Abiotic Factors
This nonliving factor includes the amount of light plants get.
Sunlight
These living things include deer, fish, birds, and insects.
Animals
Anything that slows or reduces population growth.
Limiting Factors
The maximum number of organisms an ecosystem can support is called:
Carrying Capacity
This biome has very little rainfall, making water a limiting factor.
Desert
This abiotic factor includes a liquid, which all organisms need.
Water
These living things make their own food using sunlight.
Plants
When there isn’t enough of this for all the animals, they might starve, making this a limiting factor.
If there is more food, water, or space, this usually increases.
Carrying Capacity
In a tundra, this abiotic factor stays low most of the year.
Temperature
Fish depend on this abiotic gas in the water to survive.
Oxygen/Air
Mushrooms belong to this group of living organisms.
Fungi
When water becomes scarce during a drought, this limiting factor comes into play.
Water/Water Availability
What happens if a population grows past its carrying capacity?
The population will start to decline or die off
This biome is considered the most biodiverse biome.
Rainforest
Plants grow best when this abiotic factor has enough nutrients.
Soil
Salmonella and E. Coli fall under this category.
Bacteria
When plants don’t get enough of this, it becomes a limiting factor.
Sunlight
Carrying capacity is determined by these two types of factors.
Biotic and Abiotic Factors
In this biome, evergreen trees like spruce and fir are common biotic factors that help animals survive harsh winters.
Taiga
This abiotic factor, which includes phosphorus, sulfur, and potassium, can affect plant health.
Minerals
These organisms can live in extreme environments such as hot springs and salty lakes.
Archaea
When too many animals live in the same area, this limiting factor runs out.
Space
What is the difference between a limiting factor and carrying capacity?
Carrying capacity is the maximum number of organisms an area can support and limiting factors are factors that limit the size of a population
In this biome, changing seasons affect sunlight, temperature, and soil nutrients. These changing abiotic factors limit which plants and animals can survive and help determine the carrying capacity.
Deciduous Forest