Carrying Capacity and Growth Curves SustainableUMD承载能力和生长曲线sustainableumd.ppt

Carrying Capacity and Growth Curves Betty J Dabney, PhD UMCP SPH/MIAEH Carrying Capacity The population that an area will support without undergoing environmental deterioration The carrying capacity of an environment tends to limit population size. Food availability, reproductive behavior, and infectious diseases tend to keep animal (and human) populations in check. POPULATION Overpopulation in developing nations is leading to humans exceeding the carrying capacity of the planet. World population of 12 billion during 21st century? Urban crowding Bacterial Growth Curve World Population Density – Another View Some Interesting Maps on theHuman Condition: /earth/human-conditions.php * /fox/growth_c.jpg In a closed system, the organisms will eventually produce toxic by-products and die because the carrying capacity of the growth medium has been exceeded. (Another estimate) /~rblain/f2proj.gif (Still Another estimate) Actual Projection Similarities between the world population growth curve and bacterial growth curve. Are we destined to the same fate as the bacteria? World Population Density, 2000 The Global Education Project National Geographic Atlas of the World, Eighth Edition *