Question

The 'law of limiting factors' was given by year (a) Blackman, 1905 (b) Blackman, 1804 (c) Engelmann, 1909 (d) Warburg, 1920

Short answer

The 'law of limiting factors' was given by Blackman, 1905.

Step-by-step solution

Understand the Law of Limiting Factors

The 'law of limiting factors' states that the rate of a physiological process will be limited by the factor that is in shortest supply. The process will not proceed at its maximum rate until all external conditions are near ideal and one is in shorter supply than the others.

Identify the Scientist

The law of limiting factors was proposed by F.F. Blackman in one of the two mentioned years. Determine which of the given years is the correct one associated with F.F. Blackman's work.

Confirm the Correct Year

Through historical knowledge or research, confirm that the correct year when F.F. Blackman proposed the law of limiting factors is 1905.

Key concepts

Blackman 1905

Frederic Frost Blackman, a British plant physiologist, proposed the 'law of limiting factors' in 1905. This concept revolutionized how we understand plant growth and ecosystems. Blackman observed that a plant's growth is determined not by the total amount of resources available, but by the scarcest resource (limiting factor).

This principle applies beyond plant biology, influencing fields like ecology and environmental science. It's a foundational concept for students studying the interactions between organisms and their environments. Blackman's work taught us that to understand why a plant is not thriving, we should look for which essential resource (light, nutrients, water) is in limited supply rather than assuming a general deficiency.

Physiological Process Rate

The rate of a physiological process refers to how quickly a biological reaction or series of reactions occur within an organism. This rate can be influenced by numerous environmental factors. In the context of Blackman's law of limiting factors, if any single factor is less than the required amount, it becomes a bottleneck for the entire process. For instance, if a plant has sufficient sunlight and water but lacks nitrogen, its growth will be limited by the nitrogen availability.

Understanding these rates is crucial for applications like agriculture, where optimizing conditions can lead to better crop yields. In an educational setting, it's important for students to grasp that physiological processes are not limitless and are often constrained by the availability of critical resources.

Environmental Factors in Biology

Environmental factors play a pivotal role in shaping biological processes. These include abiotic components like temperature, light, and nutrients, alongside biotic factors such as the presence of other organisms. Environmental factors can act as stimuli that start, stop, or modulate physiological processes in living organisms.

Blackman’s law brings attention to the multiscale impacts of environmental factors, from molecular to ecosystem level. In a learning context, emphasizing these factors helps students appreciate the delicate balance organisms maintain with their environment. For example, a drop in temperature can slow down enzyme activity in plants, leading to slower growth rates, exemplifying the intricate dance between biology and the environment.