In this video, we're going to compare both of these population growth limiting factors, which are density-dependent factors and density-independent factors, side by side in this table that you can see down below, starting with their definitions. A density-dependent factor is a factor whose impact depends on population density. On the other hand, a density-independent factor is a factor whose impact does not depend on population density. In terms of its relation to population density, the impact of density-dependent factors is proportional to population density, which means that the impact increases or intensifies as population density increases. On the other hand, with density-independent factors, the impact is constant regardless of population density.

Now in terms of the impact on small and large populations, for density-dependent factors, there's a higher or greater impact on high-density populations that approach the carrying capacity, which recall is the theoretical maximum population that an area can sustain at any given time. These density-dependent factors will actually have a lower impact on low-density populations. On the other hand, density-independent factors will have equal impacts on low and large density populations. In terms of common effects, density-dependent factors, because they have a higher impact on high-density populations approaching the carrying capacity, they somewhat help to establish the carrying capacity, and therefore, it helps to regulate the maximum population size of an area. On the other hand, density-independent factors can cause sudden and drastic changes in population size.

In terms of the nature of the factor, density-dependent factors are typically, but not always, biotic in nature, meaning that they're associated with living things, whereas density-independent factors on the other end are typically abiotic. Notice down below, we have a few examples of each of these factors. For density-dependent factors, we show things such as competition, predation, disease, water availability, waste accumulation, and limited space in nutrients. Whereas, for density-independent factors, we show things such as hurricanes, floods, wildfires, droughts, earthquakes, temperature extremes, and seasonal changes. Ultimately, what we're saying here is that all of these factors depend on the population density, and as the population density increases, so will the impact of these factors.

For all of these factors over here, they do not depend on population density and they will have an equal impact regardless of what the population density is. This here concludes our side-by-side comparison, and I'll see you all in our next video.