Final answer:
Carrying capacity is defined by the availability of resources and represents the maximum number of individuals that can be sustained in a habitat without depleting those resources. Humans can increase the carrying capacity through advancements in technology and agriculture or conversely decrease it through unsustainable practices.
Step-by-step explanation:
Carrying capacity is limited by resources. This term refers to the maximum number of individuals of a species that can be sustained by the available resources of a habitat. It is a key concept in ecology, determining how large a population can grow before it starts experiencing limiting factors such as food, space, and other essential resources. For example, if available food supply is the limiting factor, similar to the situation with 12 hamburgers at a lunch table for 24 people, at a certain point population growth will halt because resources can no longer support additional individuals.
Humans can impact their environment's carrying capacity. By developing food production methods and engineering high-quality shelters, humans can increase the carrying capacity of their environment, allowing more individuals to live in an area than naturally possible without such developments. Conversely, unsustainable practices may lead to habitat destruction and a decrease in carrying capacity, potentially leading to population collapse.
The carrying capacity (K) represents the threshold for the maximum population size that can be supported in a particular area.