What concept suggests that as the human population increases, it would lead to challenges in feeding itself?

The concept that suggests challenges in feeding an increasing human population is rooted in Malthusian theory. Developed by Thomas Malthus in the late 18th century, this theory posits that populations grow exponentially, while food supply increases in a linear fashion. Consequently, Malthus argued that an ever-expanding population would eventually outstrip food resources, leading to inevitable scenarios of famine, poverty, and societal collapse if population growth is not checked by natural consequences such as disease or starvation.

Malthus's predictions highlighted the potential for food scarcity as a result of uncontrolled population growth, emphasizing the relationship between population dynamics and agricultural production. This theory raises critical questions about sustainable development and resource management—issues very relevant to environmental systems and societies.

In contrast, other theories and concepts like Boserup's theory suggest that population pressures lead to innovations in agriculture, thereby increasing food supply. Carrying capacity refers to the maximum number of individuals that an environment can sustain, which relates to the sustainable management of resources but does not specifically predict challenges in food supply as a result of population growth. Ecological succession focuses on the changes in ecosystems over time, which is not directly related to population and food supply dynamics.