Population and the environment AQA A-level Geography

Arable farming

Flat land, high quality, cereal and root crops

Pastoral farming

Livestock rearing, semi-desert

Mixed farming

Arable and livestock, common form of UK agriculture

Intensive farming

Fruit, flower, vegetable production, high investment in labour, high yields per hectare

Commercial farming

Crops produced for commercial use

Extensive farming

Low inputs, large areas of land, yields per hectare are low

Subsistence farming

Farmers produce for themselves and their families

How does climate determine food productivity?

- climate = measured by precipitation, temperature, sunshine hours, humidity, frequency of extreme weather

- adequate rainfall = appropriate weather for rearing livestock and photosynthesis

- climate can influence fevers such as malaria, yellow fever and ebola

How does soil determine food productivity?

- soil fertility = dependant on soil structure, texture, acidity, organic matter, nutrients

- alluvial soils = caused from natural disasters, volcanoes, floodplains, flooding, river beds

- dense, more fertile soils are able to provide for a higher population

- soil fertility can increased by artificial chemical fertilisers

How does water determine food productivity?

- used for human hydration and irrigation

- maintains food production

Tim Meyer's farming in the Tundra (Alaska)

Permafrost land (frozen ground)

30x100 foot high tunnels

Does not use pesticides and herbicides

Tunnels allow warm, dry soil and growing season to be twice as long (planting earlier and higher profits recieved)

Farming in monsoon areas

Climates can be cool and dry or dry and hot

Rain can be used as hydropower

Directly affects over 50% of India's population

CSA - climate smart agriculture

- policy makers make more of a chance to help improve the climate situation

- farmers motivated to try new techniques

- combine finance to target CC

- improve food security to use climate smart farming

IARI (Indian Agricultural Research Institute)

- stressed by drought

- drought contingency plan....

watch rainfall

response and recovery programmes

plan reviewed and regularly updated

ground moisture conserved

How is soil formed?

- compression

- break down of small rocks

- weathering

What is the pedosphere?

The outer most layer of the earth, composed of soil

What is the role of soil?

- plant growth

- water storage + supply

- earth atmosphere

- organism habitat

What degrades soil?

- less trees and vegetation

- deforestation

- leeching (nutrients and minerals are washed out of the soil)

Zonal soil

Mature soils that are well developed and stable for a long period of time

Chernozem zonal soil

- black soils that are rich in organic matter

- one metre deep, clay-like texture

- high fertility, attract modern agriculture

- mineral content driven from wind-blown sediments

Red/yellow latosols of the tropical rainforest

- organic nutrients stored

- hot and wet climate

- burning releases ash which provides nutrients for the infertile soil

- the land is farmed on which allows the forest and the soil to recover

Components of food security

Availability - reliable and consistent source

Access - sufficient resources to purchase

Stability - ability and stability to access and utilise food

Utilisation - knowledge and basic sanitary conditions to prepare and distribute food

GAFSP (global agriculture and food security programme)

- a global partnership fighting hunger, malnutrition, poverty

- empowers poor and vulnerable smallholder farmers

- donor money

- horizontal plots prevent erosion

- measurable progress

- generating income to reduce rural poverty levels

World Food Programme (WFP)

- supports farmer organisations to invest in crop production and gain access to quality markets

Uganda = land-locked country that produces more food than consumed, provides vulnerable populations, school feeding policy, school meal programme, provides cash/food assistance

Burkino Faso = aims to combat malnutrition, education enrolment encouraged, gender equality, daily breakfast and lunch, monthly food distributions

Salinisation

- excessive water application/irrigation = when this evaporates, the salt is left behind on the soil

- water table rises which leaves dissolved salts at the surface

- land is abandoned due to the high salt concentration so land yield is decreased massively

