Question

How are carrying capacity and limiting factors related?

Answer 1

Carrying capacity is the maximum population size is and limiting factor decides it. Limiting factor is linked to the environment and causes the population to decline.

Complete answer:
To live, species need resources. They need space to live as well. In an ecosystem, there are restricted resources and just so much space. Such attributes are considered limiting factors. How many species live in an ecosystem is governed by limiting factors. Limiting factors include space, food, oxygen and water. The climate of an ecosystem influences temperature and precipitation, which affects the species that may survive in an ecosystem.

Only a population too big can sustain an ecosystem. The optimum population size that can be sustained by an ecosystem is called carrying capacity. Limiting considerations assess carrying capacity. How many species can survive in an ecosystem is determined by the availability of abiotic factors (such as water, oxygen, and space) and biotic factors (such as food). The availability of decomposers also affects carry power.The population of a species will increase in an ecosystem until the carrying capacity is attained. The size of the population then stays the same. If there is a shift in abiotic or biotic variables, the carrying capacity changes. The destruction of resources and humans can also modify the carrying capacity.

Note: The ecosystem can become unsuitable for the species to survive if a population exceeds its carrying capacity. If for a long period of time, the population reaches the carrying capacity, resources may be completely exhausted. If all of the resources are depleted, populations can die off.