How do limiting factors determine the carrying capacity of an ecosystem?

• A. They restrict population growth by controlling the availability of resources such as food, water, and shelter.
• B. They eliminate all competition, resulting in unlimited population growth.
• C. They have no effect on population size or resource availability.
• D. They increase the genetic diversity of a population, allowing it to grow indefinitely.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of carrying capacity: Carrying capacity refers to the maximum number of individuals in a population that an ecosystem can support sustainably, based on the availability of resources such as food, water, shelter, and other environmental factors.
2. Define limiting factors: Limiting factors are environmental conditions that restrict the growth, abundance, or distribution of a population within an ecosystem. These can be biotic (e.g., predation, competition) or abiotic (e.g., water availability, temperature).
3. Analyze how limiting factors affect population growth: Limiting factors control the availability of essential resources. When resources become scarce due to competition or environmental constraints, population growth slows down or stabilizes, preventing the population from exceeding the carrying capacity.
4. Evaluate the incorrect options: For example, the idea that limiting factors eliminate all competition or allow unlimited population growth is incorrect because competition is a natural part of ecosystems, and resources are finite. Similarly, limiting factors do not increase genetic diversity or have no effect on population size; they directly influence population dynamics.
5. Conclude the correct answer: Limiting factors determine the carrying capacity by restricting population growth through the availability of resources such as food, water, and shelter. This ensures the ecosystem remains balanced and sustainable.