Indicators Of Carrying Capacity Research Articles

A holistic approach for tourism carrying capacity estimation in sensitive ecological areas

AbstractMediterranean ecosystems are in the spotlight of tourism activities, with the local populations trying to make the most of them, while in parallel, the stress signs, such as habitat and biodiversity degradation, increased pollution, or beach erosion, have begun to emerge. Furthermore, this combination of exotic and delicate qualities accompanied by excessive tourist flows leads to the imperative need for sustainable tourism development studies in these areas. In the current study, aiming to develop a new holistic framework for assessing Carrying Capacity in sensitive coastal ecosystems, a combined methodology was created and tested in Balos Lagoon, a Natura 2000 area in Western Crete. The method encompasses calculating different Carrying Capacity indicators, environmental quality measurements, visitors’ perceptions identification, and finally, a multicriteria analysis to capture the stakeholders’ and local community’s viewpoints. The combined methodologies identified vital issues, including overcrowding—Effective Carrying Capacity is exceeded by 1000 people per day during the peak season—tar residue pollution, microplastics, insufficient road infrastructure and excessive car numbers exceeding capacity. Stakeholder involvement was pivotal, prioritizing twelve proposed actions to address those issues. Notably, “frequent beach clean-ups,” targeting visual impacts, emerged as the most critical action, while parking reallocation and setting a maximum daily ferry limit were also highly ranked, promising solutions to alleviate overcrowding issues. The paper offers valuable insights for future research, emphasizing the need for continuous environmental monitoring, implementation of high-priority measures, and economic valuation of natural capital. Ultimately, this research contributes to the literature by presenting a pioneering methodology for holistic assessment and sustainable tourism development in Mediterranean sensitive coastal ecosystems.

Carrying Capacity and Assessment of the Tourism Sector in the South Aegean Region, Greece

Since the early 1950s, Greece has been a popular travel destination providing high-quality tourism services. This was amplified by its diverse landscape, extended sandy beaches, scattered archaeological sites, people’s mentality, and adequate infrastructure. In particular, the south Aegean Archipelago attracts more than six million (6,000,000) visitors annually, approximately 27% of tourist arrivals in Greece. The carrying capacity assessment of the South Aegean region aims to improve the already high standards of the offered tourist services. Seventeen appropriate variables were analyzed to assess and increase tourism attractiveness by alternative products for long-term and sustainable management. Furthermore, the outcomes of the carrying capacity indicators application provide specialized solutions to control the over-tourism impact, mitigate the natural environmental degradation, and establish a roadmap for sustainable development in the study area. The required data were interpreted based on the PAP/RAC 1997 and WTO, enriched with more suitable variables from national and international literature to determine the carrying capacity. Therefore, the selection of seventeen (17) most representative indicators was unavoidable. Finally, the calculation of the different indexes showed that Mykonos and Thira are far above the indicator scale limits and are facing over-tourism issues. Additionally, the numbers of tourists concentrated in the abovementioned islands may accelerate the environmental degradation and, as a result, the tourist product will be downgraded. The set of these seventeen indicators works best since low, obfuscated, or no environmental data are available for the South Aegean region from the official state agency. Alternative tourist development and the extension of the tourist season based on local climatic conditions must be applied to ease the over-concentration and, consequently, the degradation of the tourist product. The large islands do not seem to face significant problems. However, the calculation of CCA will contribute to the decongestion of tourism concentration together with environmental decompression, leading to sustainable development in the South Aegean region.

Research on Comprehensive Carrying Capacity Evaluation Indicator System and Optimal Dispatching of Active Distribution Network

With the development of wind and solar power, the randomness and uncertainty of the power system have brought challenges to the optimal dispatching of active distribution networks. A dispatching model based on the comprehensive carrying capacity index system is proposed to improve the safety and stability of the active distribution network under uncertain factors and to excavate the potential of controllable resources. Firstly, the comprehensive carrying capacity indicator system is proposed from the three sides respectively, including network and load. Then economic optimal dispatching model is established on the basis of the indicator system. Finally, the model and its effectiveness are verified by the simulation analysis of the improved IEEE 33 nodes system by Particle Swarm Optimization.

