environmental resistance The sum total of the environmental limiting factors, both biotic and abiotic, which together act to prevent the biotic potential of an organism from being realized. Such factors include the availability of essential resources (e.g. food and water), predation, disease, the accumulation of toxic metabolic wastes, and, in some species, behavioural changes due to stress caused by overcrowding. See also logistic equation.

environmental resistance The sum total of the environmental limiting factors, both biotic and abiotic, that together act to prevent the biotic potential of an organism from being realized. See also LOGISTIC EQUATION.

environmental resistance The sum total of the factors that prevent populations from continually growing and therefore tend to keep populations at constant levels. These factors include predators, disease, and a shortage of any of the various requirements for survival, such as food, water, shelter, and light (which is particularly important for plants). See also population growth.