Populations: Limits

What limits population growth? Carrying Capacity - The largest number of individuals that the environment can support. As resources are used up, or the environment changes, deaths increase, or births decrease The carrying capacity is reached. Logistic Growth The population growth slows or stops as the population reaches the carrying capacity.

Limiting Factors can be density dependent or density independent Limiting Factor – a factor that causes the population growth to decrease. Limiting Factors can be density dependent or density independent Density Dependent Competition Predation Parasitism and Disease Density Independent Unusual weather Natural disasters Seasonal difference Human activities