Summary:
- A population will grow as long as it has what it needs.
- Once it is too large, some of its members will die off.
- This keeps the population size at the right number.
- For a given species, there is a maximum population that can be supported by the environment.
- This maximum is called the carrying capacity.
- When a population gets close to the carryingcapacity, it usually grows more slowly.
- When the population reaches thecarrying capacity, it stops growing.
- A population growing at this rate would double in size in just 35 years.