The "profit" in an ecosystem (sustainable yield)

If the ecosystem was to be a business there would be a "profit", called sustainable yield. SY is more clearly defined as the resources you can take from nature, without harming it or affecting its balance. 

·      Sustainable yield can also be seen as the increase of natural capital. The natural income that can be exploited each year without depleting the original stick or its potential for replenishment.

o   Carrying capacity

o   Population size

o   Total biomass

o   Rates of change of population/biomass/energy

The sustainable yield can be calculated with the formulas:

• SY= Annual growth and recruitment- Annual death and Emigration
• SY= (Total Biomass or energy at a Time T)+1 - (Total Biomass or energy at a Time T)