Question

A researcher is studying a particular population. She notices that the carrying capacity for this species in this ecosystem has decreased. What could have caused this change?

A. The resources available for the population have decreased.

B. The population is breeding too quickly and producing too many offspring.

C. The resources available for the population have increased.

D. The population is breeding too slowly and not producing enough offspring.

Answer 1

The resources available for the population have decreased would have caused the change.

Step-by-step explanation:

• The carrying capacity of a population is the maximum size of population that a species can sustain in the environment using the available factors.

• When the carrying capacity of a population decreases, it means that the resources for the species are not available in enough quantity to allow the population to sustain and thrive.

• Insufficient food, space, light and water are major causes for a decrease in the "carrying capacity" of a population.