Question

different kinds of limiting factors
some limiting factors depend on the size of the population in question. for example,
in the first case study, the number of fish is only a limiting factor when the bear
population reaches a certain size. therefore, the amount of fish can be considered a
density dependent limiting factor. other factors will have an effect on populations
no matter what their current size is. for example, the hurricane in the third case
study would have affected the parrot population whether it was large or small.
therefore, weather is often considered a density independent limiting factor.
for each of the following limiting factors, determine if they are density dependent or
independent.

1. food: with a limited amount of food available, a population will be forced to stop

growing.
dependent/independent defend your answer:

1. altitude: many species cannot live at high altitudes due to the lack of oxygen and

extreme cold.
dependent/independent defend your answer:

Explanation:

For question 10: Food availability affects population growth based on population size. If there are more individuals (larger population size), limited food will have a greater impact. So it is density - dependent.
For question 11: Altitude (lack of oxygen and extreme cold) affects species regardless of their population size. A species at high altitude will be affected by these factors whether there are 10 or 1000 individuals. So it is density - independent.

Answer:

1. Dependent. Food is limited and its impact on population growth depends on population size.
2. Independent. Altitude factors (lack of oxygen, extreme cold) affect species regardless of population size.