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Carrying Capacity:. Sustainable population size in an environment. http://www.sustainabilitylabs.org/files/images/Sust.%20Diagram%202.preview.jpg. Carrying Capacity:. Maximum population of a given species that can survive indefinitely in a given environment. Depends on:
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Carrying Capacity: Sustainable population size in an environment http://www.sustainabilitylabs.org/files/images/Sust.%20Diagram%202.preview.jpg
Carrying Capacity: • Maximum population of a given species that can survive indefinitely in a given environment • Depends on: • Conditions & resources available in habitat • Resource consumption by species
Resources & Conditions Present: • Sunlight • Rainfall/Moisture • Climate • Soil type • Space • Landscape/Terrain • Food sources • Predator levels http://images2.layoutsparks.com/1/175362/sunlight-trees-woods.jpg http://s3.amazonaws.com/rapgenius/filepicker%2FsFCTedRrS6eErJ7b0cwY_hot_desert.jpg http://danieldamianiphoto.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/img_5429.jpg
Carrying Capacity is not constant: • Changing conditions (resource availability) and/or • Changing resource use by species http://www.activistangler.com/storage/drought.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1362064244633 http://labsaints.com/wp-content/uploads/water-pollution.jpg
Limiting Factors: • Anything that can change a species’ population • Natural & Human influence Predation Disease Floods Accidents Drought Shade Fire Parasites Storms Hunting Starvation Habitat Loss Pollution
Carrying Capacity for a Species: http://culturingscience.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/carrying-capacity.jpg
Overshoot: More individuals of a species living in an area than can be supported over a long time. http://www.paulchefurka.ca/Overshoot_2.jpg
Carrying Capacity Overview: • Defined as a sustainable population level for a species within an environment • Influenced by abiotic (non-living) and biotic (living) factors • Connecting resource use & availability with population http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/image/planetary/earth/apollo17_earth.jpg