Wind matters as an abiotic factor mainly because it influences the rate of:

1. Wind is easy to overlook next to temperature and rainfall. 2. Its main ecological effect is on how fast water leaves surfaces and leaves. 3. Wind can be an important abiotic factor because it influences the rate of evaporation and transpiration. 4. A windy site therefore dries out faster at the same rainfall. 5. Predation and competition are biotic interactions, not abiotic factors. _Source: OpenStax Biology for AP(R) Courses (CC BY 4.0), Ch 35 'Ecology and the Biosphere', sections 35.1-35.5_