The territory's capacity is ecological. Ecological capacity What is the ecological capacity of a territory
Ecological capacity territory (EE) – standard value.
None of the authorities has the right to adjust the EE standard upward. In general, the determination of the EE standard should take into account the following targets:
Creating a natural environment favorable to humans and providing each person with a socially acceptable level of consumption of “environmental benefits” (recreation areas, natural reserves);
Providing conditions for the preservation and reproduction of the assimilative capacity of the natural environment.
Social factors, strategic settings of a territory or region are taken into account at the next stage, when the EE indicator moves on to the next indicator - permissible level of pollution(DUZ). The transition from EE to DZ means taking into account regional characteristics when forming an environmental strategy. This transition becomes especially important in conditions of territorial sovereignty and is the starting point of inter-republican (and interregional) relations regarding the transboundary transfer of pollution. The social and environmental policy is determined on the basis of EE, but it is based on the own goals of the social and environmental policy of republican and territorial entities. DUZ is less than EE. A territorial entity, limited by administrative boundaries, has the opportunity to introduce certain specifics into an environmental strategy, but the specificity of the strategy must have its limits, consisting of the following:
Establishing the value of DZ;
Distribution of emission permits (emission licenses), establishment of emission limits if the pollution level does not exceed the maximum limit;
Regulation of the mechanism for transferring quotas provided for by an emission permit (license) from one enterprise to another (at the stage when the transition to trading rights to pollution begins).
Environmental problems are specific for areas where high-risk facilities are located: nuclear power plants, large chemical enterprises. For objects of this kind, the criterion of not increasing the level of pollution (not exceeding the maximum limit) is transformed. For territories classified as risk zones, this means that the likelihood that an accident will occur at at least one of the facilities should not increase.
Research on socio-psychological issues will allow us to assess the maximum permissible level of probability of the specified event, which can in this case be interpreted as the maximum permissible amount of risk. Based on this value, various combinations of expansion and closure of production facilities can be considered. This circumstance makes it possible to evaluate such projects separately if there is at least some likelihood of environmental risk for them. Similar to the MAC indicators, indicators of maximum permissible risk can be developed. Considering the novelty of this approach, it should be said that in this case it is necessary to distinguish between two tasks: The first is to determine the level of risk, the awareness of which does not have a significant negative impact on the mental state of people, does not itself lead to a change in a person’s health, his physical condition, perception comfort of stay. The second task is to determine the technically possible minimum degree of risk achievable under given conditions, taking into account the advanced technical level achieved in the country and abroad. The first task is socio-economic, the second is technological. We are mostly interested in the first task. The study of the population's reaction to the presence of enterprises that are objects of increased danger, carried out on the basis of a survey and other methods known in social psychology, makes it possible to identify such a threshold value of risk. Determining its exact value is a difficult task, since methods for measuring this indicator have not been developed. General safety standards and maximum acceptable risk standards should be established. Compliance with these requirements would be mandatory and compliance with them would restrain the desire to take unnecessary risks of those who are too strongly focused on achieving economic benefits. Any risk must be compensated. And the population living near the nuclear power plant has the right to similar compensation received from those who use the results of its activities, but are free from risk. The distribution of emission quotas and standard risk limits guarantees compliance with general restrictions and at the same time allows for the implementation of regional environmental conservation policies . The rest is a matter of the economic mechanism. This mechanism should facilitate the optimal distribution of emission quotas between individual enterprises. Such emissions can be acceptable due to the fact that the natural environment has assimilation potential.
28. Method of cost-benefit analysis (CBA)
According to the Russian tradition, the AZR method is also called efficiency analysis. The English spelling of the method, widely used by specialists, is cost-benefit analysis (CBA).
The modern history of the AZR goes back several decades. One of the first countries where it began to be implemented is USA. Its application was due to the adoption of a special Flood Control Act (1936), which contained a requirement to compare the benefits and costs of all water use projects. The purpose of such assessments and comparisons, in particular, was to stimulate research in the field of economics to solve problems associated with the rational allocation of budget funds. During the 50s and 60s of the 20th century, water resources management remained the main area of application of water resources management. By 1958, the publication of Otto Eckstein's work dates back to the year, in which the technical techniques of ALM were linked to the economic theory of well-being. And finally, from the turn of the 60-70s, which, in particular, was facilitated by the adoption in the United States of a special federal Act “On National Environmental Policy” (1969), research began to switch to general environmental issues. The same period dates back to an increase in interest (which has not lost its significance to this day) in specific computational procedures and techniques that underlie ADM. The distinctive features that determine both the content and the order of application of this method are as follows:
· It is based (as follows from the name of the method) on a comparison costs to carry out some environmental protection measures, implement design solutions, etc. And results from these events.
