Limiting factors are resources or other factors in the environment that can lower the population growth rate. Limiting factors include a low food supply and lack of space. Limiting factors can lower birth rates, increase death rates, or lead to emigration.
A population that has been isolated, especially a smaller one, could have a high level of homozygosity and therefore not a lot of genetic variation. Gene flow between such populations can increase the level of heterozygosity, and therefore up genetic variation.
The hormone ethylene is a gas and disperses easily.