Question

1. Explain the concept of “Carrying Capacity” and why it is important that the global human population does not exceed carrying capacity.

2. Define the term “Keystone Species”, and provide an example of a Keystone species, and how it relates to its particular ecosystem.

Answer 1

Carrying capacity :-

The carrying capacity of a biological species in an environment is the maximum population size of the species that the environment can sustain indefinitely, given the food, habitat, water, and other necessities available in the environment.

It has been denoted by the alphabet 'K'.

Carrying capacity can be defined as a species' average population size in a particular habitat. The species population size is limited by environmental factors like adequate food, shelter, water, and mates. If these needs are not met, the population will decrease until the resource rebounds.

Many scientists think Earth has a maximum carrying capacity of 9 billion to 10 billion people. It can also be thought of as the maximum sustainable population size; the maximum size that can be supported indefinitely into the future without degrading the environment for future generations.

In a population at its carrying capacity, there are as many organisms of that species as the habitat can support. ... If resources are being used faster than they are being replenished, then the species has exceeded its carrying capacity. If this occurs, the population will then decrease in size. In simple way if over utilization of resources has been done or the rapidly increased global population harms the environment, or exceeds the level, henceforthe catastrophe, volcanic eruption occur that leads to the destruction of population and wide decrease in the global population. Thus it is very imp that  the global human population does not exceed carrying capacity.

To avoid this hazardous calamities to happen government applies sustainable development to be enforced in all over the world. Sustainable development can be defined as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

2.

Keystone species

Keystone species are those which have an extremely high impact on a particular ecosystem relative to its population.

Some examples of keystone species include the bison, prairie dog, and otter. These are keystone species because they have great affect on their ecosystem, and without them, the ecosystem would change or suffer.

A keystone species is a species that has a disproportionate effect on its environment relative to its abundance. ... Humans are the influencer of influencers, the keystone species that disproportionately affects other keystone species. Humans are hyperkeystones. We influence our ecosystem alot. A keystone species is often a dominant predator whose removal allows a prey population to explode and often decreases overall diversity.