ARCTIC Northern People, Northern Resources, and the Dynamics of Carrying Capacity’

• Main Author: Robert B. Weeden
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Arctic
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.573.5982; http://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/Arctic38-2-116.pdf

ABSTRACT. In contrast to other organisms, people relate to environments through a changeable technology, have highly variable resource demands, and can conduct long-distance trade to supplement local resources. Nevertheless, total human demand may exceed, equal, or fall short of “carrying capacity ” under particular cultural, economic, political, and environmental constraints. Many northern communities seem to have outgrown local renewable resource limits. They can sustain themselves only by reducing demand, drawing down banked reserves, channeling local natural productivity into items of greater direct utility, accepting subsidies and dole, or agreeing (or selling rights) to development of exhaustible resources mainly with nonlocal capital. Each choice carries costs and benefits. For many communities the loss of identity and self-determination may be the most pernicious problem with the choice to host major nonrenewable resource projects. Key words: carrying capacity, environmental limits, community self-determination RhUMfi. Contrairement aux autres organismes, I’espixe humaine entretient un rapport avec ses milieux h I’aide d’une technologie en evolution constante, ressent des besoins trks variables en matikre de ressources et peut poursuivre un commerce de longue port & afin de pourvoir aux lacunes des ressources locales. Cependant, les exigences humaines totales peuvent exckder, 6galer ou encore ne pas atteindre la capacitt nkessaire en raison de certaines contraintes culturelles, konomiques, politiques ou environnementales. Les besoins de bon nombre de communautks du nord semblent avoir depasst les limites des ressources renouvelables locales. La rkduction de la demande, I’utilisation de ressources en reserve, la concentration de la productivitt naturelle locale vers des projets h utilitt plus directe, I’acceptation de subventions et d’allocations, et les accords (ou la vente des droits) de d6veloppement de ressources temporaires surtout h I’aide de fonds non locaux, sont les seuls recours qui puissent ...