Introduction - Dependence on Natural Resources
Limiting Factors and Carrying Capacity
1. Wildlife populations change from year to year, depending on conditions in the ecosystem. Recall that life's necessities are food, water, shelter, and space. Without sufficient quantities (that means enough) of any of these components, an organism cannot survive. In fact, there are many things affect the carrying capacity of a habitat.
2. A variety of other factors affect the ability of wildlife to reproduce and survive. Examples are disease, predators, weather conditions (early freezing, flooding, drought), accidents, pollution in the environment, and habitat destruction. All of these components can affect population growth. When resources are limited, competition may increase. If one of these factors prevents population growth, it limits the growth. We call all of these components "limiting factors."
3. What do you think would happen to the overall carrying capacity of an environment if competition for resources was high between different species? Would it increase or decrease?
2. A variety of other factors affect the ability of wildlife to reproduce and survive. Examples are disease, predators, weather conditions (early freezing, flooding, drought), accidents, pollution in the environment, and habitat destruction. All of these components can affect population growth. When resources are limited, competition may increase. If one of these factors prevents population growth, it limits the growth. We call all of these components "limiting factors."
3. What do you think would happen to the overall carrying capacity of an environment if competition for resources was high between different species? Would it increase or decrease?
4. Another factor that affects the carrying capacity of a population in a particular location is the amount of space available. How much space a population needs depends on many things, one of which is how an organism uses it. For example:
|
Recap Alert:
What other some limiting factors that influence carrying capacity?
What other some limiting factors that influence carrying capacity?
- Availability of food
- Competition
- Amount of space available
- Disease, weather conditions