Assessing the human carrying capacity of New Zealand

Abstract

The common restraint on all populations of living beings is the maximum number of that species that can exist in a given environment. This maximum sustainable number is known as the carrying capacity of the environment. The ways the carrying capacity may be derived for human populations are considered, and a model derived for New Zealand that takes into account some social and economic factors, such as quality of life, and the need to export in order to be able to import produce and materials necessary to sustain a certain standard of living. Other factors considered are the amount and quality of New Zealand's land resource, the amount of land needed for non-food producing purposes, and how such things as sustainable energy resources may be taken into account.

Gaps in knowledge and data are examined and these are bridged by substituting information and conclusions from other sources. Assumptions are made and a range of values for each of the various factors in the model derived. From these ranges, four scenarios are produced, and the relevant carrying capacities of New Zealand are calculated. A list of further research questions is appended.