Ecosystems Day 1:

Limiting Factors

Please quietly work on your Do Now EOG

question.
 Agenda
Do Now
L.3.1- Limiting Factors
Test yourself!
 Ecosystems
All
the biotic and abiotic factors in
an area and how they interact.

Biotic Factors
Abiotic Factors
Populations
Ecosystem

Community

Population

Organism
Population
Population: number of that
species in an area
 Populations can increase,
decrease, or stay the same
over time
Linear vs. Exponential
growth

Exponential Growth
Linear Growth Continues to grow at
Steady growth faster and faster rates
(straight line) (J-shaped curve)
This is the type of
growth seen in
populations
 Limiting Factors
Could populations Limiting Factors: biotic
continue to grow and abiotic factors that
exponentially? limit growth and
reproduction
Examples:
sunlight, climate,
temperature, water,
food, space,
competition with other
organisms
 Carrying Capacity
Instead of growing forever, populations level
out at a certain point because of limiting
factors. Limiting Factors

Exponential
Growth
Population

Time
 Stop and Think
Exp: Exponential Growth
Lin: Linear Growth
Log: Logistic Growth
CC: Carrying capacity
 Stop and Think: Exp, Lin, Log, CC

1.
 Stop and Think: Exp, Lin, Log, CC

2.
 Stop and Think: Exp, Lin, Log, CC

3.
 Stop and Think: Exp, Lin, Log, CC

4. Instead of growing forever,

populations level out at a certain point
because of limiting factors.
Stop and Think: Exp, Lin, Log, CC

5. Continues to grow at faster and

faster rates (J-shaped curve)
 Stop and Think!
Identify the Limiting Factor
F: food
W: water
S: shelter/space
C: competition
We: Weather
 Stop and Think! F, W, S, C,
We
6. The red fox and grey fox attempt to
occupy the same area. The more
aggressive fox survive
 Stop and Think! F, W, S, C,
We
7. A severe flood brings a lot of
sediment and silt into a lake. The
turbidity of the lake increases greatly
 Stop and Think! F, W, S, C,
We
8. A drought decreases the water
level in a lake. The carrying capacity
of the lake decreases.
 Stop and Think! F, W, S, C,
We
9. Due to the introduction of a new
species of deer, a forest becomes
crowded and some deer species do
not survive.
 Stop and Think! F, W, S, C,
We
10. Due to a fire, all the grass in an
area dies. The rabbits who live in the
area also begin to decrease in
population with no grass to eat.
 Stop and Think Challenge!
11. Explain the difference between
density independent and density
dependent limiting factors.
1. Which would most likely happen to
a local population of owls if their food
source of field mice were eliminated?
a. The owls would immediately starve to
death.
b. The owls would prey on another similar
animal as a food source.
c. The owls would begin eating berries
found in the same habitat area.
d. The owls would live off stored fat
reserves until mice returned to the
area.
2. Which best describes how a
drought affects algae and plants?
a. Algae and plants begin to die.
b. The plants obtain water from algae.
c. Algae and plant growth is abundant.
d. Algae overtake plants with excessive
growth.
3. Prairie dogs rely on underground tunnels
for shelter. Which best explains how the
prairie dog population is affected when their
tunnels are disrupted and exposed?
a. The prairie dogs are burned by the sun.
b. The prairie dogs are exposed to
predators.
c. The prairie dogs can find more food to
eat in the fields.
d. The prairie dogs are forced to learn to
live in trees and shrubs.
4. The chart below shows the human population and
the fox population in an area. Which best explains
the relationship between the human and fox
populations in the ecosystem?
a. Humans compete for the same prey as
foxes, causing the fox population to drop.
b. Humans compete for the same space as
foxes, causing the fox population to drop.
c. Humans are affected by the same
diseases as foxes, causing both
populations to change in the same way.
d. Humans are affected by the same
predators as foxes, causing both
population to change in the same way.
5. This graph represents changes
in human population over a period
of 2,000 years.
What can be concluded from the graph?
a. Human population grew at a constant rate
over the last 2,000 years.
b. Human population grew exponentially
over the past 200 years.
c. Human population reached its carrying
capacity around the year 1900.
d. Human population will begin to level off
around 2010.