Limiting factors and carrying capacity

Front

What is a limiting factor?

Back

A limiting factor is a resource or condition that limits the growth, abundance, or distribution of an organism or a population of organisms in an ecosystem.

Front

What is carrying capacity?

Back

Carrying capacity is the maximum number of individuals of a particular species that an environment can support sustainably over time.

Front

What happens to a population when resources are not available?

Back

The population will decrease in size.

Front

What is a density-dependent limiting factor?

Back

A density-dependent limiting factor is a factor whose effects on the size or growth of a population vary with the population density.

Front

What is a density-independent limiting factor?

Back

A density-independent limiting factor is a factor that affects the population regardless of its density, such as natural disasters.

Front

Give an example of a density-independent limiting factor.

Back

Natural disasters like floods, fires, and hurricanes.

Front

What effect does an increase in available food have on a population?

Back

An increase in available food typically leads to an increase in the population size.

Front

What are abiotic factors?

Back

Abiotic factors are non-living chemical and physical parts of the environment that affect living organisms and the functioning of ecosystems.

Front

List three abiotic limiting factors.

Back

Water, space, and oxygen.

Front

What is the relationship between carrying capacity and population growth?

Back

When a population reaches its carrying capacity, its growth rate slows and stabilizes, as resources become limited.