Resource depletion

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Resource depletion

Resource depletion is an economic

Economics

File:Ballard Farmers' Market - vegetables.jpgEconomics is the Social sciences that studies the Production theory basics, Distribution , and Consumption of Good and Service ....
term referring to the exhaustion of raw materials within a region. Resources

Natural resource

Renewable resources Renewable resources are sometimes living resources,, which can restock themselves if used sustainably and not over- harvested....
are commonly divided between renewable resource

Renewable resource

A natural resource qualifies as a renewable resource if it is replenished by natural processes at a rate comparable or faster than its rate of consumption by humans....
s and non-renewable resources. (See also Mineral resource classification

Mineral resource classification

Mineral resource classification is the systematic organization of information on ores and other mineral deposits which contain economic value. The process guides governmental and industrial planning on how to manage the resources....
.) Use of either of these forms of resources beyond their rate of replacement is considered to be resource depletion.

Resource depletion is most commonly used in reference to the farming, fishing

Fishing

Fishing is the activity of catching fish. Fishing techniques include Fish net, Fish trap, Spearfishing, angling and Gathering seafood by hand. The term fishing may be applied to catching other aquatic animals such as different types of shellfish, squid, octopus, turtles, Edible frog and some edible marine invertebrates....
, mining

Mining

Mining is the extraction of value minerals or other geology materials from the earth, usually from an ore body, vein or seam. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, Sodium chloride and potash....
, and fossil fuel

Fossil fuel

Fossil fuels or mineral fuels are fossil source fuels, that is, carbon or hydrocarbons found in the earth?s Crust .Fossil fuel range from volatile materials with low carbon:hydrogen ratios like methane, to liquid petroleum to nonvolatile materials composed of almost pure carbon, like anthracite coal....
s.

ally, resources will not become totally exhausted at some particular moment, but rather will diminish until the price of continued exploitation becomes so high that it is no longer economical.

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Economics

Normally, resources will not become totally exhausted at some particular moment, but rather will diminish until the price of continued exploitation becomes so high that it is no longer economical. According to Hubbert peak theory

Hubbert peak theory

The Hubbert peak theory posits that for any given geographical area, from an individual oil-producing region to the planet as a whole, the rate of petroleum production tends to follow a bell-shaped curve....
article discusses predictions for some resources.

Estimates for when various resources will run out if exploitation continues at present rates are somewhat controversial, but for some resources, the estimated time left is rather short.

Causes of resource depletion

Excessive or unnecessary
Over-consumption

Over-consumption is a theory related to overpopulation, referring to situations where per capita Consumption is so high that even in spite of a moderate population density, sustainability is not achieved....
use of resources
Non-equitable distribution
Distribution

Distribution may refer to:...
of resources
Overpopulation
Overpopulation

Overpopulation is a condition where an organism's numbers exceed the carrying capacity of its habitat. In common parlance, the term usually refers to the relationship between the world population and its environment , the Earth....
Slash and burn
Slash and burn

Slash and burn consists of cutting and burning of forests or woodlands to create fields for agriculture or pasture for livestock, or for a variety of other purposes....
agricultural practices in many developing countries
Technological
Technology

Technology is a broad concept that deals with an animal species' usage and knowledge of tools and crafts, and how it affects an animal species' ability to control and adapt to its Natural environment....
and industrial
Industry

An industry is the manufacturing of a Good or Service within a category. Although industry is a broad term for any kind of economic production, in economics and urban planning industry is a synonym for the secondary sector, which is a type of economic activity involved in the manufacturing of raw materials into goods and products....
development

In history

On Rapa Nui, man-induced resource depletion caused the collapse of an entire civilisation. This was caused by a competition by the islanders inhabiting it to build large statues. The statues were carved from the easter island palm, which they too used to make their Kora Kora

Kora Kora

A kora-kora or kora kora or coracora is a traditional canoe from the Maluku Islands, Indonesia. It was approximately ten metres long and very narrow, quite open, very low, and weighs about four tons....
s and to obtain food (fruit, honey and palmwine). As more statues were build and as competition rose, more trees were chopped and due to the recent arrival and infestation of rats

RATS

RATS may refer to:* RATS , Regression Analysis of Time Series, a statistical package* Rough Auditing Tool for Security, a computer program...
from the colonials, the tree was soon extinct. The islanders had less food (they still grew taro, sweet potatoes and bananas) and could no more build boats to fish. Fish was extremely important as it was their main source of protein. Soon, rebellions arose, and fighting was initiated between several clans. Famine then arose and the caste of priests was destroyed. Only a small percentage of the original population survived, and their culture/technological advancement was swept away.

Up until recently, Nauru

Nauru

Nauru , officially the Republic of Nauru and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island nation in the Micronesian Pacific Ocean....
was a major source of phosphate rock

Phosphate rock

Phosphate rock or phosphorite is a general description applied to several kinds of rock which contain significant concentrations of phosphate minerals, which are minerals that contain the phosphate ion in their chemical structure....
, a key ingredient in fertiliser manufacture. By 2000, the island nation's phosphate reserves were virtually depleted, leading to economic decline and a slump in living standards for its people.

Modeling resource depletion

Jay Forrester

Jay Wright Forrester

Jay Wright Forrester is a pioneer United States computer engineer, systems scientist and was a professor at the MIT Sloan School of Management....
created the discipline of System Dynamics

System dynamics

System dynamics is an approach to understanding the behaviour of complex systems over time. It deals with internal feedback loops and time delays that affect the behaviour of the entire system....
, which facilitates modeling of resource depletion within larger economic systems.