Question

The carrying capacity of a population within an ecosystem can increase or decrease based on factors in the environment. For each of the factors described, select whether it would cause an increase or decrease in the carrying capacity of the chipmunk population from the passage food web.

Increase Carrying Capacity
Decrease Carrying Capacity
A cold winter season leads to a lack of seeds in plants.
Excess rainfall leads to flooding in many chipmunk burrows.
The spring season has an abundance of seed-bearing plants.
The grouse population experiences a significant population increase.

Answer 1

- A cold winter season leads to a lack of seeds in plants. — Decrease (less food available → lower carrying capacity)
- Excess rainfall leads to flooding in many chipmunk burrows. — Decrease (loss of shelter/higher mortality → lower carrying capacity)
- The spring season has an abundance of seed-bearing plants. — Increase (more food available → higher carrying capacity)
- The grouse population experiences a significant population increase. — Decrease (more competition for the same seeds → less food per chipmunk → lower carrying capacity)