§ Mr. PatersonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information she has on the variables which affect the carrying capacity of a habitat in respect of its ability to support a particular wildlife species. [158005]
§ Mr. BradshawCompetition between individuals within a species (intraspecific competition) limits the maximum number of individuals that can be supported by an environment (the environmental carrying capacity). This is influenced by the quantity of resources that are under competition. These may include food resources, nesting sites and mates.
Further information on this topic may be obtained from any elementary ecology text book, such as Begon, M., Harper, J. L. & Townsend, C. R. (1996) Ecology. 3rd Edition. Blackwell Science, Oxford.