Which of the following statements about carrying capacity (K) is true?
A) When N = K, the birth rate in a population is necessarily zero.
B) The rate of population growth in an unlimited environment is proportional to K.
C) K is always determined by the amount of food in an environment.
D) In a population at its K, the birth rate equals the death rate.
E) None of the above

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

At carrying capacity (K), the population growth rate slows down and eventually stabilizes because the birth rate equals the death rate. This is why option D is correct. Option A is incorrect because the birth rate may not be zero at K, it just equals the death rate. Option B is incorrect because population growth is proportional to the difference between the birth rate and death rate, not to K. Option C is incorrect because carrying capacity is determined by multiple factors, not just food availability.

Which of the Following Statements About Carrying Capacity (K) Is