The notion of carrying capacity

[khadijatul kobra]

The concept of carrying capacity is rooted in a notion of “limits to growth”. The notion of carrying capacity or sustainability yield has become a basic criterion of sustainability. Ecosystems and populations have a limited capacity to cope with environmental stress; above a certain amount of stress there may be detrimental effects for the ecosystems. Carrying capacity is defined as “the growth limits an area can accommodate without violating environmental capacity goals” (Ortolano, 1984). Policies to regulate human activities and for anticipating environmental impacts can assist in attaining carrying capacity limits. For this it is necessary to translate an ecosystem’s limits into anthropogenic limitations and controls.