Week 4: Carrying capacity

Question 1

A biological definiton

Answer 1

The carrying capacity K of a biological species in an environment is the maximum population size of the species that the environment can sustain indefinitely, given the food, habitat, water, and other necessities available in the environment

Question 2

Overpopulation

Answer 2

Overpopulation
- Population is over the carrying capacity
- Resource depletion
Detoxification system insufficient

Question 3

Earths carrying capacity for humans

Answer 3

• The maximum population that can be sustained at the minimum standard of living necessary for survival
  
  • Determined by:
    ○ Ecological constraints
    ○ Human choices: economics, environment, culture (values and politics) and demography
    § K is not static
    § Human choices not captured in biological definition of k

Question 4

Challenges of carrying capacity approach

Answer 4

• Prediction about the future of a complex system is inherently difficult
  
  • We have limited understanding of all the resource system components and their interactions
  • Calculations require massive assumptions about the future influence of technology and societal choices
  • Predictions are associated with large uncertainty, which makes it difficult to use them for planning