· It is based on general criteria of market efficiency, which dictate the presentation of both costs and effects in uniform monetary measures. It is also mandatory to assess the resources (costs) used within the project from the perspective opportunity cost. Thus, each resource (production factor) within the project must provide a result that is not worse in comparison with any of the possible alternatives for using this resource.
· The application of the APR method can only be carried out in a system of established and developed in society certain values, including the degree of priority and urgency of environmental and natural resource needs. These value ideas are formed outside the purely market sphere and cover such issues as equality, justice in society, the preference for one or another method of distributing public goods between different social groups, as well as the costs associated with the implementation of projects and policies, taking into account the interests of future generations and etc. With the change in these value-based social imperatives, the decisions developed on the basis of the APR must also be different.
Ecological capacity is the ability of the natural environment to accommodate anthropogenic loads, harmful chemical and other impacts to the extent that they do not lead to degradation of land and the entire environment.
Loads on nature within the limits of its capabilities mean its ecological capacity, and loads beyond its capabilities (capacity) lead to a violation of the natural law of ecological balance. The Law "On Environmental Protection" is devoted to the establishment and compliance with maximum permissible standards of load on the environment, taking into account its potential (maximum permissible emissions and discharges, maximum permissible concentrations, maximum permissible levels). Non-compliance or violation of these norms leads to bringing the perpetrators to justice and possible limitation, suspension and termination of the activities of enterprises, production and other activities.
Environmental capacity includes discharge, emission, load, concentration, degradation.
Topic 4. Ecology of populations - demecology
4.1. The concept of population.
4.2. Static characteristics of populations.
4.3. Spatial placement and its nature.
4.1. The concept of population.
Population (populus - from the Latin people. population) is a collection of individuals of the same species that has a common gene pool and a common territory.
From an ecological perspective, a clear definition of a population has not yet been developed. The interpretation of S.S. has received the greatest recognition. Schwartz, a population is a grouping of individuals, which is a form of existence of a species and is capable of independently developing indefinitely.
The main property of populations, like other biological systems, is that they are in continuous movement and constantly changing. This is reflected in all parameters: productivity, stability, structure, distribution in space. Populations are characterized by specific genetic and environmental characteristics that reflect the ability of systems to maintain existence in constantly changing conditions: growth, development, stability.
Types of populations.
Populations may occupy areas of different sizes, and living conditions within the habitat of one population may also not be the same. Based on this characteristic, three types of populations are distinguished: elementary, ecological, and geographical.
An elementary (local) population is a collection of individuals of the same species occupying a small area of homogeneous area. There is a constant exchange of genetic information between them.
Ecological population is a set of elementary populations, intraspecific groups, confined to specific biocenoses. Plants of the same species in a coenozoen are called a coenopopulation. The exchange of genetic information between them occurs quite often.
Geographic population is a set of ecological populations that inhabit geographically similar areas. Geographic populations exist autonomously, their habitats are relatively isolated, gene exchange occurs rarely - in animals and birds - during migration, in plants - during the spread of pollen, seeds and fruits. At this level, the formation of geographical races and varieties occurs, and subspecies are distinguished.
A species is a collection of populations of individuals whose representatives actually or potentially interbreed with each other under natural conditions.
Each organism or population has its own habitat: the area or type of area where it lives. When several populations of different species of living organisms live in one place and interact with each other, they create a so-called community. Examples are all plants, animals that grow and live in a forest, pond, desert or aquarium.
4.2. Static characteristics of populations.
There are two groups of quantitative indicators of populations – static and dynamic.
Static indicators characterize the state of the population at a given time. The main ones are: number, density, and structure indicators.
Abundance - the number of individuals in a population. Population sizes can vary significantly over time. It depends on the biotic potential of the species and external conditions.
The number of unitary organisms (unitary organisms that are autonomous in their existence and at the same time capable, due to their needs or under the pressure of circumstances, of uniting into groups (“collectives”) with their own kind or with individuals of other species) can be calculated using the following formula:
N 0 = N t + B – D + C - E
where, N 0 – number of individuals at a given moment;
N t – the number of individuals that were in this population at the previous moment;
B – number of individuals born during time t;
D – number of individuals killed during time t;
C is the number of individuals immigrating into the population during time t;
E is the number of individuals emigrating from the population during time t.
For modular organisms (each of them consists of several similar parts, repeating “modules”), one should take into account not only the number of organisms, but also the number of modules, which is determined by the following formula:
The number of modules at the moment = the number of modules at the previous moment + the number of born modules – the number of dead modules
There is a lower limit of size below which a population stops reproducing. This minimum population size is called critical. When determining the critical number, it is necessary to take into account not all individuals, but only those that take part in reproduction - this is the effective population size.
