What does the term "carrying capacity" refer to in ecology?

Carrying capacity in ecology specifically refers to the maximum number of individuals of a particular species that an environment can sustain over time without degrading the environment. This concept takes into account the availability of essential resources such as food, water, shelter, and space, as well as the environmental conditions that affect the population's ability to thrive.

When a population exceeds its carrying capacity, the resources become insufficient, leading to increased competition, decreased health, and potentially a decline in the population due to starvation or other stress factors. Therefore, recognizing that carrying capacity is about sustainability and the long-term balance between population size and available resources is key to understanding this fundamental ecological concept.

Other options, such as the minimum number of individuals for survival, focus on different aspects of population dynamics but do not capture the core idea of carrying capacity. Similarly, average species number or population growth rates are relevant in various ecological discussions but do not pertain directly to the limits an environment places on the number of individuals it can support.