GEOG 106 Lecture Notes - Lecture 31: Overexploitation, Groundfish, Ecological Footprint
Document Summary
Carrying capacity: measure of a system to support life. Tragedy of the commons: each individual withdraws whatever benefits are available from the common property. Ecological footprint: tool used to express the environmental impact of an individual or a population. Calculated by area of land and water required to provide the raw materials for consumption and to absorb/recycle the wastes produced. Biocapacity: capacity of a terrestrial or aquatic system to be biologically productive and to absorb waste, especially carbon dioxide. Ex. of overshooting capacity = rapa nui. Interdisciplinary field: geography employs concepts and techniques from various fields and disciplines to create a broad synthesis. Oil, plastic, industrial chemicals and excess nutrients damage the ocean. Great pacific garbage patch ; 20 million km2. Ocean acidification: decrease in acidity (ph) of ocean water caused by the uptake of atmospheric carbon dioxide by surfac. Exxon valdez, bp oil spill (not main cause of pollution); main cause= small leakage from boats.