Typically, population sizes are measured in hundreds and thousands of individuals. In humans, the minimum population size is about 100 individuals. In large terrestrial mammals, the population size can decrease to several tens of individuals (micropopulations). Plants and invertebrates also have megapopulations, the number of which reaches millions of individuals.
In populations that are stable in size, the number of individuals leaving offspring should be equal to the number of such individuals in previous generations. To control the size of populations, it is necessary to know their basic characteristics. Only in this case is it possible to predict changes in the state of the population when exposed to it.
Density is the number of individuals or biomass of a population per unit area or volume.
The distribution of population density is closely related to its spatial structure. There are many types of spatial structure of populations and, accordingly, types of population areas: continuous, broken, network, ring, ribbon and combined.
A population is characterized by a certain structural organization - the ratio of groups of individuals by sex, age, size, genotype, distribution of individuals over the territory, etc. In this regard, various population structures are distinguished: sex, age, size, spatial-ethological, etc. The population structure is formed, on the one hand, on the basis of the general biological properties of the species, on the other hand, under the influence of environmental factors, that is, it has an adaptive nature .
Sexual structure (sexual composition) - the ratio of male and female individuals in a population. Sexual structure is characteristic only of populations of dioecious organisms. Theoretically, the sex ratio should be equal: 50% of the total population should be males and 50% females. The actual sex ratio depends on the action of various environmental factors, genetic and physiological characteristics of the species.
Size structure – the ratio of the number of individuals of different sizes.
Age structure (age composition) - the ratio of individuals of different age groups in a population. Absolute age composition expresses the number of certain age groups at a certain point in time. Relative age composition expresses the proportion or percentage of individuals of a given age group in relation to the total population. The age composition is determined by a number of properties and characteristics of the species: time to reach sexual maturity, life expectancy, duration of the reproductive period, mortality, etc.
Depending on the ability of individuals to reproduce, three groups are distinguished: pre-reproductive (individuals not yet able to reproduce), reproductive (individuals capable of reproducing) and post-reproductive (individuals no longer able to reproduce).
Spatial-ethological structure - the nature of the distribution of individuals within the range. It depends on the characteristics of the environment and the ethology (behavioral characteristics) of the species.
4.3. Spatial placement and its nature.
There are three main types of distribution of individuals in space: uniform (regular), uneven (aggregated, group, mosaic) and random (diffuse).
Uniform distribution is characterized by equal distance of each individual from all neighboring ones. Characteristic of populations existing under conditions of uniform distribution of environmental factors or consisting of individuals showing antagonism towards each other.
The uneven distribution is manifested in the formation of groups of individuals, between which large uninhabited territories remain. It is typical for populations living in conditions of uneven distribution of environmental factors or consisting of individuals leading a group (herd) lifestyle.
Random distribution is expressed in unequal distances between individuals. It is the result of probabilistic processes, heterogeneity of the environment and weak social ties between individuals.
According to the type of use of space, all mobile animals are divided into sedentary and nomadic. A sedentary lifestyle has a number of biological advantages, such as free orientation in familiar territory when searching for food or shelter, and the ability to create food reserves (squirrel, field mouse). Its disadvantages include the depletion of food resources with an excessively high population density.
Regulation of population size (density).
Population homeostasis is the maintenance of a certain number (density). Changes in numbers depend on a number of environmental factors - abiotic, biotic and anthropogenic.
Factors regulating population density are divided into density-dependent and density-independent. Density-dependent factors change with changes in density and include biotic factors. Density-independent factors remain constant with changes in density; these are abiotic factors.
Populations of many species of organisms are capable of self-regulation of their numbers. There are three mechanisms for inhibiting population growth: 1) with increasing density, the frequency of contacts between individuals increases, which causes them to become stressed, reducing the birth rate and increasing mortality; 2) with increasing density, emigration to new habitats, regional zones, where conditions are less favorable and mortality increases, increases; 3) as density increases, changes in the genetic composition of the population occur, for example, rapidly reproducing individuals are replaced by slowly reproducing ones.
Understanding the mechanisms of regulation of population numbers is extremely important for the ability to control these processes. Human activities are often accompanied by declines in the populations of many species. The reasons for this are excessive extermination of individuals, deterioration of living conditions due to environmental pollution, disturbance of animals, especially during the breeding season, reduction of range, etc. In nature there are not and cannot be “good” and “bad” species; all of them are necessary for its normal development. Currently, the issue of preserving biological diversity is acute. Reducing the gene pool of wildlife can lead to tragic consequences. The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) publishes the “Red Book”, which registers the following species: endangered, rare, declining, uncertain and the “black list” of irretrievably extinct species.
