what is a limiting nutrient? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?. limiting nutrient nutrient: a chemical element or...
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What is a Limiting Nutrient?
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Limiting Nutrient• Nutrient: A chemical element or compound
used by an organism for life processes.• If one nutrient is used up before other
nutrients, it is called a limiting nutrient. • A limiting nutrient prevents growth with its
absence.
Let’s compare
Limiting Factors
in
Baking Cookies to
Limiting Nutrients
In an
Ecosystem
Ingredients in Cookies!
1 egg 1 cup Flour
More Ingredients
1 teaspoon Baking powder 1 cup Sugar
More Ingredients
8 oz. Butter ½ teaspoon Vanilla
Mix together and Bake =
1 dozen Cookies Happy children
How many Cookies can you Bake if you have no Eggs?
0
00
00 00
0 0
How many cookies can you bake if you have an unlimited amount of
• Flour• Sugar• Vanilla• Butter• Baking powder
•ANDONE EGG
Two Eggs
A Dozen Eggs
In the Cookie Recipe…
• What limited the number of cookies that could be baked?
• If this limiting factor was supplied, what happens?
• Could any of the other ingredients have been limiting factors in our cookie recipe?
How Does this Relate to a Limiting Nutrient in an Ecosystem?
• Plants need:– Carbon dioxide– Water– Light Energy– Warmth– Nutrients –
• Nitrogen• Phosphorus• Potassium• Calcium
• This makes
Which of these factors are RARELY in short supply on planet Earth?
– Carbon dioxide – in atmosphere?– Light Energy?– H2O?
– Nutrients (found in soil)? • Nitrogen• Phosphorus• Potassium• Calcium
All other factors can be Limiting Nutrients if absent!
What happens if a limiting nutrient is supplied to an ecosystem?
• Listen to NPR’s (National Public Radio) description of an algae bloom in Rhode Island (September 5, 2012) and find out*.
• Read “Toxic algae blooms at urban ponds” and answer questions.
Questions:
1. Algae is in the kingdom Protista. Blue-Green algae is a type of bacteria. Why is the common name of blue-green algae misleading?
2. What is the limiting nutrient mentioned in the article?
3. What other factor is mentioned that limits growth of blue-green algae?
4. If an organism in the ponds feeds on blue-green algae, what happens to its numbers when the limiting nutrient is supplied?