On Easter Island in the Pacific Ocean, the population rose to 3,000 people from the original population of 100. In time, the entire island was cultivated, and eventually, the soils became so overcultivated that crops could no longer be grown. People started dying from starvation and disease. This Easter Island population had exceeded its ____.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Easter Island population exceeded its carrying capacity, which refers to the maximum population size an environment can sustain indefinitely, given the food, habitat, water, and other necessities available in the environment. When the population exceeded this limit, resources became insufficient, leading to starvation and disease.

On Easter Island in the Pacific Ocean, the Population Rose