environmental biology

287 views 2 pages ~ 334 words Print

The global population and carrying ability

The global population has reached 7 billion, and the resources required to support the increasing human population are limited. The carrying ability of an ecosystem applies to the infinite amount of animals that it can sustain indefinitely. Humans have a different carrying ability than most organisms because other creatures reproduce, eat resources, and communicate with their environment in predictable ways. Ecologists, on the other hand, find it impossible to measure human carrying ability when humans communicate with the environment in non-uniform ways. The carrying capacity is an estimation based on projected demographics, capital supply, and technological and economic growth. An ecological footprint is used to track biocapacity and comparing what humans can consume natural resources and the ability of the environment to replenish those resources (“World Population History”). Human population growth is a problem, since the planet does not have the biocapacity to sustain current population growth. The current population consumes more than the planet can replenish, and this leads to depletion of resources. In other words, lack of balance in the ecosystem leads to overpopulation of the planet.

Essay Question 2

Three-factor model is used to show a human impact on the environment. The model (I) has three factors: the number of people (P), affluence per person (A), and environmental effect of technologies used. The following equation is used to represent the environmental impacts: I=P*A*T (“The Sustainable Scale Project”). The environmental impact may also be expressed regarding resource depletion or waste accumulation. The three-factor model refers to the size of the human population in a given environment. Affluence relates to the level of consumption by the human population. Technology refers to processes applied by human population to obtain resources and ways of transforming them into wastes and goods.

Works Cited

World Population History. “Carrying Capacity - World Population.” Worldpopulationhistory.Org, 2016, http://worldpopulationhistory.org/carrying-capacity/. Accessed 18 Sept. 2017.

The Sustainable Scale Project. “The IPAT Equation.” Sustainablescale.Org, 2003, http://www.sustainablescale.org/conceptualframework/understandingscale/measuringscale/theipatequation.aspx. Accessed 18 Sept. 2017.

January 05, 2023
Category:

Science Sociology

Subcategory:

Geography

Number of pages

2

Number of words

334

Downloads:

45

Writer #

Rate:

5

Expertise Demography
Verified writer

LuckyStrike has helped me with my English and grammar as I asked him for editing and proofreading tasks. When I need professional fixing of my papers, I contact my writer. A great writer who will make your writing perfect.

Hire Writer

Use this essay example as a template for assignments, a source of information, and to borrow arguments and ideas for your paper. Remember, it is publicly available to other students and search engines, so direct copying may result in plagiarism.

Eliminate the stress of research and writing!

Hire one of our experts to create a completely original paper even in 3 hours!

Hire a Pro