Editing Limiting factor (section)

==Ecology==
[[File:Limiting factors in ecology figure.svg|thumb|Limiting factors in ecology figure]]
In [[population ecology]], a '''regulating factor''', also known as a ''limiting factor'',<ref name=Messier1991>{{cite journal|title=The Significance of Limiting and Regulating Factors on the Demography of Moose and White-Tailed Deer|author=Francois Messier|journal=The Journal of Animal Ecology|volume=60|issue=2|date=June 1991|pages=377–393|doi=10.2307/5285|jstor=5285|bibcode=1991JAnEc..60..377M }}</ref> is something that keeps a [[population]] at [[Punctuated equilibrium|equilibrium]] (neither increasing nor decreasing in size over time).{{cn|date=May 2020}} Common limiting factor [[Resource (biology)|resources]] are environmental features that limit the growth, abundance, or distribution of an organism or a population of organisms in an ecosystem.<ref name=TMS>Thomas M. Smith., Robert Leo Smith. 2009. Or simply,  Limiting factors are things that prevent a population from growing any large. ''Elements of Ecology''. Pearson International Edition. 7th Ed.</ref>{{rp|G-11}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Limiting_factor|title=Limiting factor - Biology-Online Dictionary|date=10 November 2019}}</ref> The concept of limiting factors is based on [[Liebig's law of the minimum|Liebig's Law of the Minimum]], which states that growth is controlled not by the total amount of resources available, but by the scarcest resource. In other words, a factor is limiting if a change in the factor produces increased growth, abundance, or distribution of an organism when other factors necessary to the organism's life do not. Limiting factors may be physical or biological.<ref name=TMS/>{{rp|417,8}}

Limiting factors are not limited to the condition of the species. Some factors may be increased or reduced based on circumstances. An example of a limiting factor is [[sunlight]] in the [[rain forest]], where growth is limited to all plants on the [[forest floor]] unless more light becomes available. This decreases the number of potential factors that could influence a biological process, but only one is in effect at any one place and time. This recognition that there is always a ''single'' limiting factor is vital in [[ecology]], and the concept has parallels in numerous other processes. The limiting factor also causes [[competition]] between individuals of a species population. For example, [[space]] is a limiting factor. Many predators and prey need a certain amount of space for survival: food, water, and other biological needs. If the population of a species is too high, they start competing for those needs. Thus the limiting factors hold down population in an area by causing some individuals to seek better prospects elsewhere and others to stay and starve. Some other limiting factors in biology include [[temperature]] and other [[weather]] related factors. Species can also be limited by the availability of macro- and micronutrients.  There has even been evidence of co-limitation in prairie ecosystems.  A study published in 2017 showed that sodium (a micronutrient) had no effect on its own, but when in combination with nitrogen and phosphorus (macronutrients), it did show positive effects, which is evidence of serial co-limitation.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last1=Kaspari|first1=Michael|last2=Roeder|first2=Karl A.|last3=Benson|first3=Brittany|last4=Weiser|first4=Michael D.|last5=Sanders|first5=Nathan J.|date=2017-02-01|title=Sodium co-limits and catalyzes macronutrients in a prairie food web|journal=Ecology|language=en|volume=98|issue=2|pages=315–320|doi=10.1002/ecy.1677|pmid=27936500|issn=1939-9170|doi-access=free|bibcode=2017Ecol...98..315K }}</ref>