Population limiting factors

What are population-limiting factors?

Obstacles to population growth.

What are density-dependent limiting factors?

Factors that increase in effect as population size increases, caused by biotic factors like disease and competition.

Give examples of density-dependent limiting factors.

Disease, competition, parasites, space.

What are density-independent limiting factors?

Factors that affect population growth regardless of density, usually caused by abiotic factors.

Give examples of density-independent limiting factors.

Temperature, natural disasters, pollution.

What are boom-and-bust cycles?

Large, regular fluctuations in population density, caused by factors like seasonal food availability and predator-prey interactions.

What could cause a species to go extinct?

If carrying capacity falls low enough due to factors like overexploitation, resource depletion, and habitat loss.