Answer – A limiting factor is an environmental factor or variable that constrains a process, such as the growth, abundance, or distribution of a population of organisms in an ecosystem, ultimately influencing the population size.

Explanation:

Limiting factors are crucial for population control, population dynamics, and ecological control. They can be of two types: density-dependent (biotic) and density-independent (abiotic) factors.

Density-dependent limiting factors are influenced by the population density of a species. As the population size increases, these factors become more pronounced and can limit further growth. Some examples include competition for resources, predation, parasitism, and disease. These factors tend to have a stronger impact when a population is more dense. In a population of deer, as the number of individuals increases, competition for limited food resources intensifies, leading to reduced food availability. This hinders further population growth.

Density-independent limiting factors affect a population regardless of its size or density. These factors are typically external to the population and can have a significant impact, irrespective of how dense or sparse the population is. Examples include natural disasters, climatic events, and habitat destruction. A wildfire in a forest can be a density-independent limiting factor. It can affect all individuals in the area, regardless of the population density, by destroying the habitat and reducing the availability of resources.

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