Lesson 3.1: Perspectives on Population Growth

These flashcards cover various vocabulary terms and concepts related to human population growth, theories of population dynamics, and their socio-economic implications.

Population Growth

The increase in the number of individuals in a population over time.

Ecological Footprint

A metric that estimates the amount of productive land needed to support an individual’s consumption choices.

Malthusian Theory

A theory proposed by Thomas Malthus stating that population growth is limited by food supply and can lead to famine or disease.

Boserup's Theory

A counter-argument to Malthus's theory, positing that population pressure can lead to innovations in agricultural practices to increase food production.

Carrying Capacity

The maximum population size that an environment can sustain indefinitely without degrading the environment.

Industrial Revolution

A period marked by the transition to new manufacturing processes and significant population growth due to improved agricultural methods and health care.

Exponential Growth

A pattern of growth where the increase of a population is proportional to its current size, leading to rapid population expansion.

Poverty and Overpopulation

The argument that poverty and environmental issues are results of social and political factors, not solely of population growth.

Human Ingenuity

The ability of individuals to innovate and find new solutions, often discussed in the context of population growth providing more ideas and resources.

Global Population Statistics

Data indicating the number of human beings on Earth, significant milestones include reaching 7 billion people in 2011.