Enviromental Factors and Limitations

Question 1

What are limiting factors?

Answer 1

A limiting factor is an abiotic factor which limits the growth, distribution and abundance of an organism or a population within an ecosystem.

Question 2

What is tolerance limit?

Answer 2

The range of values of particular environmental factors within which a species can survive.

Question 3

What are some common abiotic limiting factors?

Answer 3

• Temperature (too high or low)
• Too much or too little water
• Salinity in water or soil (too high or low)
• Light intensity (too high or low)
• Humidity (or lack thereof)
• Soil pH (too high or low)

Question 4

How environmental factors limit
the distribution and abundance of species in an ecosystem?

Answer 4

Organisms have tolerance limits to all abiotic factors. This means that
there are upper and lower limits to the range of a particular abiotic factor
within which an organism can survive and thrive. By limiting the
environmental factors in which an organism can survive and thrive, it will
dictate the distribution and abudance of the species.