Monitoring Human Food, Fiber, Fuel & Wood Use From Space

“This study uses the considerable technological assets of NASA’s Earth Science Enterprise to better understand how we can maintain the highest possible production of food and fiber while still preserving our biological assets in the face of global change,” Imhoff said.

By understanding patterns of consumption, and how the planetary supply of plant life relates to the demand for it, these results may enable better management of Earth’s rich biological heritage. Understanding the patterns of supply and demand is critical for identifying areas of severe human impact on ecosystems and planning for future growth.

Consumption varies greatly by region, and this study pinpoints areas where human populations require imported basic food, fiber and fuel. Regions with greater demands than available plant-derived resources may be more vulnerable to climate change and other socio-economic impacts. Imports may put greater pressure on ecosystems elsewhere.

Three factors determine human regional ecological impact, population, per capita consumption and technology.

Population plays an important role. Americans consume more than individuals in developing countries, yet U.S. population density is generally lower. Technology helps reduce waste. For example, due to better technology, one ton of milled lumber requires 1.3 tons of trees in industrialized countries but more than 2 tons of trees in developing countries. As a technologically advanced country, U.S. use of NPP is close to the global average.

East and South Central Asia contain almost half the world’s population and appropriate 72 percent of regional NPP, despite consuming less per person than any region. If developing nations raised consumption to match the developed world’s use per person, humans would consume more than 35 percent of the total annual land NPP