When an Isolated Population Reaches Its Carrying Capacity

Question

When an isolated population reaches its carrying capacity,
A) the birth rate > the death rate.
B) the birth rate = the death rate.
C) the birth rate < the death rate.
D) It is not possible to generalize these values.

Accepted Answer

When an isolated population reaches its carrying capacity, the birth rate equals the death rate. This is because the resources available to the population are no longer sufficient to support an increasing birth rate, and the mortality rate increases as competition for limited resources intensifies. Thus, the birth rate eventually balances with the death rate, leading to a stable population size.