Population and Carrying Capacity By Amaize

          The carrying capacity is the maximum amount of a species that the environment/area can sustain with it’s given resources, indefinitely. Most populations have growth rate that starts out slowly then enters a rapid phase of growth, and then the population hits the carrying capacity so the growth levels off. In most cases, the size of the population begins to fluctuate. This is normal, but there are certain things that can cause much more drastic changes for the population of that species. Some variables that end up causing changes for populations are:

          --births

          --deaths

          --immigration

          --emigration

          --competition of other species

          --predators

          --decrease in food

          --diseases 

Some random facts about carrying capacity are:

--The planet could support a lot more people that are living a simple rural village life compared to people living an American suburban life.

--A community that is degrading depends on using its community capital and is not living sustainably.

--Reproductive lag time is required when the birth rates need to decrease and death rates need to increase.

Question:

          Why are carrying capacities different depending on the species? Why is it important to have different carrying capacities.