Question

recognize limiting factors

1. a volcanic eruption levels the land in the area, covering everything with ash and killing almost all living things. this is classified as a limiting factor.
2. as the population of elks in a forest increases, the decreasing availability of their food source, aspen and willow leaves, acts as a limiting factor.
3. part of a forest is clear - cut to make room for new buildings and roads as part of a housing development. this decreases the available habitat for all species, making it a limiting factor.

Explanation:

Question 1

A volcanic eruption is a natural disaster (abiotic event) that drastically changes the environment, so it's a density - independent limiting factor (affects populations regardless of their density).

The decrease in food availability is related to the elk population's density (more elks mean more competition for food), so it's a density - dependent limiting factor (depends on population density).

Habitat destruction due to human - made development is a human - caused (abiotic in terms of the action's nature on the environment, and density - independent as it affects all species regardless of their population density in the area) limiting factor, so it's density - independent.

Answer:

density - independent

Question 2