biotes

Biotes is a term that appears in some ecological and environmental texts to denote the living components of an ecosystem—the organisms inhabiting a region, considered collectively. In this sense, biotes are closely related to the more common concept of biota or the biotic community, which contrasts with abiotic factors such as air, water, and minerals. However, biotes is not a standardized term in contemporary biology, and its usage varies by author.

Usage and interpretation differ where biotes appears. Some writers intend biotes to emphasize the functional and interactive aspects of living organisms within a habitat, including species interactions, ecological roles, and dynamic processes. In other contexts, biotes is simply treated as a variant or synonym of biota. Because the term is not widely adopted, many ecologists default to biota, biotic community, or ecosystem biology to avoid ambiguity.

Contexts and scope also vary. Biotes may be employed at different scales, from local habitats to broader biogeographic regions, particularly in inventories, biodiversity assessments, or restoration planning where the focus is on the living component of the system.

Etymology and status. Biotes generally traces to Greek roots related to life, but there is no single, universally accepted origin or pronunciation. Given its limited and inconsistent use, researchers are advised to define biotes clearly when employing it in scholarly work.

See also: Biota; Biotic community; Ecology; Biodiversity.