Populations and Sustainability

• Carrying capacity: the maximum population size that can be maintained over a period in a particular habitat
• Limiting factor: the factor whose magnitude slows down the rate of a natural process
• Interspecific competition: competition between individuals of different species
• Intraspecific competition: competition between individuals of the same species
• Conservation: maintenance of biodiversity, including diversity between species, genetic diversity within species, and maintenance of a variety of habitats and ecosystems
• Preservation: maintenance of habitats and ecosystems in their present condition, minimizing human impact