Is infectious disease a density-dependent or density-independent limiting factor in humans? How do you know?
Infectious diseases can be considered as density-dependent limiting factors in humans. This is because the transmission and spread of many infectious diseases are directly influenced by population density. When population density is high, such as in crowded urban areas or during mass gatherings, the chances of person-to-person transmission increase. Similarly, in densely populated areas, there may be higher chances of exposure to contaminated food or water sources.
Moreover, the concept of herd immunity, which relies on a sufficient proportion of the population being immune to a disease, is also density-dependent. With higher population density, it becomes easier for infectious diseases to spread rapidly and establish themselves in the community.
Therefore, the dependence of infectious diseases on population density suggests that they are density-dependent limiting factors in human populations.