Answer:
Population density refers to the number of organisms living in a specific unit of area and is directly linked to population growth. In Biology, populations cannot increase without limits. Populations grow and decline according to conditions created by environmental factors. These factors can be divided between density-dependent factors like food supply and density-independent factors like natural disasters.
To find more information about how to measure population density, here is a link: https://brainly.ph/question/549535
Explanation:
Density-dependent limiting factors
These factors come from living things instead of the physical characteristics of the environment. As the population size increases, these factors often grow with the population, limiting their growth as a natural response. Here are examples of conditions where density-dependent limiting factors are present:
- Predators – areas with high population densities attract more predators looking for food
.
- Epidemics – diseases and parasites spread more quickly when organisms are living too close to each other
.
- Problems with supply of resources – the higher the population density, the greater the competition for the same necessities such as food, shelter, clothing, and water.
- Buildup of waste – living things produce waste and, as the population grows, more toxic waste products are collected, which may cause diseases and eventually death.
To find more information about density-dependent factors, here is a link: https://brainly.ph/question/375472
Density-independent limiting factors
Density-independent factors can influence population growth but are not affected by changes in population density. They are “independent” of population density. Unlike density-dependent factors produced by living things (biotic), density-independent factors are usually abiotic (non-living). Here are examples:
- Pollutants –chemicals such as pesticides, for instance, inhibit the growth of not just the targeted pests but has harmful effects to other living things as well
.
- Natural disasters – catastrophes like flash floods, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and forest fires bring drastic changes to a population because of loss of lives and destruction of habitats.
- Poor quality of nutrients – in places where there is low quality of plant nutrients, there is also greater struggle to grow and survive. For example, algal blooms block the sunlight and consume the oxygen that aquatic animals need to survive, thereby depleting an area of its nutrients and creating dead zones.
Both density-dependent and density-independent factors create conditions that change population density by either increasing or decreasing the population size.
Here is another answer about density-dependent limiting factors: https://brainly.ph/question/1456084
