What are limiting factors for plant growth?

• A. Abundance of pollinators
• B. Availability of sunlight
• C. Genetic diversity
• D. Presence of herbivores

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of limiting factors: Limiting factors are environmental conditions that limit the growth, abundance, or distribution of an organism or a population of organisms in an ecosystem.
2. Identify the role of sunlight in plant growth: Sunlight is a crucial component for photosynthesis, the process by which plants convert light energy into chemical energy to fuel their growth.
3. Evaluate the options: Consider how each factor affects plant growth. Abundance of pollinators, genetic diversity, and presence of herbivores can influence plant reproduction and survival, but they do not directly limit the basic growth process like sunlight does.
4. Recognize the primary limiting factor: Availability of sunlight is a direct limiting factor for plant growth because it is essential for photosynthesis, which is the primary process by which plants produce the energy they need to grow.
5. Conclude with the correct limiting factor: Based on the understanding of photosynthesis and plant biology, the availability of sunlight is the most direct limiting factor for plant growth among the options provided.