What Does
Biotic Potential Mean?
Biotic potential indicates the capacity for a species to reproduce under environmental conditions that are ideal. Thus, food supply would not be limited in any way, and disease and predation would not affect the population. Biotic potential depends on the frequency of reproduction as well as the number of offspring produced.
Safeopedia Explains Biotic Potential
There are large variations in biotic potential between species. For example, insects can have thousands of offspring every year, while large mammals are not able to reproduce as prolifically. Since ideal environmental conditions do not occur in practice, most organisms are unable to fulfil their full biotic potential. Food may be limited, or disease may kill members of the population. Humans have managed to reduce these problems, and the human population continues to grow, but human beings also choose to limit the frequency with which they reproduce.