Biodiversity, species interactions, and population control - What limits the growth of populations?

5 important questions on Biodiversity, species interactions, and population control - What limits the growth of populations?

Why do most animals live in clumps?

1. The resources a species need vary greatly in availability, so they cluster around their resources.
2. In a cluster they have a better chance of finding resources.

3. Living in clusters can help to protect some individuals.

4. Living in packs gives  some predators a better chance to get a meal.

How can a population grow or shrink?

It can grow because of births and immigration, and it can shrink because of deaaths and emigration.

What are the limits to population size?

Each population has a text-decorationrange of tolerance to variations in it's physical and chemical environment. Too much or too little of any physical or chemical factor  can limit or prevent growth of a population (lack of water i.e.)

Then there is text-decorationenvironmental resistance (like not being able to reproduce rapidly), which largely determines an area's text-decorationcarrying capacity (the maximum population that an area can sustain).

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How can population density affect the population size?

Examples of the text-decorationdensity-dependent population controls are the quick spreading of parasites and infectious diseases, and the competition for resources.

How are humans not exempt from nature's population controls?

Our population is controlled by nutrition (which is influenced by nature), by diseases and epidemics.

The question on the page originate from the summary of the following study material:

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