Limiting Factor
This knowledge is used in careers such as:
Teacher (Teaches Students) ~$55,000 - $95,000 - Number of jobs: 4,700,000 (324,500 Openings Per Year) +2% Growth
Doctor (Diagnoses and Treats Patients) ~$200,000 - $350,000 - Number of jobs: 840,000 (24,000 Openings Per Year) +3% Growth
Civil Engineer (Designs Infrastructure) ~$65,000 - $110,000 - Number of jobs: 370,000 (23,600 Openings Per Year) +5% Growth
Explore These Careers →
Example:
Imagine trying to make a large pot of soup, but you're running out of water. Just as your soup can't grow without enough water, a population can't grow if a crucial resource, like water during a drought, is limited. In both cases, the lack of water is the limiting factor that prevents further growth—your soup won't fill more bowls, and the population won't increase beyond what the environment can support.
Practice Version
Limiting Factor: An environmental factor that limits population growth, for example, a drought. Limiting factor. A limiting factor is something that restricts the size or rate of a population's growth.