Carrying Capacity and Limiting Factors

Front

What is carrying capacity?

Back

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

Front

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

Back

The population will start to die off until it returns to the carrying capacity.

Front

What are limiting factors in an ecosystem?

Back

Factors that restrict the growth, abundance, or distribution of a population within an ecosystem.

Front

How does competition affect carrying capacity?

Back

Competition typically decreases the carrying capacity for the species involved.

Front

What role do decomposers play in an ecosystem?

Back

Decomposers break down and recycle dead organisms and organic matter, returning nutrients to the soil.

Front

What is a biotic limiting factor?

Back

A living component of an ecosystem that affects the population size, such as food availability.

Front

What is an abiotic limiting factor?

Back

A non-living component of an ecosystem that affects population size, such as temperature or water availability.

Front

How can disease impact population size?

Back

Disease can decrease population size by increasing mortality rates.

Front

What is the difference between density-dependent and density-independent factors?

Back

Density-dependent factors are influenced by population density (e.g., competition, predation), while density-independent factors affect populations regardless of density (e.g., natural disasters).

Front

What is the significance of a population's growth rate?

Back

The growth rate indicates how quickly a population is increasing or decreasing, which can affect its sustainability.