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colleen colleen
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Posts: 17077
12 years ago
Population biologists may refer to abiotic factors, such as temperature and moisture, as density-independent because such factors can affect population processes independently of
local population density. At the same time, biotic factors, such as disease and competition, are called density-dependent factors because their effects may be related to local population density. Explain how abiotic factors can influence populations in a way that is independent of local population density. Explain why the influence of a biotic factor is often affected by local population density. Now, explain how the impact of an abiotic factor may also be affected by the local population density, that is, may behave at least partly as a density dependent factor.
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Educator
12 years ago
Because they are capable of killing all vulnerable individuals, an abiotic factor such as a severe freeze can influence populations independently of local population density. In contrast, the proportion of a population attacked by a predator or infected by a disease organism usually changes with the density of the attacked or infected population. The impact of density-independent factors may be at least partially influenced by population density if, for instance, there are a limited number of safe sites that can be filled, leaving the remainder of the population more vulnerable. For instance, at high population densities some individuals in a population may be forced into floodplain habitats where they are more vulnerable to floods.
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