Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is a limiting factor?
What is a limiting factor?
- Something that is only found in aquatic ecosystems.
- A resource that is always abundant in an ecosystem.
- Anything that prevents a population from growing indefinitely. (correct)
- Anything that helps a population grow continuously.
Which of the following is an example of a biotic limiting factor?
Which of the following is an example of a biotic limiting factor?
- Water availability
- Food resources from plants and animals (correct)
- Temperature
- Living space
Natural disasters are classified as which type of limiting factor?
Natural disasters are classified as which type of limiting factor?
- Density-independent factors (correct)
- Density-dependent factors
- Physical factors
- Biological factors
Disease is an example of which type of limiting factor?
Disease is an example of which type of limiting factor?
For plants, what are examples of physical limiting factors needed for photosynthesis?
For plants, what are examples of physical limiting factors needed for photosynthesis?
Predator-prey relationships are examples of:
Predator-prey relationships are examples of:
How do limiting factors affect population size?
How do limiting factors affect population size?
What is carrying capacity?
What is carrying capacity?
What happens to a population when food and water resources become scarce?
What happens to a population when food and water resources become scarce?
Flashcards
Limiting Factors
Limiting Factors
Anything that prevents a population from growing indefinitely, affecting both plants and animals.
Physical Limiting Factors
Physical Limiting Factors
Nonliving factors like temperature, water, oxygen, and light that can limit population growth.
Biological Limiting Factors
Biological Limiting Factors
Interactions between organisms, such as predation, competition, and parasitism, restricting population size.
Density-Independent Factors
Density-Independent Factors
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Density-Dependent Factors
Density-Dependent Factors
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Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis
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Carrying Capacity
Carrying Capacity
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Food and Water as Limiting Factors
Food and Water as Limiting Factors
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Study Notes
- Population size within an ecosystem is restricted by limiting factors.
- Limiting factors prevent continuous population growth.
Examples of Limiting Factors
- Limiting factors can be biotic (living) or abiotic (nonliving).
- Biotic factors include food resources like plants and animals.
- Abiotic factors include water and living space.
- Other classifications: physical, biological, density-independent, and density-dependent factors.
- Physical factors: nonliving aspects such as temperature, water, oxygen, and light.
- Biological Factors: interactions between organisms like predation, competition, and parasitism.
- Density-Independent Factors: not related to population size, e.g., natural disasters, climate change, and pollution.
- Density-Dependent Factors: depend on population size, e.g., disease and resource availability.
Limiting Factors in Ecology
- Plants require sufficient sunlight and water for photosynthesis.
- Lack of sunlight and water can cause plants to die.
- Predation limits population growth such as a cat eating birds (more cats = less birds & vice versa).
Limiting Factors for Humans
- Humans are impacted by density-independent and density-dependent factors.
- Natural disasters like hurricanes (density-independent) can cause fatalities, limiting population growth.
- Disease (density-dependent) spreads more easily in dense populations, increasing fatalities.
Effect of Limiting Factors on Population Size
- Population sizes fluctuate due to limiting factors.
- Few limiting factors allow population growth due to enough resources.
- Many limiting factors lead to population decline due to limited resources.
Limiting Factors and Carrying Capacity
- Limiting factors determine a population's carrying capacity.
- Carrying capacity is the maximum sustainable population size.
- Limited resources such as food, water, and living space decide the carrying capacity.
- Populations decrease when carrying capacity is reached, due to resource scarcity.
- Population numbers will fluctuate around the carrying capacity.
Food and Water as Limiting Factors
- Adequate food and water promote population growth, approaching carrying capacity.
- Scarce food and water cause population decline, moving away from carrying capacity.
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