2.1.10—Carrying capacity

Carrying capacity is the maximum population or load an environment can support sustainably under current limiting conditions.

Food, water, space and nesting sites set the limit; change the conditions and K changes. A temporary overshoot is not sustainable capacity.

Deer rise above winter food supply, then mortality increases and the population falls below the temporary peak.

Yes, if it increases a limiting resource; K is conditional, not permanent.

K is not a fixed number independent of conditions.