Biotic potential is the maximum reproductive capacity of a population

Population

A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...

 if resources are unlimited. Full expression of the biotic potential of an organism is restricted by environmental resistance, any condition that inhibits the increase in number of the population. It is generally only reached when environmental conditions are very favorable. A species reaching its biotic potential would exhibit exponential population growth

Population growth

Population growth is the change in a population over time, and can be quantified as the change in the number of individuals of any species in a population using "per unit time" for measurement....

 and be said to have a high fertility

Fertility

Fertility is the natural capability of producing offsprings. As a measure, "fertility rate" is the number of children born per couple, person or population. Fertility differs from fecundity, which is defined as the potential for reproduction...

, that is, how many offspring are produced per mother.

Biotic Potential is a fundamental species characteristic, defined by Chapman (1925) as "the inherent power of organisms to reproduce and survive". In 1931, Chapman redescribed it as: "It is a sort of algebraic sum of the number of young produced at each reproduction, number of reproductions over a period of time, sex ratio of the species, and their general ability to survive under given physical conditions."

Chapman relates to a "vital index":

Vital Index = (number of births/number of deaths)*100

Biotic potential is the highest possible vital index of a species; therefore, when the species has its highest birthrate and lowest mortality rate.

Significance of Biotic Potential

If the potential value of population increase can be determined, the impact of the environment upon the population also can be determined.

• Compute the biotic potential (potential increase) and subtract the actual or observed value of decrease; this difference represents how effective the environment is in preventing the species from attaining its full potential.

Components of Biotic Potential

• Reproductive potential - potential natality: It is the upper limit to biotic potential (in the absence of mortality)
• Survival potential: Because reproductive potential does not account for the number of gametes surviving, survival potential is a necessary component of biotic potential; it is the reciprocal
  Reciprocal
  -In mathematics:*Multiplicative inverse, in mathematics, the number 1/x, which multiplied by x gives the product 1, also known as a reciprocal*Reciprocal rule, a technique in calculus for calculating derivatives of reciprocal functions...
  
   of mortality
  Death
  Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
  
  (in the absence of mortality, biotic potential = reproductive potential)

Chapman identified two components:

• nutritive potential - the ability to acquire and utilize food for growth and energy
• protective potential - potential ability of the organism to protect itself against the dynamic forces of the environment
  • assuring successful fertilization (mating)
  • care of young
  • Graham Moss