LIMITING FACTORS AND NICHE PARTITIONING
Limiting factors are factors in a given environment that affect the growth and development of a population. An example of a limiting factor found in the temperate rainforest is access to sunlight. Plants, especially trees, in this environment require plenty of sunlight to survive. However, there is only a limited amount of sunlight, so the trees that can't access sunlight will die, thus confining the population of trees. This is essential to the biome because it provides shade and camoflauge opportunities to the creatures that live on the ground. Also, it gives birds plenty of places to nest.
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Niche partitioning occurs when two species coexist in spite of apparent competition for the same resources. In the temperate rainforest, different birds will occupy the same tree, but divide it so they're still separated. This is essential to the biome because if this did not occur, many species would die off because a more dominant species would take over all the resources. This allows for more diversity within the biome. |