carrying capacity
Say it: KARR-ee-ing kuh-PASS-ih-tee /ˈkarɪɪŋ kəˌpasɪti/ · noun
What “carrying capacity” means
The largest population a place can support over time.
More precisely: The maximum population an environment can support indefinitely.
Example: “The island's carrying capacity limits tourism to a few thousand visitors a day.”
When to use it
In ecology or planning, for the population limit set by lasting supplies of food, water, space and other resources.
Similar words
limit, capacity, ceiling
Quick check
A grassland can feed a certain number of deer year after year, but larger herds exhaust its food. What's that limit?
population density or carrying capacity?
Show the answer
carrying capacity
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