In order to preserve species, people use various methods to regulate population numbers: proper management of hunting and fishing (establishing dates and areas for hunting and fishing), prohibiting hunting of certain species of animals, regulating deforestation, etc.
At the same time, human activity creates conditions for the emergence of new forms of organisms or the development of old species, which, unfortunately, are often harmful to humans: pathogens, crop pests, etc.
Dynamics of population growth
In mathematical language, this curve reflects the exponential growth in the number of organisms and is described by the equation:
N t = N 0 e rt ,
Exponential growth is only possible when r has a constant numerical value, since the rate of population growth is proportional to the number itself:
DN/Dt = rN, where r is const.
Thus, exponential growth of a population is an increase in the number of its individuals under constant conditions.
Conditions that remain constant for a long time are impossible in nature. If this were not so, then, for example, ordinary bacteria could produce such a mass of organic matter that could cover the entire globe with a layer two meters thick in two hours.
However, this does not happen in nature, since there are many limiting factors. In order to have a complete picture of the population dynamics, as well as to calculate the rate of its growth, it is necessary to know the value of the so-called net reproduction rate (R 0), which shows how many times the population size increases in one generation, during its life - T.
R 0 = N t / N 0 ,
where N t is the number of the new generation;
N 0 - number of individuals of the previous generation;
R 0 is the net reproduction rate, which also shows how many newly born individuals are per individual of the parent generation. If R 0 = 1, then the population is stationary - its number remains constant.
Regulation of population density
Factors regulating population density are divided into density-dependent and density-independent. The dependent ones change with changes in density, and the independent ones remain constant when it changes. The first are biotic. and the second are abiotic factors.
Mortality in a population may also depend directly on density. Density-dependent mortality can regulate the numbers of highly developed organisms. In addition to regulation, there is also self-regulation, in which the population size is affected by changes in the quality of individuals. Self-regulation is distinguished between phenotypic and genotypic.
Phenotypes are a set of all the characteristics and properties of an organism formed during the process of ontogenesis. The fact is that at high densities, different phenotypes are formed due to the fact that physiological changes occur in organisms.
The genotypic reasons for self-regulation of population density are associated with the presence of at least two different genotypes in it.
Cyclical fluctuations can also be explained by self-regulation. Climatic rhythms and associated changes in food resources force the population to develop some mechanisms of internal regulation. Thus, self-regulation is ensured by mechanisms of inhibition of population growth.
Topic 5. Ecology of populations – demecology
5.1. Dynamic characteristics of populations.
5.2. Ollie's principle.
5.3. Biotic potential and environmental resistance.
1The article analyzes the existing concepts of “ecological capacity of a territory” given by various authors, gives the author’s definition, and also discusses various approaches to assessing and measuring this parameter. Analysis of interpretations of the concept of “ecological capacity of a territory” leads the authors to the conclusion that this is a limit, exceeding which in the process of economic activity or natural anthropogenic impact will cause a crisis state of the region’s ecosystem. Such an understanding of the term in question will make it possible to implement a balanced environmental policy and apply effective tools for rational environmental management. The authors analyze existing approaches to assessing the ecological capacity of a territory, both in domestic and foreign practice. The authors propose to consider the possibility of applying in practice an integrated approach to assessment, which allows assessing all elements of the environment that have reproductive capacity.
environmental economics
ecological capacity of the territory
environmental and economic regulation
economic assessment of ecological capacity
1. Barannik L.P. Ecological capacity of the territory (on the example of the municipal formation “Novokuznetsk rural district”) // Ecological strategy / Eco-bulletin of Ineka (Novokuznetsk). – 2008. – No. 04 (122). – pp. 42–44.
2. Verzhitsky D.G., Bezgubov V.A., Starchenko E.N., Chasovnikov S.N. Prospects for the development of environmental markets in the regions of the Siberian Federal District // Fundamental Research. – 2015. – No. 6–3. – pp. 555–561.
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4. Denisenko T.V. Ecological capacity of the territory: principles of assessment and analysis of results // Interexpo Geo-Siberia / Siberian State University of Geosystems and Technologies (Novosibirsk). – 2005. – T. 7. – P. 206–210.
5. Zhemadukova S.R. Ecological capacity of the territory and forecasting the behavior of the ecological-economic system using digraphs (using the example of the Republic of Adygea) // New technologies / Maikop State Technological University (Maikop). – 2008. – No. 6. – P. 58–61.
