Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Tragedy of the Commons
Please read Perspective 3.1 on page 50 of the text regarding hunters and the depletion of the beaver population. What was the primary cause of the depletion? What other resources have experienced similar results? What is the best way to prevent overuse of other common resources? Post your responses here or by email to me.
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Mitch Cooper -
ReplyDeleteThe primary cause of the depletion of the beaver population was a demand that was escalated by competing markets and the absence of a regulation system. As the demand soared the beaver population fell to the point that it could no longer sustain a sufficient supply and consequently their prices increased. High prices caused hunting to deplete the area of those poor little beavers. The American buffalo experienced a similar fate. The best way to prevent overuse of a common resource is to set up some sort of regulating system to keep the resources at a sustainable level.
Dominic Olveda
ReplyDeleteThe cause of the depletion of the beaver population was that competition between the English, and French. They both wanted the furs of the beavers to send back to there countries. They would trade the Native American goods from their countries such as sword, and axes. There was a high demand for the furs meant that the native hunter would need to kill more beavers. As the beaver population started to drop the price rose drastically. Eventually in certain areas the beaver population was unable to sustain it self. This process has also happen to elephants. As the population of elephant has depleted the price of ivory as gone up. The best way to prevent over hunting is to have some kind of regulation on in which areas people can hunt them, and how many should be allowed to be hunted.
When the French and English markets started competing against each other for Beaver furs, Beaver hunting rose dramatically without any regulation. Thus beaver populations all over the New World started depleting to almost unsustainable rates. We continue to see the same rate of depletion among animals all over the world that are hunted mercilessly for their market valued attributes (fur, tusks, teeth, etc..)
ReplyDeleteHunting regulations need to be put in place to not allow the rapid depletion and/or extinction of any species.
This idea of regulation can also be applied to common resources such as rain forests and fresh water to avoid the overuse and depletion of these necessities.
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