BRAINCAKEDensity-Dependent and Density-Independent Factors
Limiting factors can be classified by whether their effect depends on how crowded the population is.
Density-dependent factors have a greater effect as population density increases. They are usually biotic:
• competition for food, space and mates becomes more intense in a crowded population
• disease spreads more easily when individuals live close together
• predation: predators catch prey more easily when prey are abundant, and predator numbers may rise
• parasitism spreads more readily between hosts
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More in Populations and Sustainability
- Population Size
- Carrying Capacity
- Limiting Factors of Population Size
- Predator-Prey Relationships
- Interspecific Competition
- Intraspecific Competition
- Conservation
- Preservation
All 17 lessons in Populations and Sustainability · All OCR A-level Biology topics