6. Musikhina E.A. Spatio-temporal method for assessing the ecological capacity of territories / E.A. Musikhina, I.I. Eisenberg, O.S. Mikhailova // Systems. Methods. Technologies / Bratsk State University (Bratsk). – 2014. – No. 2 (22). – pp. 175–178.
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10. Chasovnikov S.N., Starchenko E.N., Verzhitsky D.G. Formation of market mechanisms of the ecological market of industrially developed regions (using the example of the Kemerovo region) // Bulletin of Kemerovo State University. – 2014. – No. 3–3 (59). – pp. 263–271.
The current environmental situation in the world, as well as in Russia in particular, as recognized by the public and the scientific community, requires limiting the negative impact on the environment. Progress under the auspices of the concept of sustainable development involves limiting technogenic and anthropogenic impacts on the natural environment (EN) while maintaining economic growth. When implementing this area, mechanisms for the protection of environmental security are used that are different in structure and purpose, but analysis of the results of their application makes it necessary to constantly improve them. One of the pressing problems of modern environmental management is the assessment of the ecological capacity of a territory. Indeed, an adequate assessment of this category, including economic, would allow the implementation of a more balanced environmental policy and would be one of the most important indicators of the maximum permissible anthropogenic impact.
In modern Russian literature, the term ecological capacity of a territory is not yet fully defined and generally accepted. This is often caused by the specific application of a given concept to the field of study. Some authors consider ecological capacity in terms of the economic capacity of a region’s ecosystem, which is understood as the energy capacity of the territory’s ecosystem to produce oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide generated as a result of economic activity. This definition is highly specialized and intended for specific research in the field of sustainable development theory, since it does not affect many aspects of the functioning of the ecosystem. Also, the ecological capacity of a territory is defined as a measure of the maximum technogenic impact. However, such a definition does not reflect the capabilities of the region’s ecosystem and biogeocenosis in particular to reproduce the main components of the environment. It is customary to consider the ecological technical intensity of the territory under the maximum possible technogenic load that a territory can withstand. For example, in the work the author describes the total ecological capacity of a territory as a combination of the ecological technical capacity of the territory, demographic capacity and reproductive potential of the biota. This approach covers a larger set of factors, which makes it less accurate. The authors of the work propose a spatio-temporal method for assessing the ecological capacity of a territory, while it itself is understood as a set of environmental characteristics of any individual region. Based on the extreme specificity of this method, this definition should be used specifically in the context of this study. In foreign literature, the closest synonym is the term “ecological carrying capacity,” which primarily refers to the capacity of the environment during the distribution of populations. This definition is also associated with the “ecological footprint”, that is, the impact of species on the environment in the process of natural life.
Summarizing the above, we will try to give a general concept of the ecological capacity of the territory. At its core, this is a limit, exceeding which in the process of economic activity or natural anthropogenic impact will cause a crisis in the region’s ecosystem. Based on this limit, a balanced environmental protection policy should be implemented, where ecological capacity is the ultimate guideline. This definition includes, on the one hand, the maximum possible technogenic and anthropogenic impact on the natural environment and, on the other hand, the totality of all biogeocenoses, natural components and the power of flows of the biogeochemical cycle of substances. According to this definition, exceeding the ecological capacity of a territory leads to an ecosystem crisis. However, this statement is controversial, since this fact depends on the method of its assessment. All other things being equal, exceeding the ecological capacity of a territory, measured quantitatively in different ways, may or may not simultaneously lead to a crisis situation. For example, according to some approaches, exceeding the ecological capacity in a single territory does not lead to a crisis; it occurs when the capacity is exceeded in all territories. However, considering the issue from this angle may lead to aggravation of the current environmental situation due to an inadequate assessment of the environmental threat. Note that an environmental crisis in this situation is understood as a special type of environmental situation in which ecosystems cannot cope with the level of negative impact on their own, and the habitat irreversibly changes for the worse, the ecosystem degrades and is qualitatively degenerated; Characterized by areas with almost irreversible damage to ecosystems.
