Final answer:
The size of animal groups is limited by resource availability, predation risk, disease, human activities, and social dynamics. These factors determine the carrying capacity and affect group cohesion and stability.
Step-by-step explanation:
The size of groups in animal populations, such as packs of wild dogs or social spiders, can be limited by a variety of ecological and anthropogenic factors. Resource availability is one of the main factors, as it influences the carrying capacity of the environment. When food, water, or space is scarce, it puts a limit on how large a group can grow. Additionally, predation risk and disease can reduce group size; larger groups may be more easily detected by predators and can sustain more significant spread of disease.
Human activities such as habitat destruction, use of pesticides, and other environmental changes also impact the growth and size of these animal groups. Social structures and behavioral dynamics within the group can further limit group size; for example, territorial disputes and the establishment of hierarchies may prevent a group from growing too large.