Carrying Capacity
Limiting Factors
Predators/Prey
Organization/Carrying Capacity
Miscellaneous
100
What do we call the dotted line labeled "D" 
Public
Carrying Capacity
100
What is a "limiting factor"?
Something that limits the species of a population in an ecosystem
100
Based on this graph, what will happen to the lynx and hare populations over the next 15 years?
The populations will continue to increase and decrease until they both reach a carrying capacity.
100
What is biodiversity?
A big variety of organisms/abiotic factors within an ecosystem
100
What are the two different types of population growth?
exponential and logistic
200
In an ecosystem, what is the carrying capacity?
the maximum number of individuals of a population that the environment can support is the...
200
Give at least 2 examples of a BIOTIC limiting factor.
Disease (bacteria), food availability, predators, etc.
200
Elaborate on why there would always be more hares than lynxes in the ecosystem in spite of the lynxes being a predator.
Hares have bigger litters and there can never be too many lynxes due to food supply
200
What is the difference between biotic and abiotic factors?
Biotic factors are living organisms and Abiotic factors are non-living factors in an ecosystem.
200
What must be present for exponential growth to happen?
unlimited resources
300
Identify a possible limiting factor that can cause the mouse population to reach its carrying capacity. 
Limiting Factors: predators, habitat, competition for resources
300
Give at least 2 examples of ABIOTIC limiting factors
drought, severe winter, natural disaster, virus-caused diseases, etc.
300
Why does the predator population lag behind the prey population? (i.e. predators increase AFTER the prey increase)
The prey is the food for the predator, so the increase in the prey means an increase in food for the predator. So, the predator population can grow.
300
Carrying capacity is a fixed number that never changes for that specific ecosystem.
false
300
What must be present for logisitic growth to occur?
limiting factors
400
What is the carrying capacity? 
about 250
400
In a forest ecosystem, which of the following is the best example of a limiting factor for a rabbit population?
a. the robin (bird) population
b. amount of grass/flowers available
c. the amount of sunlight
d. rabbits have no limiting factors
b. amount of grass/flowers available
400
Why does the hare population decrease?
There are more predators at that time, so they are getting eaten more
400
What determines an ecosystem's carrying capacity?
Limiting factors: resources, stable animal/plant populations, variety of life
400
Why is exponential growth not sustainable?
reach carrying capacity, run out of resources, limiting factors are introduced, etc.
500
Which of the following might cause the carrying capacity of this rabbit population to DECREASE?
a. increase in food for a few years
b. fewer predators
c. harsh winters for a few years
d. more resources available in the ecosystem
c. harsh winters for a few years
500
Based on this graph, what is the limiting factor for the hare population? 
the lynx population
(just like what we saw with the ecological pyramids, there are more primary consumers like the hare than there are top predators like the lynx)
500
What is the limiting factor for the lynx? 
The hare
500
In an ecosystem, what can cause the increase of a population?
immigration, abundance of food availability, increase in birth rate, loss of predators, etc.
500
What limiting factors decrease population?
emigration, disease, loss of food availability, natural disasters, etc.