- land is flushed with lots of water

Soil erosion (wind)

the top fertile layer is removed by wind power

- loss of seedlings, fertilisers, pesticides, young plants sandblasted

- reduction in crop productivity

- organic matter applied, increased land roughness, increased plant cover

Soil erosion (water)

the top fertile layer is detached due to water

- loss of seedlings, fertilisers, pesticides

- reduction of crop productivity, pollution of wetlands, groundwater and lakes

- field drains and ditches installed, early sowing or crop covering, contour ploughing

Waterlogging

- insufficient oxygen due to pores being filled with water

- precipitation, irrigation, river floodwater exceeds limits of evapotranspiration and percolation so water sat on surface

- stunted growth and low yield

- diversion of water flow, raised beds with shallow surface drainage, tolerant crops/pastures

Soil compaction

- weight and pressure compacts the soil (e.g. wheels, grazing livestock)

- causes small pores reduced for infiltration

- fixed by maintenance, choosing tyres correctly, traffic farming, excess weight is removed

Types of soil structure

- granular and crumb structures = sand/silt/clay grouped together in grains

- blocky structures = soil in square/angular blocks

- prismatic structures = vertical columns or pillars, clay rich

platy structures = thin sheets, horizontal

caused by .... rapid wetting, hard setting, poor infiltration

Impacts of soil structure breakdown

- physical fracturing and mixing

- decay

- net reduction in soil organic matter

- freezing and thawing help soils to recover

- add organic matters

- avoiding overworking

- adding mulch

What are DALYs?

Disability adjusted life years

- measure of morbidity in society

- measure the number of years of healthy life are lost by being in poor health or state of disability

Morbidity definition

- diseased, ill, condition that damages health and life quality

- can be used to mean the relative incidence of a particular disease in a society

Childhood mortality definition

Death of children under the age of 5

What is the epidemiological transition?

A description of the changing population patterns of population age distribution, mortality, fertility, life expectancy and causes of death

- It assumes that infectious diseases are replaced by chronic diseases overtime due to expanded public health and sanitation

Phases of the epidemiological transition

- Age of...

Infection and famine

Reducing pandemics (worldwide disease spread)

Degenerative and manmade diseases

Delayed degenerative diseases

Age of infection and famine

20-40 years

Poor food security, poor income, poor sanitation = infection risk increased

Weak immune systems, more vulnerability to disease

Age of reducing pandemics

30-50 years

Better housing and sanitation, increased food security (better diet)

Improved technology and better healthcare causes mortality rate to decrease

Age of degenerative and manmade diseases

50-60 years

- lifestyle choices have detrimental impacts, life expectancy increased due to fewer pandemics, more anthropogenic diseases, average lifestyle is less active

- increase in smoking, drinking, poor diet, increased risk of chronic diseases

Age of delayed degenerative diseases

70 + years

Lifestyles in general involve less risk than in LICs

Better healthcare, improved technology allows peoples lives to be extended, people who live this long will potentially experience dementia and other age related diseases

Evidence of the epidemiological transition

- theory claims that infectious disease have decreased and chronic diseases have increased

- from 2000-2012, numbers decreased from infectious diseases and chronic disease numbers began increasing

- advanced medical technologies being able to diagnose diseases that previously remained undiagnosed

How does climate link to disease?

- extreme weather patterns = increased chances of disease spreading to increase

- high temperatures = malaria and dengue fever spread increased

- more bacteria spread in warmer temperatures

How does latitude link to disease?

Higher latitude = less light = lower levels of serotonin = higher rates of depression= seasonal affective disorder = higher rates of suicide

Air and water quality

- 50,000 people a year are dying prematurely due to toxic emissions

- can cause peoples lives to be cut short by 9 years

London - air pollution

- 9400 premature deaths

- 2 million people are living in toxic areas

- causes older population to live in heart and respiratory problems

Athens - air pollution

- planned to cut diesel vehicles by 2025

- ships, boats on harbour (+ air pollution)

Mexico city - air pollution

- 21 million people living there

- health warning for citizens due to air pollution

What is malaria?

