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Limiting
Factor
The degree to which a wildlife population can grow is
limited by factors that are lacking in its habitat. A
textbook definition of limiting factor is:
…something whose absence, deficiency, or excessive concentration exerts
some restraining influence upon a population through incompatibility with species
requirements or tolerance.
When a factor approaches the limits of tolerance for a species, that factor will
become the controlling one and determine whether or not a species is able to
maintain itself. For example, you may have grains and seeds for bobwhites
and songbirds on your land, but if there are not enough shrubs and tall grasses
to provide nesting and brooding cover, then this becomes the limiting factor
that prevents bobwhites from flourishing on your property. |
