, which forms when rocks react with water deep underground and could be a renewable, carbon-free fuel of the future.
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