Exploring Limiting Factors in Ecology

A limiting factor is any factor that controls the growth of a population.

Limiting factors, acting separately or together, determine the carrying capacity of an environment for a species.

Limiting factors produce the pressures of natural selection that are essential for long-term population growth and species survival.

<p>Density-dependent limiting factors are factors that are influenced by the population density of a species. In the case of parasites, the higher the density of the host population, the easier it is for parasites to spread from one host to another.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Overcrowding can lead to fighting among species as a result of competition for limited resources such as food, territory, or mates.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Constant fighting within a species can result in stress, which weakens the body's ability to resist disease. It can also lead to injuries or even death.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Overcrowding stress in certain species can cause females to neglect, kill, or even eat their own offspring. It can also lower birthrates, raise death rates, and increase rates of emigration.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Stress weakens the body's ability to resist disease by compromising the immune system's functioning.</p> Signup and view all the answers