Question

carrying capacity
the largest population an area can support with its resources (i.e. food, water, land) is called
its carrying capacity. a population usually stays near its carrying capacity because of the
limiting factors of a habitat.
as a population first begins to grow, it will typically exhibit exponential growth, and it will
continue growing until the population overshoots the carrying capacity. the population will then run out of
resources and decline rapidly until it can recover and stabilize around the carrying capacity. rabbit
populations exhibited this behavior when they were first introduced into australia in the mid 1800s. at first,
their numbers increased rapidly because they had plenty of vegetation to eat and no predators. the
rabbits quickly ate the land bare and their population crashed as they starved to death. however, over time,
the vegetation recovered, and the rabbit population increased again.
the reintroduction of a predator, the lynx, has helped to stabilize the population so that its numbers remain
relatively stable.

1. what is carrying capacity? (answer in a complete sentence by restating the question)
2. how are limiting factors related to carrying capacity? (answer in a complete sentence by restating the question)
3. label each of the blanks on the graph with the following stages of a population responding to the

carrying capacity of the ecosystem with the following terms:

1. exponential growth 2) overshoot 3) decline 4) recovery 5) carrying capacity.

Explanation:

1. The text clearly states the definition of carrying capacity.
2. The text mentions that a population stays near carrying capacity due to limiting factors.
3. Based on the description of population behavior (exponential growth first, then overshoot, decline, recovery, and stabilizing around carrying capacity), we can label the graph.

Answer:

1. Carrying capacity is the largest population an area can support with its resources (i.e. food, water, land).
2. Limiting factors of a habitat cause a population to usually stay near its carrying capacity.
3. The first rapid upward - sloping part (steep increase) is "exponential growth". The peak above the dashed line (carrying capacity line) is "overshoot". The downward - sloping part from the peak is "decline". The upward - sloping part after the decline (but not reaching the overshoot level) is "recovery". The dashed line is "carrying capacity".