Limiting Factors

Ecosystems

Let’s suppose….

We have two mice…:

and they produce the standard 56 “pups” (baby mice) each year.

and each of these mice goes on to have 56 babies each year….

Soon…..

We’d be over-run with mice on the planet!!

Why doesn’t this occur?

Limiting Factors

A limiting factor is an abiotic or biotic factor that restricts the number of individuals in a population.

Limiting Factors

Limiting factors can include:

1. Competitors

Limiting Factors

Limiting factors can include:

1. Competitors

2. Disease and parasites

Limiting Factors

Limiting factors can include:

1. Competitors

2. Disease and parasites

3. Weather

Limiting Factors

Limiting factors can include:

1. Competitors

2. Disease and parasites

3. Weather

4. Fires

Limiting Factors

Limiting factors can include:

1. Competitors

2. Disease and parasites

3. Weather

4. Fires

5. Available habitat

Limiting Factors

Limiting factors can include:

1. Competitors

2. Disease and parasites

3. Weather

4. Fires

5. Available habitat

6. Predators

Competitors-organisms both cooperate and compete

Red-Tailed Hawk Barred Owl

•Birds of prey

•Live in forests on the edge of fields

•Eat mice and other rodents

•Nest in trees

Disease and Parasites

Diseases and parasites can be dependent on population size and habitat

Weather

StormsDroughtFloodingHeat/cold

Fires

Fires lead to succession which is a predictable change in the community over time.

Available Habitat

Human activities play a large role

Development, damming rivers, clear cutting forests.

Predators

Predator-prey relationship can be a delicate balance between the two populations.

Predators As the prey

population increases, the predator population increases. As the prey population decreases, then so does the predator population.

Example: Lynx and Hare: