What does carrying capacity indicate in an ecosystem?

Carrying capacity refers to the maximum population size of a species that an environment can sustainably support. This concept involves the balance between the resources available in the ecosystem—such as food, water, and habitat—and the needs of the population. When a population exceeds its carrying capacity, it can lead to resource depletion, increased competition, and eventually a decline in the population size. This principle is crucial in understanding population dynamics and the health of ecosystems, as it helps predict how populations interact with their environment over time.

In the context of the other options, maximum diversity of species pertains to biodiversity rather than population limits. The minimum resources needed for survival speaks to the basic survival needs of an organism, not the broader population contexts. The growth rate of a species relates to how quickly a population can increase but does not define the limits imposed by carrying capacity. Thus, carrying capacity specifically focuses on the sustainable population limits within an ecosystem.