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Questions and Answers
What is a major force behind evolutionary change?
Competition
Why are parasitism and disease considered density-dependent limiting factors?
Because the more dense the host population is, the more easily parasites can spread from one host to another.
What can overcrowding stress cause in some species?
Females neglecting, killing, or eating their own offspring.
How can stress affect the body's ability to resist disease?
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What can overcrowding stress lead to in terms of birthrates and death rates?
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What are density-dependent limiting factors?
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Explain why density-dependent limiting factors do not usually affect small, scattered populations.
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How does competition act as a density-dependent limiting factor?
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Why do animals compete for territory?
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What happens when competition occurs among members of different species?
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Study Notes
Limiting Factors
- Density-dependent limiting factors operate more strongly when population density is high and do not usually affect small, scattered populations.
- Examples of density-dependent limiting factors include competition, parasitism, disease, stress from overcrowding, predation, and herbivory.
Competition
- Competition is a density-dependent limiting factor that occurs when individuals compete for limited resources such as food, water, space, sunlight, and other resources.
- As a result, competition can decrease birthrates, increase death rates, or both.
- Animals compete for territory to access resources, attract a mate, breed, and raise young.
- Individuals that can’t establish and defend a territory often cannot successfully breed and raise offspring.
Parasitism and Disease
- Parasitism and disease are density-dependent limiting factors that spread more easily in dense host populations.
- Parasites and disease-causing organisms weaken their hosts, causing stress or even death.
Overcrowding and Stress
- Overcrowding can cause stress, weakening the body’s ability to resist disease.
- In some species, overcrowding stress can lead to females neglecting, killing, or eating their own offspring.
- Overcrowding can lower birthrates, raise death rates, or both, and increase rates of emigration.
- In some species, overcrowding can lead to fighting, which can result in death or stress.
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Description
Explore the concept of density-dependent limiting factors that have a stronger influence on high population densities. Learn about factors such as competition, parasitism, disease, stress from overcrowding, predation, and herbivory that impact populations differently based on their density.
