Question

Briefly discuss the four (4) major factors that determine an area’s carrying capacity.

Answer 1

Answer: Carrying Capacity

Carrying Capacity is the largest number of individuals or species an area can sustain. Carrying Capacity is the number of individuals an area's resources can sustain for an indefinite period of time without harming the environment.

Four major factors that determine the area's carrying Capacity are:

• Food Availability
• Water supply
• Space
• Ecological conditions.

Food Availability: It is the most important factor because species or individual's survival depends on the food Availability in the area. For predators and Carnivores, availability of prey prevent them from food shortage. For herbivores and plant eaters, nutritional plant availability is important. In case of Humans, both type of food must be available.

Water Supply: Water is required by organisms to survive, digest food, regulate body temperature. More the number of individuals, more water is needed to sustain the individuals in the area. It is very important factor that determines the carrying capacity. When water becomes scarce in an area, animals die, plants don't flourish which makes the survival difficult.

Ecological conditions: Climate and ecological conditions within an area also determine its carrying Capacity. Pollution, rain level, etc. An area may be more prone to natural disasters like flood, earthquake or hurricane. Some area can't grow plants as they are effected by desertification, soil erosion. So ecological conditions affects the carrying Capacity of an area.

Space: There must be adequate space in an area to effectively sustain the population. Space in an area determine the carrying capacity. More space means more individuals can be sustained. More availability of food and water and shelter for individuals. As population grow, hardships increase as an area's carrying capacity decreases. This is mainly an issue in case of humans. Human population is increasing and space is same which affect the food and water supply in an area. More the population less the food and water available to each person. Because of increasing human population, Environment degrades as carrying Capacity is limited.