1. Ecological Footprints
Ecosystems Part 5
Ecological Footprints

2. Carrying Capacity and Humans
Carrying Capacity helps regulate populations for most species.
Intellectual abilities of humans have allowed us to increase the carrying capacity of the biosphere for our population.

3. Carrying capacity and Humans
Human exploitation of natural resources has produced improvements to:
Health
Education
Agriculture
Medicine
Technology

6. Carrying Capacity and Humans
To increase carrying capacity of an ecosystem:
Increase the amount of energy and resources that can be consumed.
Alter behaviour in the ecosystem.

7. Ecological Footprint
The amount of land needed to provide resources and absorb wastes.
A measure of the impact of an individual human or population on the environment.

8. Ecological Footprint
Measured in amount of land required each year per person.
To measure ecological footprint:
Energy consumption
Land use
Waste production

10. Ecological Footprint Complete the worksheet.
Try it with a family member and compare your answers:
Footprint Network
/GFN/page/calculators/