population and the environment context

malthusian theory on poplation

population growth will always tend to outpace the supply of food- when growth of population exceeds the “carrying capacity of food the there will likely be a population crash

how is balance achieved

positive checks

negative checks

positive checks definition (Malthusian)

increased deaths through war, famine and disease, increased instance of abortion

negative checks definition (Malthusian)

celibacy, later marriages (his theory was written before contraceptives were invented)

Boserup views on population growth

like Malthus, recognised that environments have limits that restrict production however proposed that population growth often stimulates innovation and carrying capacity can be increased by development of technology e.g. green revolution in Mexico, south, south east Asia