Biology 5.2 Factors Affecting Population Growth

Front

What are density independent limiting factors?

Back

Factors that affect all populations regardless of their size or density, such as natural disasters, climate changes, and human activities.

Front

What are density dependent limiting factors?

Back

Factors that affect populations based on their size and density, such as competition, predation, and disease.

Front

Give an example of a density independent limiting factor.

Back

Wildfires, which can destroy habitats regardless of the population size.

Front

Give an example of a density dependent limiting factor.

Back

Parasitism, where the impact of parasites increases as the population density increases.

Front

How do human activities serve as limiting factors in population growth?

Back

Human activities, such as pollution and habitat destruction, can limit resources and space available for populations, acting as density independent factors.

Front

What is the impact of overcrowding on populations?

Back

Overcrowding can lead to stress and competition for resources, which are density dependent limiting factors.

Front

What role does disease play in population dynamics?

Back

Disease can spread more easily in dense populations, making it a density dependent limiting factor.

Front

How does competition affect population growth?

Back

Increased competition for limited resources can reduce population growth, making it a density dependent limiting factor.

Front

What is exponential growth in populations?

Back

A rapid increase in population size when resources are abundant, often seen before limiting factors come into play.

Front

What is carrying capacity?

Back

The maximum population size that an environment can sustain indefinitely without being degraded.