Limiting factor

A factor or limiting resource is a factor that controls a process, such as organism growth or species population, size, or distribution. The availability of food, predation pressure, or availability of shelter are examples of factors that could be limiting for an organism. An example of a limiting factor is sunlight in the rainforest, where growth is limited to all plants in the understory unless more light becomes available (such as in the event of a tree fall).

Limiting factors for micro-organisms

• Temperature
• Low amount of nutrients
  • Macroelements such as carbon, water (oxygen and hydrogen), nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, potassium, chloride, sodium, calcium, and magnesium
  • Certain trace elements which are needed in small quantities
• pH level
• Air or water pressure
• Lack of water (dryness)
• Light
• Radiation, such as UV or nuclear
• Space

References

• Raghothama, K. G. & Karthikeyan, A.S. (2005) Phosphate acquisition. Plant and Soil, 274 37-49.
• Taylor, W. A. (1934). Significance of extreme or intermittent conditions in distribution of species and management of natural resources, with a restatement of Liebig's law of the minimum. Ecology, 15: 374-379.
• Shelford, V. E. (1952). Paired factors and master factors in environmental relations. Illinois Acad. Sci. Trans., 45: 155-160
• Sundareshwar P.V., J.T. Morris, E.K. Koepfler, and B. Fornwalt. (2003). Phosphorus limitation of coastal ecosystem processes. Science 299:563-565.