Negative-degree divisor has no sections ($\mathrm{deg}D<0⟹\ell (D)=0$)

If a divisor on an algebraic curve $D$ on a smooth projective curve has negative degree of a divisor, then its Riemann-Roch space is zero. Otherwise a nonzero $f\in L(D)$ would make $(f)+D$ an effective divisor of degree $\mathrm{deg}D<0$, since a principal divisor has degree zero. This is impossible. In genus one the Riemann-Roch theorem consequently gives $\ell (D)=\mathrm{deg}D$ for every divisor of positive degree.