To date, there is no unified methodology for assessing environmental capacity that would be used in the implementation of environmental management policies. The list below includes approaches proposed by domestic authors:
– calculation of the values of maximum permissible and critical parameters in accordance with government instructions, i.e. according to the maximum permissible limit, maximum permissible limit, industry standards and sanitary standards. This approach is significant, but it only takes into account the environmental technical intensity of the territory. In addition, it is impossible to adequately assess the economic component, because regional aspects are not taken into account;
– a scoring system for assessing the ecological capacity of a territory as the reciprocal of the level of environmental distress. The territory is assigned certain points; in case of a crisis environmental situation, the ecological capacity is assessed as 1 point, in case of acceptable – in 2 points, in case of satisfactory – in 3 points. Depending on the specifics of rural settlements, they are divided into groups according to the level of environmental capacity. According to the author himself, who proposes the methodology, the assessment is subjective and simplified. Indeed, the assessment does not have a quantitative expression and can only be used for a general description of the territory;
– application of methods of classical system analysis and open systems theory to construct a spatio-temporal method for assessing the ecological capacity of a territory. As the authors note, these tools are focused on studying systems in a static state. Since ecosystems are dynamic, with a large number of variables, the development and application of more advanced assessment methods is required;
– measurement of the ecological capacity of a territory simply as the sum of the ecological technical capacity of the territory, demographic capacity and reproductive potential of the biota. Technological intensity is measured as the sum of all environmental technological capacities of the components of the natural complex: atmosphere, hydrosphere, soil. The expression of environmental capacity in conventional tons per year does not reflect the economic component of this indicator. Also, conventional tons per year for one region may not be equivalent for another due to their specifics;
– calculation of the ecological capacity of the territory for three polluted media (air, water, ground surface). For air it is determined based on the volume of oxygen reproduction; for water it is calculated based on the volume of surface watercourses and the area of the earth's surface, the content of the main environmentally significant substances in these environments and the rate of multiple renewal of the volume of water and biomass. The results of such an assessment can be used in narrow studies, for example, in the environmental aspects of the economic security of the region. However, the adequacy of such a measurement is questionable, since it does not fully correspond to the definition of the ecological capacity of the territory;
– use of a mathematical model based on the geometric image of a three-layer sphere (Earth’s atmosphere, crust and surface). Anthropogenic impact is characterized as a change in the curvature of the sphere. The relationship between entropy and ecological capacity is considered, and mathematical tools are used. From an economic point of view, the method very superficially describes the specific application of a mathematical model to real data.
Thus, today, assessing the ecological capacity of a territory remains a pressing issue in ecology, as well as environmental economics in particular. Defining ecological capacity precisely as a limit and its quantitative measurement will make it possible to implement a balanced environmental policy and apply effective tools for rational environmental management. In our opinion, the assessment methods studied in this work do not allow implementing a balanced policy on their basis, since they either do not take into account some important aspects or are highly specialized.
A way out of this situation may be to focus on an integrated approach to assessing the ecological capacity of a territory; it is proposed to focus on the energy potential of each active element of the environment that has absorption capacity. It should be noted that the development of socio-economic systems is possible if and only if there is an orderly flow of energy, matter and information from the environment, which does not require the expenditure of energy generated by the system itself. That is, for the progressive development of the socio-economic system, someone needs structured “free” sources of energy, matter and information (on Earth these are natural resources).
According to the fundamental laws of thermodynamics, the exchange between systems of energy, matter and information is not equivalent, both in quality and quantity. The industrial and information society, starting from the industrial stage of its development, develops because it uses scientific knowledge on methods of extracting energy, matter and information from the environment, transforming some of their forms into others, scientific methods of their dissipation and does not engage in restoration for the purpose of re-use . Due to this, cost savings occur, which generates, on the one hand, the growth of socio-economic systems, and on the other hand, the degradation of ecosystems. To bring them to a suitable condition, additional costs are required.
Consequently, the inextricable energy connection between social and ecological systems should be reflected in the methodology for limiting the impact of socio-economic systems on the natural environment.
As part of the ongoing research, it is proposed to formulate an approach that allows taking into account the energy potential of negative anthropogenic impact on the natural environment, which, when compared with the ecological capacity of the territory (the ability of the natural environment to absorb the energy potential of negative anthropogenic impact), would allow making management decisions aimed at restoring assimilation abilities nature.
The research material was prepared with the support of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “Russian Humanitarian Science Foundation”, within the framework of the project “Development of an approach to the economic assessment of the ecological capacity of a territory and its application to regulate the economy of the region.” The publication was prepared within the framework of scientific project No. 15-32-01264 supported by the Russian Humanitarian Foundation.
Bibliographic link
Bezgubov V.A., Chasovnikov S.N. ON THE QUESTION OF THE ECOLOGICAL CAPACITY OF THE TERRITORY AND METHODS OF ITS ASSESSMENT // Fundamental Research. – 2015. – No. 12-4. – P. 751-754;URL: http://fundamental-research.ru/ru/article/view?id=39617 (date of access: November 26, 2019). We bring to your attention magazines published by the publishing house "Academy of Natural Sciences"
10/2/2017 article
“Our planet is not rubber!” - This is a funny statement that each of us has heard at least once in our lives. Meanwhile, despite its comical nature, this phrase has a much deeper meaning than it might seem at first glance.
