Part Two, Issue 2 Carrying Capacity and Ecological Footprint

Objectives After reading the assigned chapter and reviewing the materials presented the students will be able to understand: What does carrying capacity mean? Can scientists determine carrying capacity? What is an ecological footprint?

Background Charles Darwin, in his theory of evolution, observed that more individuals are born than will survive to reproduce. Environmental resistance includes disease, drought, temperature extremes, lack of food, and other adverse conditions. The interplay between potential and environmental resistance keeps a population in balance.

Carrying Capacity Carrying capacity is the maximum number of individuals of a given species that an area’s resources can support in the long run without significantly depleting or degrading those resources. Because of the increase in knowledge, the human carrying capacity has been increasing. Other organisms are typically limited by their food supply in a particular region, but humans can import food.

The Impact of Population 100 million people with a vegetarian diet will have a different impact compared with 100 million people who consume meat. About 1000 tons of water are required to produce 1 ton of grain. It is important to estimate human carrying capacity so that policy makers can act to ensure that our environment is able to support human life and natural biodiversity in the future.

Ecological Footprint The ecological footprint of nations gives estimates of how much of the earth’s area we appropriate for our needs. The average American uses 25.4 acres (10.3 hectares) to support his or her lifestyle. This includes farmland, forests, mines, dumps, schools, hospitals, roads, playgrounds, malls, etc.

Summary Charles Darwin, in his theory of evolution, observed that more individuals are born than will survive to reproduce. Environmental resistance includes disease, drought, temperature extremes, lack of food, and other adverse conditions. The interplay between potential and environmental resistance keeps a population in balance. Carrying capacity is the maximum number of individuals of a given species that an area’s resources can support in the long run without significantly depleting or degrading those resources. It is important to estimate human carrying capacity so that policy makers can act to ensure that our environment is able to support human life and natural biodiversity in the future. The ecological footprint of nations gives estimates of how much of the earth’s area we appropriate for our needs. This includes farmland, forests, mines, dumps, schools, hospitals, roads, playgrounds, malls, etc.

Home Work 1. What is carrying capacity? 2. What is ecological footprint?