Jevons Paradox

Biological Parallel

When organisms become more efficient at extracting resources, total consumption increases, not decreases. Blue whales evolved 30% more efficient filter feeding through baleen optimization—they didn't eat 30% less, they grew to 200 tons and ate 16 tons of krill daily, becoming Earth's largest animal. Trees that evolved C4 photosynthesis (40% more efficient than C3) didn't shrink—corn and sorghum allocate surplus energy to rapid growth and high seed production. Beavers that build more efficient dams don't reduce foraging range; they expand territories and support larger colonies. Efficiency unlocks growth, not thrift. The mechanism: when resource extraction becomes cheaper metabolically, organisms expand until they hit new constraints. Hummingbirds with more efficient hovering flight don't hover less—they defend larger territories and visit 1,000+ flowers daily. Gray wolves with more efficient pack hunting didn't reduce hunting frequency—they expanded range and took down larger prey. Leafcutter ants evolved fungus farming, achieving 10x food production efficiency—colonies grew from thousands to 8 million individuals. The efficiency dividend finances expansion. Savings in one domain become investments in growth, reproduction, or competitive dominance. Jevons paradox is biology's default: organisms maximize fitness, not conservation. Efficiency gains trigger expansion until new limits bind.