Question

what are the key elements that lead to so much variation in the physical and chemical conditions of different habitats

Answer 1

The most important ones are temperature, water, light and soil. We must remember that the physio-chemical (abiotic) components alone do not characterize the habitat of an organism completely; the habitat includes biotic components also – pathogens, parasites, predators and competitors – of the organism with which they interacts constantly. We assume that over a period of time, the organism had through natural selection, evolved adaptations to optimize its survival and reproduction in its habitat