Question

colorado has a vast population of lodgepole pines. a population of lodgepole pines has been killed in a section of the forest. what is a possible limiting factor of that population?

• devastation by the pine bark beetle
• colorados long history of acidic soils
• genetic variability
• shallow root system

Explanation:

A limiting factor is a variable that reduces a population. Pine bark beetles are known to kill large numbers of lodgepole pines in Colorado, acting as a sudden, population-reducing factor. The other options are either long-standing conditions the trees adapted to, a neutral/beneficial trait, or a species characteristic not an external limiting factor.

Answer:

devastation by the pine bark beetle