Carrying Capacity (College Board AP® Environmental Science): Flashcards
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Define carrying capacity (K).
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Cards in this collection (16)
Define carrying capacity (K).
Carrying capacity (K) is the maximum number of individuals of a population that an ecosystem can sustainably support over time.
What causes the gap between biotic potential and carrying capacity?
The gap is caused by environmental resistance, limiting factors such as predation, competition, disease, and finite resources.
True or False?
A J-curve describes population growth in a resource-limited environment.
False.
A J-curve describes growth with unlimited resources; growth in a resource-limited environment produces an S-curve.
What determines the carrying capacity of an ecosystem?
Carrying capacity is determined by the availability of resources such as food, water, and shelter.
Define population overshoot.
Population overshoot occurs when a population temporarily exceeds the carrying capacity of its environment.
On a population growth graph, the point at which the curve out is the carrying capacity.
On a population growth graph, the point at which the curve flattens out is the carrying capacity.
Why does population overshoot lead to resource depletion?
Overshoot leads to resource depletion because demand exceeds supply.
True or False?
No species has overcome the environmental factors that limit its population growth.
False.
Humans have managed to overcome many of the environmental factors that could limit the population growth of our species.
Define population dieback.
Population dieback is a significant reduction in population size, ranging from moderate declines to catastrophic crashes.
What causes population dieback after overshoot?
Dieback is caused by increased competition and conflict over scarce resources, famine, and increased vulnerability to disease.
What are the three phases of a J-curve?
The three phases of a J-curve are the lag phase, the exponential growth phase, and the crash phase.
When limiting factors take effect, growth stabilizes around carrying capacity and the curve becomes S-shaped, showing growth.
When limiting factors take effect, growth stabilizes around carrying capacity and the curve becomes S-shaped, showing logistic growth.
How can overgrazing by livestock during overshoot degrade the environment?
Overgrazing can strip vegetation, leading to desertification.
What are the four phases of an S-curve?
The four phases of an S-curve are the lag, exponential growth, transitional, and plateau phases.
True or False?
During the transitional phase of an S-curve, the rate of population increase rises.
False.
In the transitional phase, increased competition for limiting resources results in a lower rate of population increase.
What controls the fluctuations of a population around its carrying capacity in the plateau phase?
Negative feedback mechanisms control the increases and decreases in population size around the carrying capacity.
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