Biological capacity of the environment or how many of us are there per square meter?
It's no secret that population density in any area is directly related to the level of comfort of this population. For example, in densely populated cities we feel tired of the large number of people around us, and when we arrive in a village where the inhabitants are two old women and a dozen geese, we exclaim: what grace!
This happens because a person, being essentially the same biological species as millions of others, subconsciously feels a direct dependence of his well-being on the load on his habitat.
The formula is extremely simple: the more people around us and the denser the crowd, the less our chances of getting the maximum of all possible benefits from life.
Thus, with increasing population density, the quality of life of each member of society gradually decreases and, to everyone's disappointment, one day turns into anything but quality. That is, living conditions become unacceptable for a normal comfortable existence.
This law applies not only to the human race, but also to any biological species, to any population. And the maximum load exerted by a population on its habitat is the number of individuals that can coexist in a given environment without loss in quality of life. This load is called the capacity of the environment, that is, the population density that this environment is able to provide with all the necessary conditions for life.
In the case of people, the list of essential goods includes not only food and housing, but also medical care and the ability to maintain a proper level of hygiene.
Ecological capacity of the environment
Critical to the well-being of a population is not only the ability of the environment to support a certain number of individuals, but also its ability to withstand harmful chemical influences and other anthropogenic stresses without irreversible consequences such as soil degradation or ecosystem destruction.
The ecological capacity of the environment means its ability to self-heal within certain limits.
Simply put, the ecological capacity of the environment means its ability to self-heal within certain limits.
A thorough study of the issue of the ecological capacity of the environment allows us to set strict limits on the consumption of natural resources, avoiding loads that exceed the capabilities of the environment.
However, making calculations is always much easier than implementing them in practice. That is why in many countries around the world the burden on the environment is strictly regulated by law.
Ecological footprint
The concept of an ecological footprint is closely related to the capacity of the environment, and this is quite logical: where we are, there is a footprint. But what is an ecological footprint? Is this footprint really something to be proud of?
The expression “ecological footprint” refers to the degree of influence exerted by man on his habitat, that is, the level of consumption of natural resources available to the biosphere. This includes any human impact on nature, starting from his birth: from the volume of food eaten and oxygen consumed to the piles of garbage thrown out over a lifetime and the number of liters of fuel burned when using transport.
Carbon footprint
The impact that humans have on the environment is extremely diverse. It may include things that are characteristic of certain regions (for example, using wood to heat a home) or certain peoples (for example, eating a lot of seafood).
An average-sized passenger car emits into the atmosphere an amount of carbon dioxide equal to its weight per year, that is, about 1.5 tons
However, there is a sphere of influence exerted on the environment by every inhabitant of the planet, without exception: the consumption of oxygen and the release of CO 2 into the atmosphere. In this case, we are talking not only about breathing, but, first of all, about the consequences of the work of transport and power plants, industrial enterprises designed to provide humanity with a decent existence.
Thus, the concept of “carbon footprint” refers to the area of forested land required to assimilate all the carbon dioxide emissions produced by the inhabitants of the planet. And the size of these emissions increases in scale every year.
Water footprint
Drawing a basic analogy with a carbon footprint, it is easy to understand what a water footprint is: this is the volume of consumption of water resources necessary for the implementation of one or another human activity - from basic hygiene procedures to the production of aircraft.
Global Ecological Footprint
The term “global” comes from the word “globe”, emphasizing its comprehensive, worldwide meaning. So, it's easy to guess that when we talk about the global ecological footprint, we mean the impact on the planet that humanity as a whole has - huge, staggering numbers...
Why do we need to calculate the global ecological footprint and the footprint left on the planet by individual nations and large industrial companies? The answer is obvious: this data is extremely important in developing a company strategy that will prevent irreparable harm to the Earth’s ecology. 
On the one hand, it is impossible to imagine the life of human society without the existence of millions of industrial enterprises, transport companies and power plants. On the other hand, they are the ones that cause the greatest harm to the environment, and this obliges business managers to take active steps towards studying the environmental footprint of companies and providing this information to the general public. In addition, business, oddly enough, is the driving force that can correct the current environmental situation.
Ecological Footprint Calculation
Footprint calculations are carried out by an international research institute called the Global Footprint Network (GFN), which has branches in Europe, Asia and North America. The institute’s work, carried out jointly with WWF (World Wildlife Fund), makes it possible to find out the ecological footprint of not only cities or enterprises, but also entire countries or each person individually. Today everyone can calculate their ecological footprint using the calculator on the World Wildlife Fund website.
