Q. The ability of a population to increase under ideal environmental conditions is called

The correct answer is: c) Biotic potential.

Explanation: Biotic potential refers to the maximum capacity of a population to grow and reproduce under ideal environmental conditions, such as unlimited resources, no predators, and no diseases. It represents the inherent ability of a species to increase its population size.

Option a) Natality refers to the birth rate or the number of births in a population over a specific period of time.
Option b) Carrying capacity is the maximum population size that an environment can sustain indefinitely based on available resources.
Option d) Absolute natality refers to the total number of births in a population without considering the population size or time frame.

Thus, the ability of a population to increase under ideal conditions is best described by biotic potential.