Final answer:
Exceeding an island's resources can lead to disease outbreaks, starvation, and global conflict due to the strain on limited resources like fresh water, energy, and arable land.
Step-by-step explanation:
If the population exceeds the resources on an island, there are several likely consequences. First, there may be outbreaks of disease due to overcrowding and the potential breakdown of sanitation systems. Second, the island could experience widespread starvation as agricultural soils are overtaxed and unable to produce enough food to meet the demands of the population. Third, the increased strain on resources could lead to global conflict, as individuals and nations compete for the limited resources available.
These outcomes are all symptoms of exceeding the carrying capacity of the environment, which is the maximum population size that can be supported without causing severe environmental degradation and jeopardizing future generations. As the ecological footprint of humans increases, vital resources like fresh water, energy, and arable land become scarce, further amplifying these risks.