Obese destinations

PurposeWhether a human body has a healthy carrying capacity is calculated by body mass index (BMI). The BMI is found by dividing body weight in kilograms by the square of body length. If the person's body weight is more than the heaviness that the body can carry healthily, it is called obesity. Destinations have a specific area, just like a human body. Therefore, any destination whose carrying capacity is exceeded can be called an “obese destination”. This study's primary purpose is to reveal the importance of destination carrying capacity through the concept of obesity.Design/methodology/approachContent analysis, one of the qualitative research methods, was employed, and graffiti reflecting the feelings of the local people toward tourists were used as data. Graffiti was considered as a social carrying capacity indicator to identify obese destination symptoms. Fifty graffiti obtained from search engines about destinations with obesity problems were analyzed.FindingsThe study's findings reveal that anti-tourist graffiti indicates obese destination symptoms. Furthermore, when the content analysis of graffiti is examined, it is seen that the obese destination's local people have intense anger toward tourists. This is a clear manifestation of the destination's health deterioration.Originality/valueThis study, in which the concept of obese destination is used for the first time, suggests that destinations' health may worsen just like people. If destinations with over-tourism are called obese, a more expansive awareness will be created about the destinations' problems. The study suggests that nonecolabel can be used as a mandatory diet tool for obese destinations. Anti-tourist graffiti has been addressed as an obese destination symptom.

Research on Tourism Carrying Capacity and the Coupling Coordination Relationships between Its Influencing Factors: A Case Study of China

The large increase in the number of tourists brings challenges to the tourist carrying capacity of tourist destinations. By constructing a tourism carrying capacity indicator system and a coupling coordination model, we calculate and compare the development of tourism carrying capacity and the coupling coordination between all first-class indicators of tourism carrying capacity for provinces and cities in China. We find that the tourism carrying capacity and the coupling coordination between all first-class indicators of tourism carrying capacity for provinces and cities in China both showed an upward trend from 2008 to 2017, but the development was not balanced. In coastal provinces, their development level was high although lately showing a downward trend. In the provinces of the northwest China, their development level is low, and their development speed is relatively slow. The provinces and cities in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and the southwest China recorded the fastest growth rate. In addition, we found that the development of tourism carrying capacity is closely related to coupling coordination between all first-class indicators of tourism carrying capacity.

Evaluation of Urban Tourism Carrying Capacity Based on Analytic Hierarchy Process Optimizing BP Neural Network.

With the rapid development of today's social economy, tourism has also developed rapidly. According to national statistics, from 2017 to 2019, domestic tourism revenue increased from 4.57 trillion to 5.73 trillion. The tourism economy has made more and more contributions to the national economy, and it has also received more and more attention and attention from society. However, in recent years, the “explosive” growth of tourism has not only promoted economic development but also brought some challenges to society and the economy, such as environmental pollution in tourist cities. Therefore, it is of great significance to evaluate the tourism carrying capacity of a tourist destination city to realize the sustainable development of the city's tourism. This article aims to study the evaluation of urban tourism carrying capacity based on AHP and an optimized BP neural network. It designs a carrying capacity evaluation system, conducts BP neural network training for the system, and conducts system testing. The results show that the proportion of scientific and technological innovation is obviously higher than that of other aspects in the proportion of carrying capacity indicators in various aspects of each city. Environmental carrying capacity indicators can be divided into resource supply indicators, pollutant containment indicators, and social impact indicators. This article divides the important indicators into economic development, technological innovation, potential competition, environmental support, and development guarantee. Its indicators account for about 50%, with an average of more than 40%. This shows that the system can clearly display the main factors and evaluation indicators that affect the urban tourism carrying capacity and has certain feasibility and reliability.

