from an ecological perspective
carrying capacity is the maximum number of individuals of a given species that a given habitat can support without being permanently damaged” (Odum, 1989)
when consider the relationship between natural and social (or human) systems
carrying capacity is the ability of natural and man-made systems to support the demands of various uses without degrading the natural, cultural and social environment” (Abernethy, 2001; Godschalk & Parker, 1975; Oh et al., 2002).