Measuring Ecological Footprint and Capacity
The unit of measurement of the ecological footprint, as well as the environmental capacity, is global hectares (gha) - units of area indicating the size of the territory necessary to meet the needs of an individual or an entire group.
It should be noted that the ecological footprint of each individual person is significantly different from what our planet can provide us with, that is, its biocapacity. For example, according to statistics, back in 2005, a person’s ecological footprint was equal to 2.7 hectares, but the Earth was able to provide each of us with only two hectares with a small tail.
Even then, we exceeded the capabilities of our planet, creating an unbearable load for it. Today, calculations by ecologists confirm that to replenish the resources consumed, humanity only needs a little - another half of planet Earth. That is, humanity's ecological footprint has grown so large that the entire planet is not enough to meet our needs. Humanity is faced with a very difficult problem: the discrepancy between the global ecological footprint and the biological and ecological capacity of the environment.
Heirs of the Planet: How much of a legacy do you personally have here?
The habit of shifting responsibility for the environmental situation of the planet to large enterprises gives us a false idea of the importance of the ecological footprint of the average person. But in fact, you will be amazed to know that the output of people's normal daily lives (household) accounts for 68% of the global ecological footprint. After all, all the products produced by enterprises that we are accustomed to blaming for polluting the environment are produced for the needs of ordinary people.
According to statistics, the water footprint of one cup of black coffee is 140 liters. That's how much water it takes to grow, harvest, process, package and transport a handful of coffee powder. A kilogram of sugar has a footprint of 1500 liters, and a standard loaf of bread has a footprint of 650 liters.
The importance of one person's global footprint is perfectly illustrated in films, created by the National Geographic Channel.
Why do we need to know this?
He who is forewarned is forearmed - a sage once said and hit the nail on the head. Knowing what trace we leave on this earth, each of us can, to the best of our ability, influence the scale of this trace. At the same time, literally every little thing matters: how sparingly you use water, whether your car’s engine is working properly and in what packaging you prefer to buy products.
Even stopping the purchase of bottled water can have huge benefits, not to mention properly disposing of garbage, avoiding the use of disposable items such as plastic bags and utensils, and at least partially switching to reusable diapers for your baby.
According to statistics, 1 child uses 2.5 tons of disposable diapers in the first couple of years of his life, which will take years to decompose. Growing up, babies will be doomed to live on earth poisoned by the contents of millions of diapers rotting in landfills.
You can pass a thousand and one laws prohibiting littering or burning fires in the forest, but no one will forbid you to use the benefits of civilization that are destroying our planet. Only by realizing the significance of each of your actions can you independently make a choice in favor of continuing life on earth, and not in favor of personal momentary convenience.
Perhaps, for the average person, it will come as a complete surprise that the life of all life on Earth depends not on the amount of money in your wallet or on the distance to the nearest supermarket, but on two completely ordinary but fundamental things: daily SOLAR RADIATION and on PLANT PHOTOSYNTHESIS - the process of formation organic matter (biomass) from carbon dioxide and water under the influence of sunlight.
Photosynthesis determines the natural cycles of carbon, oxygen and other elements and provides the material and energy basis for life on our planet. The process of photosynthesis is the basis of nutrition for all living things, and also supplies humanity with fuel (wood, coal, oil), fiber (cellulose) and countless useful chemical compounds. About 90–95% of the dry weight of the crops harvested by mankind is formed from carbon dioxide and water, combined from the air during photosynthesis. The remaining 5–10% comes from mineral salts and nitrogen obtained from the soil. Humans use about 7-10% of the products of photosynthesis as food, as animal feed and in the form of fuel and building materials.
Is it a lot or a little?
The existence power of the human body is about 100 Watt. This is the power of two light bulbs. This power, called metabolic power, is used to maintain biochemical processes in the human body. Energy enters the body with food. Food for humans is produced by biosphere ecosystems. The productivity of the biosphere averages only half a watt per square meter, 0.5 Watt/m². This is very little power. It cannot meet the needs of the motionless human body, which requires, per square meter, thousands of times more. From an assessment of these two fundamental parameters, the metabolic power of the human body and the productivity power of the biosphere, it clearly follows that human beings must move and collect food that grows over large areas. In other words, people are designed to move around and have a large personal territory. In this man is not unique. In undisturbed ecosystems, the right to individual territory is sacredly respected for all wild animal species. For mammals, there is a universal dependence of the area of an animal’s personal territory on its size. This area grows approximately in proportion to body weight, Fig. 1. Small animals such as mice and shrews are offered small areas of the order of several hundred square meters. Large animals such as bears, moose or elephants control vast territories, the size of which can reach hundreds of square kilometers.
