Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Carrying Capacity
Carrying capacity refers to the maximum number of individuals of a species that an environment can sustainably support without degrading the habitat. It is influenced by factors such as resource availability, environmental conditions, and interactions with other species. When a population exceeds its carrying capacity, it can lead to resource depletion and negative impacts on the ecosystem.
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Population Overshoot
Population overshoot occurs when a population temporarily exceeds the carrying capacity of its environment, often due to an abundance of resources or favorable conditions. This can lead to a rapid increase in population size, but it is typically followed by a decline as resources become scarce, resulting in increased competition and mortality rates.
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Population Crash
A population crash is a dramatic decline in the size of a population, often following an overshoot of the carrying capacity. This decline can result from resource depletion, increased mortality, and decreased reproduction rates. Population crashes can have significant ecological consequences, affecting not only the species involved but also the broader ecosystem.
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