ECHON, JOHN FLORENTINO E.

Environmental Science
ECHON, JOHN FLORENTINO E.
Environmental Science
 Limiting Factor
In the context of
populations,
a limiting factor is a
factor that causes
population growth to
decrease.
ECHON, JOHN FLORENTINO E.
Environmental Science
 Two types of limiting
factors
Density-dependent
and
Density-independent

Population density describes the

number of individuals in a given
ECHON, JOHN FLORENTINO E.
Environmental Science
Density-Dependent
Factors

A limiting factor that

depends on population
size is called a density-
dependent limiting
factor.

ECHON, JOHN FLORENTINO E.

Environmental Science
Density-dependent limiting
factors include:
• competition
• predation
• parasitism
• disease

ECHON, JOHN FLORENTINO E.

Environmental Science
Competition
When populations become
crowded, organisms
compete for food, water
space, sunlight and other
essentials.

Competition among
members of the same
ECHON, JOHN FLORENTINO E.
Environmental Science
 Predation
Populations in nature are
often controlled by
predation.
The regulation of a
population by predation
takes place within a
predator-prey
relationship, one of the
best-known mechanisms
ECHON, JOHN FLORENTINO E.
Environmental Science
Parasitism and
Disease
Parasites can limit the
growth of a population.
A parasite lives in or on
another organism (the
host) and consequently
harms it.

ECHON, JOHN FLORENTINO E.

Environmental Science
 Remember
Density-dependent
factors operate only when
the population density
reaches a certain level.
These factors operate
most strongly when a
population is large and
dense.
They do not affect small,
ECHON, JOHN FLORENTINO E.
Environmental Science
 Density
Independent Factor
Density-independent
limiting factors affect all
populations in similar
ways, regardless of the
population size.

ECHON, JOHN FLORENTINO E.

Environmental Science
Examples of density-
independent limiting factors
include:
• unusual weather
• natural disasters
• seasonal cycles
• certain human
activities—such as
damming rivers and clear-
cutting forests ECHON, JOHN FLORENTINO E.
Environmental Science
 Let’s Compare
Density-dependent limiting factors
Are usually biological in nature
(competition, disease, predation).
Are more important for large
organisms (which are buffered
from physical environment).
Are more important in physically
benign and constant
environments.
Can interrupt exponential growth
Density-independent limiting
factors
Are usually physical in nature
(hard winters, failure of rainy
season).
2. Are more important for small
organisms, because small
organisms are not as well buffered
against physical environment.
Are more important in extreme or
highly seasonal environments than
in mild, stable environments.
Can interrupt exponential growth
ECHON, JOHN FLORENTINO E.
Environmental Science
Thank You for Listening
References:
• highered.mheducation.com/sites/dl/free/.../ch17_Conce
pt_Review.doc

• http://study.com/academy/lesson/the-limiting-factors-
of-population-growth.html

http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/nwep12a.htm