18 Questions
What ecological principle states that too much or too little of any abiotic factor can limit or prevent population growth?
Shelford's Law
Which term best describes the conditions that approach or exceed the limits of tolerance for an organism?
Limiting factors
What is the term used to describe the concept that both too little and too much of certain factors can be limiting for organisms?
Limits of tolerance concept
In the context of population control, what is the term for factors that are more important than others in regulating population growth?
Limiting factors
The range between an organism's ecological minimum and maximum represents the organism's __________.
Biological niche
Which principle describes how success in an ecosystem depends on a complex set of conditions?
Principle of sustainability
What is a key principle to the law of tolerance regarding organisms?
Organisms may have a wide range of tolerance for one factor and a narrow range for another.
Why is reproduction considered a critical period in the context of environmental factors?
Environmental factors are most likely to be limiting during reproduction.
In what way can lack of water in a desert act as a limiting factor?
It limits plant growth.
How can too much fertilizer impact plant life as discussed in the text?
Kill plants by acting as a limiting factor.
Why are high and low temperatures considered limiting factors for terrestrial species?
They both limit the survival and population sizes of species.
Which is not a correct statement regarding the law of tolerance?
The principle of tolerance states that organisms always live at their optimum range for all factors.
What are some important limiting abiotic factors in aquatic life zones?
Temperature, sunlight, nutrient availability, and oxygen content
How is the soil considered an important organizing center for land ecosystems?
By recycling nutrients during decomposition before they are available to primary producers
What is a major factor that shapes the history of vegetation in most terrestrial environments?
Fire
Why is temperature considered a critical limiting factor for life on Earth?
Because life can only exist within a small range of temperatures
What is an example of an abiotic factor that affects the growth of plants in aquatic ecosystems?
Salinity levels
How do climate pulses affect fire in the environment?
They increase the intensity and occurrence of fires
Study Notes
Principles of the Law of Tolerance
- Organisms can have a wide range of tolerance for one factor and a narrow range for another
- Species with wide ranges of tolerance for limiting factors are likely to be most widely distributed
- When conditions are not optimal for a species with respect to one ecological factor, the limits of tolerance may be reduced for another ecological factor
- Organisms in nature are not always living at the optimum range of a particular physical factor
- Reproduction is usually a critical period when environmental factors are most likely to be limiting
Limiting Factors
- Precipitation is often the limiting abiotic factor on land
- Lack of water in a desert limits plant growth
- Soil nutrients can also act as a limiting factor on land
- Too much of an abiotic factor can also be limiting, e.g. too much water or fertilizer can kill plants
- Temperature can be a limiting factor, with both high and low temperatures affecting survival and population sizes
Aquatic Limiting Factors
- Important limiting abiotic factors in aquatic life zones include temperature, sunlight, nutrient availability, and dissolved oxygen content
- Salinity (the amount of inorganic minerals or salts dissolved in a given volume of water) is also a limiting factor
Soil as a Limiting Factor
- Soil biotic and abiotic components are intimately connected
- Soil can be considered a chief organizing center for land ecosystems
- Nutrients are regenerated and recycled during decomposition in the soil before becoming available for primary producers
Fire as a Limiting Factor
- Fire is a major factor in shaping the history of vegetation in most terrestrial environments
- Fire is an extremely important limiting factor, and its control is more feasible than many other limiting factors
Temperature as a Limiting Factor
- Life can exist only within a tiny range of about 300°C, from -200°C to 100°C
The Limiting Factor Principle
- The number of species in a population can be influenced by a range of abiotic factors
- One or more factors can be more important than other factors in regulating population growth
- The limiting factor principle states that too much or too little of any abiotic factor can limit or prevent growth of a population
Learn about how abiotic factors can influence the number of species in a population and how limiting factors play a crucial role in regulating population growth. Explore how too much or too little of any abiotic factor can limit or prevent the growth of a population.
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