Public Works and Housing Infrastructure Planning using Environmental Carrying Capacity Consideration:Case Study on Planning Dam Development in Kalimantan Island, Indonesia

This article aims to explain how the environmental carrying capacity indicators could benefit public works and housing infrastructure planning. Law No. 32/2009 about environmental protection and management stated that the government is obliged to implement the Strategic Environment Assessment (SEA/KLHS) in the preparation of policies, plans, and/or programs that have the potential to cause environmental impacts and/or risks. This research aims to understand the process of using ecosystem services as part of the environmental carrying capacity. This approach would be relevant to the public works and housing infrastructure planning and is related to the National Medium Term Development Plan (RPJMN) goals in considering the environmental carrying capacity. This means that if the development of infrastructure does not meet the criteria of the environmental carrying capacity, it will cause negative impacts that could lead to futile infrastructures. The process of considering the environmental carrying capacity will be explained in quantitative methodology as an analysis process with a matrix as an overlay result. The overlay result will be interpreted as the basic information on whether a building in that location is feasible or not for carrying capacity conditions. The overlay result will be used as a basis for providing suggestions and recommendations.

EFFICIENCY INDICATOR FOR ASSESSMENT OF WATER DISTRIBUTION NETWORKS CARRYING CAPACITY

A water distribution network s (WDN s) flow capacity decreases over time mainly because of the unplanned demand growth at its consumption points, increased water loss, and increased internal roughness caused by aging of pipes. In this context, this work presents a new performance indicator, the Carrying Capacity Indicator (ICC). It will enable utility managers to evaluate WDNs hydraulic and energy efficiency. The ICC was applied in a real case study: a sector of the Jo o Pessoa WDN, in Brazil. Considering only design criteria (in relation to nodal demands and pipe roughness), the ICC decreased from 203.5% in the first year of the network s operation to 70.6% in its 30th year of operation. Simulation results are provided to demonstrate that the proposed indicator can be successfully applied to a wider class of WDNs.

Integrated evaluation of the carrying capacities of mineral resource-based cities considering synergy between subsystems

Abstract Comprehensive carrying capacity is an important indicator for measuring the sustainable development of mineral resource-based cities and an important tool for the government to formulate relevant policies. Further investigation of the carrying capacities of mineral resource-based cities would contribute towards the cities’ sustainable development. In this paper, we propose a novel R-type clustering analysis-technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution-rank sum ratio (RCA-TOPSIS-RSR) methodology and construct a composite mineral resource-based cities’ carrying capacity index (MRCCCI) to evaluate the carrying capacities of 41 mineral resource-based cities. First, for better benchmarking and sustainable development policy formulation, the comprehensive evaluation of urban carrying capacity needs to fully consider the synergy between the economic, social, resource, and environmental sub-dimensions. Therefore, through indicator reduction, we obtained a final carrying capacity indicator system with 25 indicators in 5 dimensions (such as green coverage ratio of built-up areas, wastewater treatment rate, etc.). Second, we evaluated the comprehensive carrying capacity level and analyzed its influencing factors for each mineral resource-based city from 2010 to 2016. The results showed that the limiting factor of the comprehensive carrying capacity of each mineral resource-based city is different from the others. Further, cities with the same level of carrying capacity may be significantly different in the limiting factor. Finally, based on the level of comprehensive carrying capacity and sub-dimension equilibrium, we divided 41 mineral resource-based cities into four categories. The results showed that there is only one city with high carrying capacity and high equilibrium, and most of the cities are low carrying capacity and low equilibrium; this indicates that the sustainable development of most of China’s mineral resource-based cities is facing severe challenges. Based on these findings, we put forward countermeasures and suggestions to improve the carrying capacities of mineral resource-based cities and to promote the sustainable development of cities.

A novel screening tool for the health risk in recreational waters near estuary: The Carrying Capacity indicator

The present study aims to provide a conceptual framework to help practitioners to improve the quality of recreational waters near estuary, which may be affected by untreated wastewater from Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs). When CSOs are activated, the concentration of bacteria (e.g., Enterococci and E. coli) in estuary increases, thereby resulting in a potential health threat to swimmers. Here, the bacterial exposure is evaluated using physically-based stochastic model for contaminant transport, while human health risk is determined by Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA). Based on human health risk framework, we quantify the Carrying Capacity (CC) of the recreational water body. Such an indicator is defined as the number of swimming individuals that can be sustained in a beach resort with an acceptable risk threshold. The CC increases by dilution processes and by reduction of the source concentration, which in turn depends on the improvements in the sewage system. The presented approach can be a useful screening tool for policy-makers and other stakeholders, thereby providing a potential solution to the trade-off between economic development and the sustainable ecosystem in coastal areas.

