Question

The carrying capacity of a population is determined by its
A. Birth rate
B. Death rate
C. Limiting resource
D. Reproductive status

Answer 1

Hint: A population needs environmental resources to thrive.
Carrying capacity indicates the maximum limit up to which the ecosystem can support the existence of the population.

Complete answer: In biology, a population refers to a group of individuals who belong to the same species and interact within the same space.
1. The organisms of the same population are capable of interbreeding and live in a particular geographical area.
2. The resources present in the area are what a population remains based on upon.
Here the ‘resources’ refer to water, food, space, etc.
3. These are also called limiting resources. It is because the number of resources can limit a population by its density, distribution, and abundance.
4. The carrying capacity of a population refers to the upper limit of an ecosystem.
5. An ecosystem can provide the basic requirements to the population up to the carrying capacity (under given circumstances).
6. It is determined by limiting resources.

So, the correct answer isC. Limiting resource

Note: Carrying capacity is expressed as ‘K’ in Ecological equations.
It signifies the maximum number of individuals of a population that can thrive in a particular area. The population growth curve tends to fall as it reaches the carrying capacity, it occurs due to insufficient resources.