carrying capacity

American  

[kar-ee-ing kuh-pas-i-tee] / ˈkær i ɪŋ kəˌpæs ɪ ti /

noun

Ecology.

1. the maximum, equilibrium number of organisms of a particular species that can be supported indefinitely in a given environment. K

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carrying capacity British  

noun

1. ecology the maximum number of individuals that an area of land can support, usually determined by their food requirements

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carrying capacity Scientific  

/ kăr′ē-ĭng /

1. The maximum population of a particular organism that a given environment can support without detrimental effects.

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carrying capacity Cultural  

1. In ecology, the number of living things that can exist for long periods in a given area without damaging the environment.

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Etymology

Origin of carrying capacity

First recorded in 1880–85

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

carrying capacity

The research, published in Environmental Research Letters, concludes that humanity has already surpassed Earth's sustainable carrying capacity.

From Science Daily ● May 27, 2026

The sinking has damaged part of the Friant-Kern Canal, a major water conduit for farms, reducing its carrying capacity and requiring $326 million in repairs.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 1, 2026

Other entrants include Figure AI’s F.03 robot, introduced in October, which stands about 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs about 135 pounds, with a carrying capacity of 44 pounds.

From Barron's ● Feb. 6, 2026

Available seat miles, an industry measure of carrying capacity, rose 0.9% in the third quarter, but passenger revenue per available seat mile was down 3.7% from last year.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2025

In the 1930s, Sylvanus G. Morley of Harvard, probably the most celebrated Mayanist of his day, espoused what is still the best-known theory: The Maya collapsed because they overshot the carrying capacity of their environment.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

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