AboutLou Jurs Expertise I can respond to questions regarding ecological relationships, wildlife and fisheries management, plant communities and animal plant relationships in habitats common to western North America, including Alaska.
Experience Many years of field experience with public land management agencies in western states (Alaska, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, California). I have expertise in wildlife biology, zoology, ecology, fisheries, plant ecology,
forestry, watershed management, and other natural sciences. Target areas especially in great Basin, N. Rocky Mtns., coastal forests, intermountain region, southwest deserts (but not limited to these locations).
Education/Credentials BS Zoology University of Nevada; MS Arid Lands Ecology, Univ. of Nevada.
Question Hi, my teacher was talking about limiting factors like light and water, but she
didn't explain how they regulate population growth. We had a test on it today
and that was an essay. I have no idea. Can you help???
Answer Hi, Tommy...
I am sure your teacher could explain this as well...however, let me me brief and simple.
There are biotic (alive) and abiotic (not alive) factors working on the various elements found in all habitats. Some of these are beneficial, some are not. And these benefits (from causes and effects of limiting factors) can be specifically beneficial to certain animals, and toxic or detrimental to others. So...that said...those factors that detract from optimum habitat conditions needed for a species to thrive (food, water, cover, predators, etc.) can cause a species (in extreme conditions) to diminish in numbers (starve), compete for limited food sources, freeze to death in an extended blizzard, etc. Also, many species will not breed if habitat conditions are not right for survival of young.
We are still learning about the more complex limiters in nature...like nutrients and disease. Food, water, cover, predation, are the easy ones. Another factor that can occur is an overbalance of gender numbers. For example, a group of animals with 99% females (in most species) might have difficulty in procreating new additions to the population, resulting in lower overall numbers. Think of what happens in a deer population when hunters take all of the breeding males out of a group. Until new breeding bucks are available, does may not have fawns.
Anyway, if you think about it, there are lots of factors that influence populations...both good and bad. You can, no doubt, come up with many more. Good luck.
