Ecological Concepts - Unit 3: Resource Consumption

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What is Overshoot?

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Overshoot occurs when a population's demand on an ecosystem exceeds the capacity of that ecosystem to regenerate the resources used and to absorb the waste generated.

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What are the consequences of Overshoot?

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Overshoot can lead to the degradation of natural capital and a reduction in the quality and quantity of resources available for future generations.

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What does the Ecological Footprint measure?

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The ecological footprint measures how much land and water area a human population requires to produce the resources it consumes and to absorb its wastes.

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How is the Ecological Footprint measured?

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It is often measured in global hectares.

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What is Carrying Capacity?

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Carrying Capacity is the maximum population size of a species that an environment can sustain indefinitely, given the food, habitat, water, and other resources available.

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What is Biocapacity?

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Biocapacity refers to the capacity of a biologically productive area to generate an ongoing supply of renewable resources and to absorb wastes.

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What is the relationship between Biocapacity and Ecological Footprint?

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Biocapacity is the supply side of the balance equation, whereas ecological footprint is the demand side.

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What is a Carbon Footprint?

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The carbon footprint is a measure of the total amount of greenhouse gases produced to directly and indirectly support human activities, usually expressed in equivalent tons of carbon dioxide (CO2).

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What is an Ecological Creditor?

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A region or country is an ecological creditor if its ecological footprint is less than its biocapacity.

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What is an Ecological Debtor?

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A region or country is an ecological debtor if its ecological footprint exceeds its biocapacity.