A limiting factor is

• A. Any factor that limits population growth
• B. Only factors that increase growth
• C. Always a biotic factor
• D. Only occurs during daylight

Answer: (A)

A limiting factor is any resource or condition that restricts a population’s growth, preventing it from increasing beyond what the environment can support. It can be biotic, like predation, disease, or competition for food, or abiotic, like drought, extreme temperatures, or loss of habitat. It’s not about factors that increase growth, and it doesn’t have to occur only during daylight—limiting factors can act at any time and in any season. In forestry and wildlife, examples include insufficient food or water, poor nesting sites, or harsh weather that reduces survival or reproduction, all of which help keep populations within the carrying capacity of their habitat.