Human Population Growth

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from the lecture on human population growth.

Earth Overshoot Day

The annual date when humanity’s demand on ecological resources in a year exceeds Earth’s capacity to regenerate those resources in that year.

Biocapacity

The capacity of ecosystems to regenerate the resources used by a population and to absorb its wastes.

Ecological Footprint

A measure of the land and water area required to supply the resources a population consumes and to absorb its wastes.

Global Footprint Network

Organization that publishes Earth Overshoot Day and footprint data to advance sustainability science.

Footprint Data Foundation

An organization contributing to footprint data and science (footprint data source mentioned in course materials).

Demographic Transition Model (DTM)

A multi-stage model describing changes in birth and death rates as economies develop.

DTM Stage 1 (Pre-industrial)

High birth and high death rates; stable population; no current countries classified as this.

DTM Stage 2

Rapid decrease in death rate due to health improvements; birth rates remain high; rapid population growth.

DTM Stage 3

Birth rates fall as women’s status, education, and contraception improve; growth slows.

DTM Stage 4

Low birth and death rates; population is stable; example: the USA.

DTM Stage 5

Birth rates fall below death rates; population may decline.

Replacement-level fertility

Approximately 2.1 births per woman needed to replace a population in the long term.

Total Fertility Rate (TFR)

The average number of children a woman would bear over her reproductive lifetime.

Population Change Equation

Population change = Births + Immigration − (Deaths + Emigration).

Malthusian Perspective

Idea that population grows geometrically unless checked, leading to resource scarcity and social crisis.

Malthus’ Numbers

Population grows exponentially (2,4,8,16,32) while resources grow linearly (2,4,6,8,10).

Neo-Malthusians

Modern followers of Malthusian ideas who emphasize environmental impacts and birth control.

Cornucopian Viewpoint

Belief that population is a resource; more people bring innovation and sufficient resources.

Green Revolution

Agricultural transformation with high-yield crops and inputs (fertilizers, irrigation) that increased food production.

Induced Intensification

Increased agricultural effort and technology in response to population pressure.

Amartya Sen

Economist known for the Capabilities Approach to development and famine analysis.

Capabilities Approach

Framework focusing on what people can do and be (access and opportunity), not just resource availability.