Question

A fish aquarium is an artificial aquatic ecosystem. It includes both density dependent and density independent limiting factors on the fish population.

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Which pair identifies a potential density dependent and density independent limiting factor in the aquarium?



A.
density dependent: waste accumulation

density independent: competition

B.
density dependent: chemical added to water

density independent: food availability

C.
density dependent: food availability

density independent: extreme temperature change

D.
density dependent: extreme temperature change

density independent: chemical added to water

Answers

Answered by GPT-4o mini
To identify the correct pair of density dependent and density independent limiting factors for an aquarium, let's clarify what each term means:

- **Density Dependent Factors**: These are factors whose effects on the population vary with population density. Examples include competition for resources, predation, disease, and waste accumulation.

- **Density Independent Factors**: These are factors that affect the population regardless of its density. Examples include extreme weather events, temperature changes, and chemical changes in the environment.

Now, let's analyze each option:

**A.**
- Density dependent: waste accumulation (correct, as it increases with more fish)
- Density independent: competition (incorrect, as competition is density dependent)

**B.**
- Density dependent: chemical added to water (incorrect, as this does not depend on fish population density)
- Density independent: food availability (incorrect, as food availability can depend on population density)

**C.**
- Density dependent: food availability (correct, as availability can change based on how many fish are present)
- Density independent: extreme temperature change (correct, as temperature changes affect all fish regardless of population density)

**D.**
- Density dependent: extreme temperature change (incorrect, as it does not depend on fish population density)
- Density independent: chemical added to water (incorrect, as its effect does not depend on fish density)

The correct answer is **C.**
- Density dependent: food availability
- Density independent: extreme temperature change

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