Population Growth and Limiting Factors

What is carrying capacity?

• The minimum population size needed for a species to survive

• The average number of offspring produced by a species

• Maximum population size of a species that the environment can sustain indefinitely

• The number of individuals in a population that exceeds the environment's capacity

Define limiting factor in the context of population growth.

• A limiting factor in the context of population growth refers to any factor that restricts the size of a population.

• A limiting factor in the context of population growth refers to any factor that promotes the size of a population.

• A limiting factor in the context of population growth refers to any factor that only affects a small portion of the population.

• A limiting factor in the context of population growth refers to any factor that has no impact on the size of a population.

Explain the role of predators in controlling population growth.

• Predators help in controlling population growth by keeping the prey population in check through predation.

• Predators only target the strongest individuals, allowing the weaker ones to reproduce unchecked

• Predators actually contribute to overpopulation by killing off weaker prey

• Predators have no impact on population growth

How does parasitism affect population growth?

• Parasitism can decrease population growth by negatively impacting the health and reproduction of the host species.

• Parasitism increases population growth by providing additional nutrients to the host species

• Parasitism has no effect on population growth

• Parasitism only affects individual organisms and not the overall population growth

What are the factors that determine the carrying capacity of an ecosystem?

• Availability of resources, presence of predators, disease, and competition

• Size of the ecosystem, age of the ecosystem, and biodiversity

• Temperature, humidity, and precipitation

• Human activities, pollution, and climate change

Give an example of a limiting factor for a population of deer in a forest ecosystem.

• Predation by wolves

• Climate change

• Availability of food

• Human population in the area

Discuss the relationship between predator-prey dynamics and population growth.

• Predator-prey dynamics have no impact on population growth

• Predator-prey dynamics can have a significant impact on population growth, as they can lead to fluctuations in both predator and prey populations, ultimately influencing the overall population size.

• Population growth is solely determined by environmental factors

• Predator-prey dynamics only affect predator populations, not prey populations

How do parasites contribute to the regulation of population size?

• Parasites regulate population size by providing immunity to host individuals

• Parasites contribute to population size by increasing the availability of resources for hosts

• Parasites regulate population size by causing disease and mortality in host individuals.

• Parasites contribute to population size by promoting host reproduction

Explain the concept of density-dependent limiting factors.

• Density-dependent limiting factors are factors that limit the growth of a population based on the population's density, such as competition for resources, predation, disease, and parasites.

• Density-dependent limiting factors are factors that limit the growth of a population based on the population's density, such as birth and death rates.

• Density-dependent limiting factors are factors that limit the growth of a population based on the population's density, such as immigration and emigration.

• Density-independent limiting factors are factors that limit the growth of a population based on the population's density, such as weather and natural disasters.

Describe the impact of human activities on the carrying capacity of an ecosystem.

• Human activities can either increase or decrease the carrying capacity of an ecosystem by affecting the availability of resources and altering the environment.

• Human activities always increase the carrying capacity of an ecosystem

• Human activities have no impact on the carrying capacity of an ecosystem

• The carrying capacity of an ecosystem is only determined by natural factors, not human activities