A forest currently has a carrying capacity of squirrels based on its annual nut production. A severe drought reduces nut production by 40% for several years. Assuming squirrel needs stay the same and nuts are the limiting resource, what is the new carrying capacity?
- 200 squirrels
- 300 squirrels (correct answer)
- 500 squirrels
- 700 squirrels
Explanation: This question tests your ability to predict how carrying capacity changes when resource availability decreases, demonstrating the proportional relationship between resources and K. When a limiting resource decreases by a certain percentage, the carrying capacity typically decreases by the same percentage—here nut production drops by 40%, so the new K = 500 × (1 - 0.40) = 500 × 0.60 = 300 squirrels. Choice B correctly calculates the new carrying capacity as 300 squirrels by reducing the original K by 40% (or keeping 60% of the original). Choice A (200) represents a 60% decrease instead of 40%, Choice C (500) fails to account for any change, and Choice D (700) incorrectly increases K when resources decreased. The strategy for predicting K changes is to identify the percentage change in the limiting resource (40% decrease = multiply by 0.60), apply that same percentage to the current carrying capacity (500 × 0.60 = 300), and remember that K changes proportionally with resource availability. This principle helps predict population responses to environmental changes like droughts, habitat loss, or resource depletion!