Question

Differentiate between biotic potential and carrying capacity.

Answer 1

Biotic potential (r) is the capacity of a population to increase. Carrying capacity(k) is the maximum number of individuals an area or environment can support. Both Biotic potential and carrying capacity is a set of attributes of the human population.

Complete answer:
-Both biotic potential and carrying species differ from species to species.
-Offsprings are very important because they help in passing the genetic material to the next generation. Every species produces different numbers of offspring at a time. This difference is referred to as a difference in biotic potential. So, the biotic potential is the rate at which a species reproduces with unlimited conditions.
-In a natural ecosystem there are some factors that resist the limit to increase the population. Factors are scarcity of food and water, disease, predators, habitat.So, carrying capacity is the maximum population size of a species that an ecosystem can support indefinitely.
Let's learn some difference about them -

Biotic potential	Carrying capacity
-The reproduction rate is high.-There is no competition between individuals for occupying habitat.-This occurs by establishing a population in a new habitat.-Factors affecting biotic potential are diseases, parasitism, climatic condition, temperature, etc.-Resources are unlimited.	The reproduction rate is low( maximum in case of an individual that is indefinitely supported by certain factors).There is a high competition among individuals for occupying habitat.occurs in a stable population in a fixed geographical space. factors affecting carrying capacity are interspecific competition for space, food or light, cannibalism, similar resource, etc.Resources are limited.

Additional Information: -For the comparison of the biotic potential of two organisms, we must examine how many offspring the two organisms can produce in a prescribed time frame.
-Humans produce one offspring per year for the breeding season whereas insects produce thousands of Offspring per year. so large organisms have lower biotic potential than smaller organisms.
-By resource destruction, carrying capacity will become low and degrade and can be extended through technological and social means.

Note: -Biotic potential used to describe population growth depends on birth rate and mortality rate.
-When a population approaches its carrying capacity, the rate which increases usually slows and the birth rate equals the death rate.