What effect does overpopulation have on a species?

Overpopulation can result in a rapid increase in reproduction rates within a species, especially when there are limited or no natural predators to keep the population in check. In such scenarios, individuals may reproduce at rates that exceed the carrying capacity of their habitat, leading to resource depletion such as food, water, and space.

This unchecked growth can cause significant environmental stress, which can lead to competition among individuals for the scarce resources. Without predators, the population can swell considerably, which might initially seem advantageous for the species in terms of numbers but eventually leads to long-term sustainability issues. Over time, as resources become limited, population densities may lead to starvation, disease, and increased mortality rates, significantly impacting the species' survival and overall biodiversity in the ecosystem.

In contrast, options discussing increased biodiversity, ecosystem stabilization, and migration do not accurately reflect the consequences of overpopulation within a single species, as these scenarios typically involve more complex interactions that are not solely dependent on the population size of one species.