Blood disease caused by an infection from parasites (mosquito)

Infected blood can then be passed on to the next person when biting the victim

Symptoms of malaria

Headaches, vomiting, exhaustion, sweating, shivering, fever

Location of malaria

Tropical and sub-tropical areas

At least one million deaths annually

Most cases occur in the sub-saharan Africa, mostly in children under 5

Who is at risk of malaria?

Young children - no immunity

Non immune pregnant women

Semi immune pregnant women - risk of miscarriage, low birth weight

HIV infected semi immune pregnant women - a higher risk of passing HIV infection to their newborns

International travellers/immigrants

Malaria prevention

Avoid being bitten by using repellents, screens, coverage

Injections

Medications

Economic impacts of malaria

Healthcare facilities strained due to number of patients admitted

Reduced amount of tourists

Increased medical costs

Less money spent on government aspects

Cost to government

Reduced number of population that are able to work

Social impacts of malaria

- high levels of child mortality

- occupations (e.g. farming, fishing, animal rearing, stone quarrying) have increased exposure

- lifestyle may have to be changed

- high morbidity/mortality rates

- causes long term brain impacts

Environmental impacts of malaria

- sprays/chemicals can affect other insects and contaminate water sources

- more subsistence crops used than profitable cash crops as a lot of workers will either be dead or sick during harvest time

Temporal changes in malaria

- seasonal incidence

- rainfall seasons e.g. November to May

Spacial changes in malaria

global distribution

(equator, between tropic of capricorn and tropic of cancer)

Malaria in Uganda

life expectancy = 55 years

total population = 38 million

65% of under 5's receiving anti-malarial drugs

$670 GNI per capita

transmission occurs all year due to high temps/rain

large bodies of water act as a mosquito breeding area

3.6 million cases reported in Uganda in 2015

What are affluent diseases?

- diseases that are thought to be a result of increasing health in society

e.g. type 2 diabetes, alcoholism, depression, CHD, some forms of cancer

Causes of CHD

- excess body fat strains the cardiovascular system

- physical environment =

air quality = more particulate matter

relief and land topography = less likely to exercise on steep land

climate = higher risk of heart attack in cold and damp conditions

Socio-economic factors of CHD

- more money to spend in more developed countries = more factors

- tobacco use --> 60% higher risk in smokers

high cholesterol

infrequent activity - 20% of cases caused by lack of activity

diabetes - type 2 diabetes

high blood pressure

alcohol use - 2% is caused by high consumption

poor nutrition

obesity

Impacts of CHD on health and wellbeing

- heart attacks = damage to heart muscles, permanently and cause fatal effects

- rehab programmes

- exercise and education as well as lifestyle choice changes reduce the risk of developing CHD

Impacts on economic well-being (CHD)

- individual cost/cost to family

- costs NHS around £8.7 billion in 2009

- smoking-related illness caused global net loss of $200 billion per year

CHD prevention strategies

- education

- affordable treatments

- promotion of healthy living practices

- nutrition and health labelling

- introduction of recognisable logos for healthy foods

Policies and legalisation for CHD

Reduction in tobacco smoking (advertising ban, smoke-free areas, health warnings on packets, taxation and outright bans in public areas)

Role of international agencies for CHD

6 WHO offices globally and they are responsible for....

- disease classification

- prevention and treatment

- supporting international health issues

Rapid population growth pyramid

Narrow at the top due to high death rate, wide base due to high birth rate

- concave shape = low life expectancy

- young population

- LEDCs = Phillipines

Slow population growth pyramid

Square shape due to slow population growth

- typical shape for an ageing population

- MEDCs = UK

Negative population growth pyramid

Top/middle heavy = fall in population

- very low birth rate

- death rate exceeds birth rate = slight fall in natural population

- many elderly, high dependancy ratio

- very high life expectancy

What is a dependancy ratio?

