1. LIMITING FACTOR NOTES

2. HABITAT Habitat - type of environment in which a particular species lives Habitat - type of environment in which a particular species lives 4 Components of a Habitat: 4 Components of a Habitat: Water Water Food Food Shelter Shelter Space Space

3. CARRYING CAPACITY Carrying Capacity - the maximum population size that a particular environment can support over time Carrying Capacity - the maximum population size that a particular environment can support over time

4. Check for Understanding 1. Why does the white-tailed deer population drop when the carrying capacity is exceeded? a)Resources are too low to support the population. b)Weather changes reduce the deer population c)The height of edible plants exceeds the height of the deer d)Competition by other animals is greatly reduced.

5. LIMITING FACTOR Limiting Factor - any biotic (living) or abiotic (nonliving) factor in an environment that limits the size of a population Limiting Factor - any biotic (living) or abiotic (nonliving) factor in an environment that limits the size of a population

6. TYPES OF LIMITING FACTORS Density-dependent limiting factors – factors that become limiting only when the number of organisms per unit space reaches a certain level Density-dependent limiting factors – factors that become limiting only when the number of organisms per unit space reaches a certain level Ex. Space, disease, competition and predation Ex. Space, disease, competition and predation

7. Density-independent limiting factors – factors that affect all populations in the same way, regardless of their density Density-independent limiting factors – factors that affect all populations in the same way, regardless of their density Ex. Weather, seasonal cycles, natural disasters and human activities Ex. Weather, seasonal cycles, natural disasters and human activities

8. Check for Understanding 2. The carrying capacity for herbivores in a habitat is most directly affected by the availability of 1.heat energy released by carnivores 2.carbon dioxide in the atmosphere 3.photosynthetic organisms 4.decomposers in the soil 3. The size of plant populations can be influenced by the 1.molecular structure of available oxygen 2.size of the cells of decomposers 3.number of chemical bonds in a glucose molecule 4.type of minerals present in the soil