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﻿﻿Carrying Capacity

axis deer in front yard

The carrying capacity of an area determines the size of the population that can exist or will be tolerated there.

  • Biological carrying capacity is an equilibrium between the availability of habitat and the number of animals of a given species the habitat can support over time.
  • Cultural carrying capacity is the number and type of a given species that people will tolerate over time.
  • Carrying capacity is dynamic and can change from season to season and from year to year.
  • Regulated hunting, fishing, and trapping are important tools for preventing populations of certain species from exceeding the carrying capacity of their habitat.