Relationship shown between the economically active and the non-economically active (working and dependant)

How to calculate dependancy ratios?

children (0-14) and elderly (65 and over) divided by economically active x 100 = number of dependants per 100 people working

Comparison between DTM and PP

DTM - natural increases/decreases, shows balance between births and deaths

PP - migration, sex of people, affects of large-scale wars, epidemics of war

Both compare past trends and projection of future structures. Governments can use this kind of information to help plan economic and social policies

Youth population (economic)

- larger tax base

- opportunity to build on an educated society

- not achieving optimum work force

- high prices on food (risk of poverty)

Youth population (social)

- may commit crimes in order to survive

- easier to let children die

- overcrowding

- stronger communities

- homelessness due to unemployment

Youth population (political)

- political instability

- country benefitted

- government blamed if education system fails

Ageing population (economic)

- taxes go up = more pensions to pay for

- slow economic growth --> spent on retirement homes

- working for longer

Ageing population (social)

- increased leisure activities

- more of a community

- medical care strain

- less crime

- demand for unpaid family carers

- less children = more money on older relatives

- pensions are lowered

Ageing population (political)

- only vote for things to benefit them

- less likely to reap the benefits of investment in education or climate change

Impacts of migration - London

- elderly move away to retire (no longer need to live there and may not be elderly-friendly)

- some start in London (build a family) and then move out

Impacts of migration - Eastbourne

- aged 70+ population

- move away for university/more job opportunities

- lower population ages 19-44

- cheaper place to live

- high amount of green space

Push factor examples

a flaw or distress that drives a person away

- population pressure

- poor infrastructure

- inadequate job offer

- bad education chances

- poor healthcare

- ecological problems

- natural disasters

- social implications

Pull factor examples

a benefit that attracts people

- improvement in the standard of living

- better healthcare and availability of services

- varied employment opportunities

- higher wages

- quality of education

- less social issues

- future prospects

Asylum seeker definition

someone who flees their country and applies for asylum

- cannot return to origin country due to founded fear of death or persecution

- usually flee due to civil war or natural disaster

Refugee definition

- person fleeing

- civil war or natural disaster

- an asylum seeker whose application has been successful

What is Lee's push-pull model?

Stage 1 of the DTM

- no birth control

- short life expectancy

- disease, war, famine

- slow population growth

- high and fluctuating birth and death rate

- regions such as Amazonia

Stage 2 of the DTM

- lack of birth control

- economic growth = improved sanitation, healthcare and personal health

- population explosion

- decrease in death rate, high birth rate

- poorer areas such as LICs, Mali

Stage 3 of the DTM

- birth rate falls due to birth control

- more women would rather work than start a family

- smaller families desired

- birth rate falls, death rate continues to fall

- South Africa, Morocco, UAE

Stage 4 of the DTM

- fluctuations between birth rate and death rate due to economic recessions (falls) and optimisms (rises)

- United Kingdom

Stage 5 of the DTM

- birth rate falls due to economic reasons

- death rate increases due to environment and society such as foods high in sugar and salt

- fluctuations in death and birth rate

- economically developed countries such as Japan

Host country - social implications

- cultural advantage

- maternal, infant healthcare pressure

- school pressure

- social pressure

- ethnic and racial tensions

Host country - economic implications

- cheap labour

- working migrants pay/spend taxes

- increased workforce size

- reduced dependancy

- job pressure

- unemployment

Host country - political implications

- growth of political parties

- pressure to control immigration

Host country - health implications

- increased infectious diseases

- healthcare pressure increased

- non-communicable and infectious disease

Host country - environmental implications

- increased demands for energy, water, food, land for development

Home - demographic implications

- lower birth rates (people of a child-bearing age leave)

- population unbalanced

- loss of male population

Home - social implications

- reduced healthcare and education pressure

- traditional culture loss

- family unit breakups

- community unit breakups

- may lose qualified workers (e.g. doctors, nurses, teachers)

Home - economic implications

- reduced pressure on resources less unemployment

- lose skilled people from workforces

- less agricultural and industrial production

Home - health implications

- migrants leave infected areas

- less healthcare management (vulnerable remain at risk)

Home - environmental implications

- areas may be abandoned

- less environmental management