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Multiple Choice
To calculate the __________ of a nation, researchers summarize arable land, pasture, fossil energy land, and several other factors appropriated by each nation to produce all of the resources it consumes and to absorb all the waste it generates.
A
carrying capacity
B
ecological capacity
C
principles of energy flow
D
life history
E
ecological footprint
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the concept of 'ecological footprint': It is a measure of how much land and water area a human population requires to produce the resources it consumes and to absorb its wastes, given prevailing technology and resource management practices.
Identify the components that contribute to the ecological footprint: These include arable land, pasture, forest area, built-up land, fishing grounds, and the carbon footprint (fossil energy land).
Recognize that the ecological footprint is used to assess the environmental impact of a nation or individual by comparing the demand on ecological resources with the Earth's ecological capacity to regenerate them.
Differentiate between similar terms: 'Carrying capacity' refers to the maximum population size an environment can sustain indefinitely, 'ecological capacity' is the ability of an ecosystem to produce useful biological materials and absorb wastes, 'principles of energy flow' relate to how energy moves through an ecosystem, and 'life history' pertains to the series of changes an organism undergoes during its lifetime.
Conclude that the correct term for the measure described in the problem, which involves summarizing various land types and resources to assess consumption and waste, is 'ecological footprint'.