What is density-dependent and density-independent factors, Biology

Assignment Help:

What is Density-dependent and density-independent Factors?

Density-dependent : Ecologists identify population-regulating mechanisms whose functioning is related to density as density-dependent factors. For example, as the size of a population of deer increases, food consumption goes up, and the amount left available decreases. The food resources for the population as a whole may then not be sufficient to support the larger number of deer, and will start to limit the number in the population. In simple terms, without enough food, the individual will die, decreasing the population. Or, without enough food, the organism health may be weakened, making it more susceptible to disease, or less able to reproduce. These conditions would also result in a decrease in population size.

Individuals in a population that normally compete with others for resources will compete even more vigorously for the same resources as they become fewer and fewer. The same process can be seen happening with other environmental factors such as light, dissolved oxygen, nutrients, and other factors. In general terms, what happens is that density-dependent factors have heightened effects as the population size increases, which result in regulation of the population size.

Density-Independent Factors :  Density-independent factors, on the other hand, are not a function of population size. These factors serve to limit population size no matter what the size of the population, and therefore work independently. Examples of density-independent factors would be climate and weather. Hurricanes, tsunamis (often improperly named tidal waves, forest fires and drought usually result in unusual numbers of deaths, which reduce populations. Human activities are notorious for affecting sizes of natural populations. Note that these deaths would have occurred no matter what the population size was.


Related Discussions:- What is density-dependent and density-independent factors

Explain micronutrient deficiencies during kwashiorkor, Explain Micronutrien...

Explain Micronutrient deficiencies during kwashiorkor? Almost all the children manifest anaemia (due to iron deficiency) of some degree. Eye signs of vitamin A' deficiency are

What are the major structures of the human eye, Q. What are the major struc...

Q. What are the major structures of the human eye? The major structures of the human eye are the iris, the cornea, the pupil, the ciliary muscles, the crystalline lens and the

Excretory organs, classification of excretory organs in helminthes, nermato...

classification of excretory organs in helminthes, nermatodes, annelids, molluscs, arthropods and echinodems

Enzymes, Biological catalysts à speed up chemical reactions in the body wit...

Biological catalysts à speed up chemical reactions in the body without being consumed in the process Reduce the activation energy needed for reactants to reach the transit

What is gastrulation, What is gastrulation? How during gastrulation are the...

What is gastrulation? How during gastrulation are the first two germ layers formed? What are these germ layers? Gastrulation is the process by which a portion of the blastula w

Explain clostriduim botulinum, Q. Explain Clostriduim botulinum? Clostr...

Q. Explain Clostriduim botulinum? Clostriduim botulinum is widely distributed in soil and marine sediments throughout the. world. It is also found in the intestinal tract of a

Explain properties related to protein-protein interactions, Explain Propert...

Explain Properties related to protein-protein interactions? Properties related to protein-protein interactions include dough formation, one of the important functional properti

Explain about the waist to hip ratio (whr), Explain about the Waist to Hip ...

Explain about the Waist to Hip Ratio (WHR)? Two individuals who have the same BMI and the same total body fat may have different abdominal fat mass. Abdominal fat accumulation

What are the four types of weak bonds, What are the four types of weak bond...

What are the four types of weak bonds, and how do they differ from each other and from covalent bonds?

Polyphyletic theory, Please I need short notes on polyphylrtic theory

Please I need short notes on polyphylrtic theory

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd