Biology Limiting Factors Quiz

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Questions and Answers

Which type of plant flowers when the night length exceeds its critical photoperiod?

Long-day plants

Day-neutral plants

Short-day plants (correct)

Mesophytes

What term describes organisms that can thrive in low temperature environments?

Mesothermal

Polythermal

Eurythermal

Oligothermal (correct)

Which of the following factors is primarily influenced by the length of day or night?

Water availability

Temperature regulation

Soil composition

Photoperiodism (correct)

Which type of plant is adapted to grow in water?

Hydrophyte Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for plants that thrive in extremely dry conditions, such as deserts?

Xerophytes Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a limiting factor on land ecosystems?

Pressure Signup and view all the answers

Day-neutral plants flower based on which of the following criteria?

Overall developmental stage Signup and view all the answers

Which type of organism can thrive in environments with very high temperatures?

Polythermal Signup and view all the answers

What does Liebig's Law of Minimum state?

Growth is limited by the scarcest resource. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best describes the law of tolerance?

Too much of a resource can also become a limiting factor. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a principle of the law of tolerance?

Organisms have wide tolerance ranges for all factors. Signup and view all the answers

What ecological factor is NOT emphasized in relation to land?

Salinity Signup and view all the answers

What is the photic zone?

The zone where photosynthesis occurs due to light penetration. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes ectothermic marine organisms?

Their body temperature matches that of the surrounding water. Signup and view all the answers

Which type of tolerance relates to the ability of organisms to survive varying environmental conditions?

Eury Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about reproductive individuals is true according to the principles of tolerance?

Their limits of tolerance are generally narrower than those of non-reproducing adults. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Limiting Factors

In biology, a limiting factor is a resource or environmental condition that restricts the growth, abundance, or distribution of an organism or a population.
Liebig's Law of the Minimum states that growth is controlled by the scarcest resource, not the total amount available.
Shelford's Law of Tolerance suggests that too little or too much of a factor can limit growth, not just too little.
Organisms can have wide tolerance for some factors, but narrow tolerance for others.
Organisms with wide tolerance ranges are typically more widespread.
When one factor is not optimal, tolerance for other factors might decrease.
Organisms are often not living at the optimal range of physical factors.
Reproductive stages (seeds, eggs, embryos) generally have narrower tolerance ranges compared to adults.

Physical Factors

Light:
- The photic zone is the depth to which light penetrates, supporting photosynthesis and primary production.
Temperature:
- Most marine organisms are ectothermic, having their body temperatures match the surrounding water.
- Some are endothermic, maintaining a higher body temperature than the surrounding water (e.g., marine mammals, birds, some sharks).
Salinity:
Pressure:
Oxygen: Important in freshwater environments.
Dissolved Nutrients: Essential for plant growth.

Limiting Factors on Land

Photoperiodism: A physiological reaction to the length of day or night.
- Long-day Plants: Flower when the night length is below a certain threshold. (Examples during specific seasons for specific regions.)
- Short-day Plants: Flower when the night length exceeds a certain threshold.
- Day-neutral Plants: Flowering is not dependent on day length.

Water Factors

Xerophyte: Plants adapted to dry conditions (e.g., deserts).
Mesophyte: Land plants adapted to moderate moisture.
Hydrophyte: Plants adapted to aquatic environments.

Temperature Factors

Oligothermal: Organisms thriving in very low temperatures.
Polythermal: Organisms thriving in very high temperatures
Mesothermal: Organisms adapted to medium temperature ranges.

Soil

Soil is a mixture of minerals, organic matter, gases, liquids, and organisms.
Soil layers include topsoil (rich in humus and minerals), subsoil, weathered rock, and bedrock.

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Description

Test your knowledge on the concept of limiting factors in biology. This quiz covers key principles such as Liebig's Law of the Minimum and Shelford's Law of Tolerance, focusing on how both physical and resource limitations affect organism growth and distribution. Challenge yourself to understand the various physical factors and their importance in ecological systems.