Carrying capacity and ecological footprints

What is carrying capacity?

The maximum population size that an area or environment can sustain indefinitely.

Why is carrying capacity difficult to calculate?

- Due to different people's consumption habits.
- For example, more developed/affluent areas will use more resources and fewer people will be supported.

What factor can increase carrying capacity?

Technology, as it can reduce resource use.

What happens if carrying capacity is exceeded?

- The population can no longer be supported and it will decline.
- This can happen slowly if resources are stored or happen quickly and cause famine etc.

What is the link between carrying capacity and development?

- More developed/wealthy countries can extend their carrying capacity by importing goods and exporting waste.
- This exploits the environment of poorer countries and decreases their carrying capacities.

What is an ecological footprint?

A measure of the demand placed by humans on Earth's natural ecosystems.

What do ecological footprints consider the balance between?

Assets (biocapacity; the planet's productive land) and demands (how much productive land is used to provide resources and accommodate cities).

What is the impact of ecological footprint on population?

Where demands are higher than assets, the population is not sustainable. Many countries in this situation use imports to provide resources bute this may not be possible moving forwards.

Which three countries have the largest ecological footprints?

- China
- India
- USA
Although this is partly due to their large populations.

What are some critiques of ecological footprint data?

- There is not sufficient data from all countries to complete estimates for each.
- Estimates do not take land quality (e.g., soil erosion etc) into account