Question

The carrying capacity of a population is determined by its:

• A. Natality
• B. Limiting resources
• C. Population growth rate
• D. Mortality

Hint:

Carrying capacity (\(K\)) → set by environment
Growth rate (\(r\)) → set by population biology Always link carrying capacity with resource availability.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Define carrying capacity. Carrying capacity (\(K\)) is the maximum population size that an environment can sustain indefinitely without degradation.
Step 2: Identify the controlling factors. Carrying capacity depends primarily on:
availability of food,
water supply,
space,
shelter,
other environmental resources. These are collectively called limiting resources.
Step 3: Eliminate incorrect options.
Natality and mortality affect population size but do not determine the environmental limit.
Population growth rate describes how fast a population grows, not the maximum sustainable size.
Hence, the correct answer is \[ \boxed{\text{Limiting resources}} \]