AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -A limiting factor is anything that constrains a population’s size and slows or stops it from growing. Some examples of limiting factors are biotic, like food, mates, and competition with other organisms for resources.

Detailed explanation-2: -In the natural world, limiting factors like the availability of food, water, shelter and space can change animal and plant populations. Other limiting factors, like competition for resources, predation and disease can also impact populations.

Detailed explanation-3: -The common limiting factors in an ecosystem are food, water, habitat, and mate. The availability of these factors will affect the carrying capacity of an environment. As the population increases, food demand increases as well. Since food is a limited resource, organisms will begin competing for it.