What is the result of a population exceeding its carrying capacity?

When a population exceeds its carrying capacity, the environment can no longer sustainably support that population size. This leads to resource depletion, which means that essential resources such as food, water, and habitat become scarce. As a result, the population faces increased competition for these dwindling resources, leading to higher mortality rates and a decline in the population size. Over time, if the population remains above the carrying capacity, the effects of this overpopulation can include starvation, disease, and a breakdown of social structures, which further contribute to the decline.

This concept is foundational in ecology, illustrating how population dynamics are closely tied to available resources and the carrying capacity of the environment. A significant aspect is the feedback loop; as resources become limited and the population decreases, the environment may begin to recover, potentially allowing the population to stabilize back closer to its carrying capacity.