Carrying capacity of environment – UGC NET Question

Carrying capacity is a concept used to indicate the maximum population size that an environment can support over a long period without being degraded. It depends on resource availability, technological level and consumption patterns. If the population exceeds carrying capacity, environmental degradation and resource depletion accelerate. The key idea is “support indefinitely without degrading it,” which is exactly what option B states, so it is the correct definition.

Option A:
Option A is misleading because it talks about the Earth as a whole and suggests a fixed maximum for all time. In practice, carrying capacity is context-specific (for a given ecosystem or region) and can change with technology and consumption patterns. It is not a single, immutable global number.

Option B:
Option B correctly brings together population size, environmental support and the idea of indefinite duration without degradation. It recognises that carrying capacity is about maintaining ecological balance while meeting population needs, and it aligns with ecological and UGC NET definitions of the term.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect because it focuses on supporting population “until resources are fully exploited,” which implies eventual depletion and degradation. This describes an unsustainable limit rather than a capacity that can be maintained indefinitely without harming the environment.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it refers to a minimum population needed to use resources fully. Carrying capacity is concerned with the upper limit beyond which environmental damage occurs, not with ensuring that all resources are completely utilised.