p. 148 #9, 10, 13, 15

1. p. 148 #9, 10, 13, 15

2. p. 148 #9, 10, 13, 15 9. What is carrying capacity? Give an example. 9. Carrying capacity is the maximum number of individuals of a particular species a particular environment can support. One is example is how many reindeer can live on St. Paul Island continuously. 10. How is the carrying capacity of a city’s roads similar to the carrying capacity of an ecosystem? • The carrying capacity of a city’s roads and the carrying capacity of an ecosystem are similar because they are both limited by the resources available. In the case of a city’s roads, the carrying capacity depends on factors such as the number and width of roads and the number of intersections. In an ecosystem, the carrying capacity depends on factors such as the amount of space and food.

3. p. 148 #9, 10, 13, 15 13. How might increasing the amount of a limiting nutrient in a pond affect the carrying capacity of the pond? 13. Increasing the availability of a limiting nutrient would increase the carrying capacity of the pond. 15. Describe how a predator-prey relationship can control both the predator population and the prey population. 15. A predator-prey relationship can be a mechanism of population control for both species. The population size of predators is limited by the number of prey available to eat. In turn, the number of prey is limited by the predation.