Limiting Factors
Limiting factors are any influences within a specific environment that cause slowing in the population growth of a population or the entire community.
Density-dependent
Density-dependent limiting factors are environmental factors that slow population growth based off of the amount of organisms in the population and the size of the area of land they live in. Some of these factors may be more effective on large populations, while others may affect small populations more. (18)
One very large density-dependent limiting factor in our ecosystem is disease. Due to the high humidity and temperature within the rainforest, it becomes very easy for bacteria to proliferate. Because of this, it is highly possible for a disease to jump into a population of organisms, and the more dense and closer together those organisms are, the faster the disease spreads and can possibly kill organisms. This increase in potency by increased population density makes this a density-dependent limiting factor. (18)
One very large density-dependent limiting factor in our ecosystem is disease. Due to the high humidity and temperature within the rainforest, it becomes very easy for bacteria to proliferate. Because of this, it is highly possible for a disease to jump into a population of organisms, and the more dense and closer together those organisms are, the faster the disease spreads and can possibly kill organisms. This increase in potency by increased population density makes this a density-dependent limiting factor. (18)
Another density-dependent limiting factor in our ecosystem is competition, specifically within populations of plants competing for sunlight. The plants within our rainforest grow very tall to attempt to be exposed to as much sunlight as possible. However, only so many plants are able to grow tall and fast enough to collect the necessary amount of sunlight. This competition is a density-dependent limiting factor because, the more plants are in one area, the more intense the competition for sunlight is, making it much harder for plant populations to grow. (18)
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Density-independent
Density-independent limiting factors that affect all populations within an ecosystem equally, not based on the size of the organism population and the size of the area it lives in. Most density-independent limiting factors are also abiotic, non-living factors. These things include pollution, and climate changes that are likely to affect all species within the ecosystem in the same manner. (18)
One density-independent limiting factor in the tropical rainforest is nutrient deficit in the soil. The relatively poor soil in the tropical rainforest is caused by the large amount of flora that draw the nutrients out of the soil. The nutrients are placed in the soil by decomposers/detritivores that break down organic waste on the forest floor. Therefore the amount of nutrients in the soil directly limits the amount of plants that can grow in the rainforest. This limiting of the amount of plants that can grow is what makes nutrient levels/deficiency a limiting factor. (18)
One density-independent limiting factor in the tropical rainforest is nutrient deficit in the soil. The relatively poor soil in the tropical rainforest is caused by the large amount of flora that draw the nutrients out of the soil. The nutrients are placed in the soil by decomposers/detritivores that break down organic waste on the forest floor. Therefore the amount of nutrients in the soil directly limits the amount of plants that can grow in the rainforest. This limiting of the amount of plants that can grow is what makes nutrient levels/deficiency a limiting factor. (18)
Another density-independent limiting factor that affects the tropical rainforest is natural disasters/catastrophic events. One type of natural disaster that is very prevalent in the tropical rainforest is flooding due to the extremely high amounts of precipitation. The flooding typically washes away soil and also removes habitat for many animals. Because of this nonselective destruction of habitat, it means that all organisms are affected equally instead of based on the abundance of the specific organism. (18)
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