environmental resistance
Quick Summary
Environmental resistance refers to the sum of factors in an environment that limit the population growth of an organism. These factors can include drought, mineral deficiencies, and competition.1
Biotic potential is the maximum reproductive capacity of an organism under ideal conditions. However, environmental resistance restricts this potential, preventing unlimited population increase. Factors contributing to environmental resistance include unfavorable climate, lack of resources like space or light, and the presence of predators, parasites, or diseases.2
Ecological resilience, a related concept, is an ecosystem's ability to maintain its normal functions after a disturbance. While resilience can be a positive trait, allowing ecosystems to recover, it can also mean an ecosystem is "locked" into an undesirable state, such as a polluted lake.3
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