Limiting Factors
Factors, such as resource availability, that vary with population density are known as density dependent factors. Some examples of this are below and why they are limiting.
Things and events that limit the size of a population regardless of the density of the population are called density-independent factors. Most density-independent factors are abiotic, or nonliving. Some factor examples of this are below and why they are limiting.
- Predators kill the young - Need young for population growth
- Lack of living space - Should forests have their trees cut down it will destroy their living space.
- Amount of Prey - Lack of food reduces the population as their food supply would be low
- Availability of Mates - Needed for reproduction
- Disease - Should one gray wolf contract rabies it could spread to others killing the population.
- Starvation - A leading cause to the death of the wolves
Things and events that limit the size of a population regardless of the density of the population are called density-independent factors. Most density-independent factors are abiotic, or nonliving. Some factor examples of this are below and why they are limiting.
- Water supply/Drought - Needed to support life
- Pollution - contaminated streams used for drinking water will make the wolves sick with disease.
- Temperature - Extreme heat or cold can kill the gray wolf
- Tornados - Should a tornado destroy the forest in which they live their habitat will be gone.
- Fire - It can destroy the animals in which they feed on in order to survive.
The carrying capacity means the amount of animals that the environment can support. Depletion of their prey will reduce the carrying capacity in an environment due to the lack of food.