Re: Earth's Carrying Capacity

From: Ian St. John (istjohn_at_noemail.ca)
Date: 08/16/04 

Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 11:24:53 -0400

Thomas Palm wrote:
> Ian Stirling <root@mauve.demon.co.uk> wrote in
> news:4120b3ed$0$519$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader02.plus.net:
>
>> In sci.space.policy Gactimus <gactimus@xrs.net> wrote:
>>> How many people can the earth support?
>>
>> Multiply the population density of Biosphere II, which could probably
>> work at that population density, with the area of the earth, and you
>> get 200 billion.
>
> Biosphere II was never self-sufficient but relied heavily on energy
> import,

So does the world. But the energy 'imported' from the sun is much much
greater than all of our use put together, so it is not a limiting factor.

> and against the rules had to replace the atmosphere when CO2
> levels got too high.

Yes, due to changes in soil balance. This was unexpected but not a factor in
the food balance. The real point was that Biospherians found it hard to
produce enough to eat and exited quite a bit thinner than they went in.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Earths Carrying Capacity
    ... >> Multiply the population density of Biosphere II, ... >> work at that population density, with the area of the earth, and you ... >Biosphere II was never self-sufficient but relied heavily on energy import, ... That's energy import over and above sunlight coming in, ...
    (sci.space.policy)
  • Re: Earths Carrying Capacity
    ... >>Multiply the population density of Biosphere II, ... > Biosphere II was never self-sufficient but relied heavily on energy import, ... cultural support is a mere 1.2 million people (Nature, ...
    (sci.space.policy)
  • Re: Earths Carrying Capacity
    ... Ian Stirling wrote in ... >> How many people can the earth support? ... > Multiply the population density of Biosphere II, ... Biosphere II was never self-sufficient but relied heavily on energy import, ...
    (sci.space.policy)
  • Re: Earths Carrying Capacity
    ... In sci.space.policy Psalm 110 wrote: ... >>Multiply the population density of Biosphere II, ... >>work at that population density, with the area of the earth, and you get ... and still maintain a usable atmosphere. ...
    (sci.space.policy)
  • Re: Earths Carrying Capacity
    ... I wasn't talking about the diluted solar energy, ... collected from solar cells the area needed for Biosphere II would have been ... Food balance is only one factor in staying alive. ...
    (sci.space.policy)
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