All flashcards
Flashcard 1: What is the effect of pollution on carrying capacity?
Answer: Pollution can lower carrying capacity by degrading resources. Contaminants reduce resource quality and ecosystem health.
Flashcard 2: Explain the term 'dynamic equilibrium' in carrying capacity.
Answer: Population fluctuates around carrying capacity due to feedback mechanisms. Population oscillates around capacity due to lag effects.
Flashcard 3: What happens when an ecosystem reaches its carrying capacity?
Answer: Population growth rate approaches zero. Birth and death rates balance when resources become limiting.
Flashcard 4: Identify a consequence of long-term population overshoot.
Answer: Resource depletion and habitat destruction. Exceeding limits damages the ecosystem's ability to support life.
Flashcard 5: Which type of growth occurs when resources are unlimited?
Answer: Exponential growth. No resource constraints allow maximum reproduction rates.
Flashcard 6: Identify a consequence of human population growth on global carrying capacity.
Answer: Increased resource consumption and environmental stress. Growing human demands strain Earth's finite resource base.
Flashcard 7: How does carrying capacity affect interspecific competition?
Answer: Limited resources increase competition between species. Scarce resources force species to compete more intensely.
Flashcard 8: What role does biodiversity play in carrying capacity?
Answer: Higher biodiversity can increase ecosystem resilience and carrying capacity. Multiple species provide redundancy and ecosystem stability.
Flashcard 9: Which graph shape represents logistic growth limited by carrying capacity?
Answer: S-shaped curve. Population growth slows as it approaches the carrying capacity limit.
Flashcard 10: How does carrying capacity relate to the concept of ecological overshoot?
Answer: Overshoot occurs when population exceeds carrying capacity. Population size exceeds what resources can sustainably support.
Flashcard 11: What is a potential outcome of exceeding an ecosystem's carrying capacity?
Answer: Resource depletion and population crash. Resource exhaustion leads to rapid population decline.
Flashcard 12: What is the significance of carrying capacity in conservation biology?
Answer: Helps in managing species populations and habitats. Ensures species survival within ecosystem resource limits.
Flashcard 13: What is the effect of pollution on carrying capacity?
Answer: Pollution can lower carrying capacity by degrading resources. Contaminants reduce resource quality and ecosystem health.
Flashcard 14: What is the role of ecological footprint in determining carrying capacity?
Answer: Measures human demand on resources, affecting carrying capacity. Quantifies resource consumption relative to ecosystem capacity.
Flashcard 15: Define the term 'dieback' in relation to carrying capacity.
Answer: A population decrease following overshoot of carrying capacity. Population declines due to resource scarcity after overshooting.
Flashcard 16: How does carrying capacity influence species survival?
Answer: Species must adapt or migrate if carrying capacity is exceeded. Forces evolutionary pressure and potential population movement.
Flashcard 17: Identify a method for estimating carrying capacity.
Answer: Population surveys combined with resource availability analysis. Compares current population with available resource supplies.
Flashcard 18: What does the term 'limiting factor' refer to?
Answer: A resource that constrains population growth. The scarcest essential resource determines population maximum.
Flashcard 19: How does climate change impact carrying capacity?
Answer: Alters resource availability and habitat conditions. Temperature and precipitation changes affect ecosystem productivity.
Flashcard 20: Identify a human factor that can increase carrying capacity.
Answer: Improved agricultural practices. Technology enhances productivity and resource management efficiency.
Flashcard 21: How do invasive species affect carrying capacity?
Answer: They can reduce native species' carrying capacity by competing for resources. Non-native species consume resources needed by established populations.
Flashcard 22: How does technological innovation impact carrying capacity?
Answer: Can increase it by improving resource efficiency. New technologies optimize resource use and reduce waste.
Flashcard 23: What is the carrying capacity of an ecosystem determined by?
Answer: Limiting factors such as food, water, and space. These factors restrict population growth when they become scarce.
Flashcard 24: What is the relationship between carrying capacity and resource consumption?
Answer: Higher resource consumption can lower the carrying capacity. Higher consumption depletes resources faster, reducing sustainability.
Flashcard 25: How is carrying capacity different from biotic potential?
Answer: Carrying capacity is the limit; biotic potential is the maximum growth rate. One sets limits while the other describes maximum reproduction rate.
Flashcard 26: What is the carrying capacity's role in ecosystem stability?
Answer: Maintains population size within sustainable limits. Prevents population crashes that destabilize ecosystem balance.
Flashcard 27: Describe how carrying capacity relates to population dynamics.
Answer: Carrying capacity limits population growth and size. Acts as a ceiling that prevents unlimited population expansion.
Flashcard 28: What does the carrying capacity concept imply for sustainable development?
Answer: It underscores the need for balanced resource use. Prevents overexploitation and promotes long-term resource management.
Flashcard 29: Name a human activity that can alter carrying capacity.
Answer: Deforestation. Removes habitat and reduces available resources for wildlife.
Flashcard 30: State the impact of technological advances on carrying capacity.
Answer: Technological advances can increase carrying capacity. Innovation improves resource efficiency and production capabilities.