KONSEP DAN INDIKATOR DAYA TAMPUNG SOSIAL

Even though the definition on social environment carrying capacity has been stated in the Act of The Republic of Indonesia number 10 of 1992, the concept should, however, be developed further, particularly in developing a more 'applicable' social carrying capacity indicators. Ideally, the development of the concepts and indicators of the social carrying capacity is able to formulate the limits of human and group's capabilities in creating social harmony. For this reason, the social carrying capacity is supposed to be looked uponthrough various related aspects all at once. By relating these aspects together, some possible prediction on various conditions of social environment carrying capacity could be carried out.

Evaluation of carrying capacity of city clusters in China with the example of the Blue Economic Zone of Shandong Peninsula

The conflict between city development and urban carrying capacity is getting ever prominent. In order to study and predict the restriction factors and prominent problems in the development of the Shandong Peninsula Blue Economic Zone as well as promote the transfer of economic development pattern in this region, this study starts from four single factor carrying capacity indicators of water, earth, transportation and environment in the city and its comprehensive carrying capacity indicator, evaluates and analyzes its carrying capacity and then papooses policy suggestions for improving its carrying capacity.

Devoloping Resources Environmental Carrying Capacity Indicator System Based on Resource Environmental Problem Identification

Resources environmental carrying capacity has increasingly become an explicit aim of transport planning and policy making at local, national and international levels. Resources environmental carrying capacity indicator selection method has been proposed based on the resources environmental problem identification in this paper, and combining with the PSR and CSR model. That method makes the selection of indicator more targeted and reasonable.

Encounter norms, social carrying capacity indicators, and standards of quality at a marine protected area

This article examines visitors’ normative acceptance of encounters with boats at a marine protected area and the extent that the number of boats, size of boats, and size of boat on which individuals were traveling influences these encounter norms. Data were obtained from a survey of 439 people visiting Molokini Shoal Marine Life Conservation District in Hawai’i, and photographs depicting four levels of boat use and three proportions of boat size measured encounter norms. Number of boats most strongly influenced encounter norms, boat size was less influential, and the size of boats on which respondents were traveling had little influence. Visitors wanted fewer boats at this site and a majority would not accept encountering more than 15 or 16 boats at one time. When the impact of boat size was considered, they would not accept encountering more than 12 large boats to 17 small boats. Implications for future research and managing standards of quality and social carrying capacity indicators at this marine protected area are discussed.

In search of coastal zone sustainability by means of social carrying capacity indicators construction: lessons learned from the Thau lagoon case study (Region Languedoc-Roussillon, France)

This paper aims at shedding new light on sustainability in coastal areas while defining a methodology for constructing social carrying capacity indicators. These indicators evaluate the levels and thresholds related to population growth pressures. From a Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework, we centre on the Pressure and State processes and we follow a Principles-Criteria-Indicators (PCI) outline to distinguish the underlying pressures on the coastal zone. The main assumption of this article is that social carrying capacity within the coastal zone needs a multidimensional study by means of a set of indicators. We consider that social carrying capacity indicators provide standards for sustainability, and we identify sustainable and critical levels of pressures. How coastal practitioners and municipal councillors perceive the various challenges and how they use the indicators are assessed. The results show various degrees of involvement and scale misunderstandings on the part of policy makers.

A Tourism Carrying Capacity Indicator for Protected Areas

ABSTRACT The aim of this article is to develop a tourism (Carrying Capacity Indicator) for protected areas that could assist regional planners and park managers to promote an equitable form of the spatial distribution of visitors environmentally sensitive area, various indicators have been proposed, with regard to ecologically sustainable tourism. In this paper, we examine the unequal distribution of visitors to a protected area that causes significant additional environmental pressure on some sub-areas. This additional pressure, which may exceed the landscape's carrying capacity, cannot be measured by the commonly used indices that represent an average for the whole area. Our objective is to depict the variability of pressure intensity within a protected area. For this purpose we introduce an indicator adjusted to the Gini co-efficient resulting from the Lorenz curve, used by economists to measure the unequal distribution of income. The proposed indicator is applied to the Mount Olympus National Park, Greece.