Carrying capacity

Definition

Carrying capacity is the maximum number of individuals of a species that an environment can sustainably support without degrading the ecosystem or depleting resources.

Related terms

Limiting factors: These are environmental factors that restrict the growth, abundance, or distribution of organisms within an ecosystem.

Ecological footprint: A measure of human impact on Earth's ecosystems, representing the amount of land and resources required to sustainably support a population.

Density-dependent factors: These are limiting factors whose effects intensify as population density increases, such as competition for resources or disease outbreaks.