collocation · academic
carrying capacity
UK/ˈkærɪɪŋ kəˈpæsɪti/US/ˈkæriɪŋ kəˈpæsəti/CAR·ry·ing ca·PAS·si·ty
the maximum population size that an environment can sustain indefinitely without being degraded
Examples
“If deer exceed the carrying capacity of the forest, vegetation will be severely damaged.”
“Researchers estimated the lake's carrying capacity for trout to set fishing limits.”
“Carrying capacity depends on food availability, habitat size and water supply.”
Band 8 sentence
“Accurate estimates of carrying capacity are essential for wildlife managers because allowing populations to exceed that limit can cause long-term ecosystem degradation.”
Collocations
- reach carrying capacity
- estimate the carrying capacity
- exceed carrying capacity
Word family
Common mistakes
the capacity carrying of the forest→the forest's carrying capacity
carrying capacities are 500 deer→the carrying capacity is 500 deer
Say it for a higher band
5maximum population→6population limit→7+carrying capacity
Synonyms
maximum sustainable population
Easily confused
maximum sustainable yield
“Fisheries managers aim to calculate the maximum sustainable yield so that annual catches do not reduce future stock.”
Related words
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In Nature & Animals
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