Carrying Capacity+ Ecological Footprint

Question 1

What is carrying capacity?

Answer 1

The carrying capacity K of a biological species in an env is the maximum population size of the species that the env can sustain indefinitely.

Question 2

How is carrying capacity determined by humans?

Answer 2

• Ecological constrains
• Human Choices: Economics, environment, culture and demography

Question 3

What is Ecological Footprint?

Answer 3

• How many resources and ecosystem services for specific activity did the individuals or the whole population demand?
• Biocapacity represents the planet’s
  current biologically productive areas,
  which provide resources and can also
  absorb much of the waste we generate,
  especially our carbon emissions. ( Nature deposits)
• The ecological footprint describes how much land and water area a
  population requires to produce the resources it consumes and to
  absorb its CO2 emissions, based on current technology (human
  demand on natural capital). ( we withdraw this)

Question 4

What is the unit of measure for ecological footprint?

Answer 4

Global Hectare
Definition: A biologically productive
hectare with world’s average biological
productivity for a given year.

Question 5

What is Global Overshoot?

Answer 5

occurs when humanity’s
demand on nature exceeds
the biosphere’s supply, or
regenerative capacity.
 Depletion of Earth’s life
supporting natural
capital
 Living of our “geological
savings”
 Buildup of waste

Question 6

What are Creditor Countries and Debtor countries?

Answer 6

Global account of renewable resource and ecosystem services;

Creditor countries put in more than it is taking out; small ef, low pop density and large biocapacity

Debtor countries taking out more than it is putting in; large ef, high pop density and low biocapacity

Question 7

What are the Pros and Cons of Ecological Footprint approach?

Answer 7

Accounting system that does not require any assumptions
regarding future:
‐ Per capita resource consumption
‐ Standard of living and “wants”
‐ Productivity of biosphere
‐ Advances in technology
* Method relies on accurate assessments of ecosystem
functions, which vary spatially and are in state of continual
change.

Question 8

Define Resilience

Answer 8

Resilience is the capacity of a system to absorb shocks and remain within the current state without losing its integrity. - Self-organized system

Question 9

What is the Nine Planetary System?

Answer 9

Three big systems: * Climate change* Stratospheric ozone depletion* Ocean acidificationEvidence of large-scale thresholds

Regulate the capacity of the
resilience of the planet: * Nitrogen and Phosphorous cycle* Land use change* Rate of biodiversity loss* Fresh water use

Adaptive approach that acknowledges non-linear and limited
predictability of system and focuses on resilience by investing in:- ability of social and ecological systems to withstand shocks- ability to rise after crisis (from crisis to innovation)
- ability to adapt to unavoidable change