Carrying Capacity

Front

What is carrying capacity?

Back

The maximum number of individuals of a particular species that an environment can support sustainably.

Front

What is a limiting factor?

Back

Any resource or condition that restricts the growth, abundance, or distribution of a population.

Front

What happens to a population when it exceeds its carrying capacity?

Back

The population will experience a decline due to resource depletion and increased competition.

Front

What is exponential growth?

Back

A growth pattern where the population size increases rapidly in proportion to the current size, often represented by a J-shaped curve.

Front

What is logistic growth?

Back

A growth pattern that starts exponentially but levels off as the population reaches the carrying capacity, represented by an S-shaped curve.

Front

What role do predators play in population dynamics?

Back

Predators can act as a limiting factor by controlling the population size of prey species.

Front

How does food availability affect population growth?

Back

Limited food resources can decrease population growth and lead to competition among individuals.

Front

What is the relationship between population density and carrying capacity?

Back

As population density increases, the likelihood of reaching carrying capacity also increases, leading to potential resource shortages.

Front

What is the significance of the term 'biological community'?

Back

A biological community refers to all the interacting populations of different species living in a particular area.

Front

How can human activities impact carrying capacity?

Back

Human activities such as deforestation, pollution, and urbanization can reduce the carrying capacity of an environment.