Limiting Factors

1. Limiting Factors Background Information

2. What is a Limiting Factor? • Limiting Factors are… (two similar definitions) • conditions of the environment that limit the growth of a species. • biotic and abiotic factors that prevent the continuous growth of a population.

3. What is a Limiting Factor? • Populations would continue to increase if they had all of the resources they require in unlimited amounts, but there are always factors that limit their increase. • Limiting factors control population growth.

4. Let’s list some Limiting Factors!

5. Limiting factors: • Availability of food, water, living space (habitat), mates, nesting sites, and other resources.

6. What is Carrying Capacity? • Because of these limiting factors, each ecosystem has a capacity for growth connected to its carrying capacity.

7. What is Carrying Capacity? • Carrying capacity is the number of individuals of a species that an ecosystem can support.

8. What would happen if there weren’t limiting factors? • Exponential growth of populations- this means populations if not stopped will grow and never reach carrying capacity.

9. In the real world • If new species are introduced to an environment they will grow exponentially for a while, but will reach the carrying capacity of the ecosystem. Carrying capacity has been reached.

10. In the real world • When Carrying Capacity is reached birth rates and death rates balance out. There are as many organisms in a species being born as there are dying.

11. In the real world continued… • When the population is nearing carrying capacity the competition among the species for resources increases. • Ex: Human population. • Crowed living spaces (apartment buildings) • Traffic jams • When individuals live close together disease spreads easier.

12. Good or Bad? Knowing what you know now about limiting factors take a moment to write in your Science Journal whether you believe limiting factors are a good thing for ecosystems or a bad thing?