Final answer:
To determine carrying capacity on a predator-prey graph, you look for the point where the prey population levels off, indicating it has reached a balance with available resources. This plateau indicates the carrying capacity, which is also visually represented by an S-shaped logistic growth curve.
Step-by-step explanation:
How to Determine Carrying Capacity from a Predator and Prey Graph
To determine the carrying capacity given a predator and prey graph, you would look for the point where the prey population plateaus. This means that the answer to the question is option B: Look for the point where the prey population plateaus. The plateau indicates when the population has stopped growing due to reaching a balance with environmental resources—also known as the carrying capacity. It's important to note that while predator populations can affect prey populations, the carrying capacity is more directly determined by the availability of resources for the prey since they are the foundation of the predator-prey relationship.
In such graphs, prey numbers will increase first, providing more food for predators, which then may increase in number as well. However, as prey numbers dwindle due to predation and other factors, predator numbers will also fall since their food source is less abundant. When prey numbers decrease to a point where individuals have sufficient access to resources and the birth and death rates stabilize, this leveled population represents the carrying capacity for the prey.
Look for the S-shaped curve on the graph, this shows logistic growth—a realistic model of population growth which includes three phases: the exponential growth phase, the phase where growth rate decreases due to limited resources, and finally, the plateau phase, which corresponds to the carrying capacity.