In what ways is human population ecology similar to and different from that of other organisms? Why is it difficult to determine a carrying capacity for humans?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

"Humans are part of the natural world, and human populations are subject to processes such as birth and death." Even though the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment recognizes humans as an "integral part of ecosystems," there are some differences between humans and other organisms that make our role in ecosystems different from that of others. One major reason humans are different from other populations is that we have a global population that acts like a whole unit. We are also unique in our ability to control our reproduction, "use fire, store food for longer times, and adapt our environment with technology so we can live in more places." It is difficult to determine a carrying capacity for humans because we have the ability to increase our carrying capacity in the short term with technological advances. It is also difficult to determine at what standard of living to judge carrying capacity since there are so many lifestyle levels throughout the global population.