What factors may affect the carrying capacity for a species in an environment? Is the carrying capacity usually a fixed number, and why or why not?

What will be an ideal response?


All resources required by an organism, including nutrients, space or territory, climate, and so on, affect carrying capacity. Some elements in carrying capacity are fixed, such as the square footage for sunlight to fall on vegetation. Others, such as food availability, are not fixed and vary according to changes in weather, climate, and other factors. Additionally, the population itself can affect carrying capacity. Many r-selected species can grow somewhat beyond carrying capacity, deplete resources, and lower carrying capacity before the population crashes.

Biology & Microbiology

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