Human Population Dynamics Lecture Notes

Vocabulary flashcards covering population patterns, growth metrics, country categories, demographic tools, and ecological concepts from the Human Population Dynamics lecture.

Clumped distribution

A population pattern in which individuals are aggregated in patches rather than being evenly or randomly spread.

Population density

The number of individuals of a species per unit area; e.g., Mongolia ≈ 0.25 people/km², Bangladesh > 1,000 people/km².

Industrial Revolution (population context)

Historical period whose technological and medical advances sharply increased food production, jobs, and human population growth.

Global birth rate

The average number of births per 1,000 people per year; currently about 20/1,000 worldwide.

Global death rate

The average number of deaths per 1,000 people per year; currently about 8/1,000 worldwide.

Annual growth rate

Difference between birth and death rates expressed as a percentage; presently (20 − 8)/1,000 = 1.2 % per year.

More-developed countries (MDCs)

Regions such as North America and Europe where population growth is modest and standards of living are relatively high.

Less-developed countries (LDCs)

Regions in Latin America, Asia, and Africa characterized by rapid population growth and widespread poverty.

Age structure (age distribution)

The relative numbers of individuals in each age class within a population.

Age structure diagram (age pyramid)

A graphical representation of age structure; young-heavy pyramids signify growing populations, old-heavy pyramids indicate declining populations.

Biotic potential

The maximum possible rate of population increase under ideal environmental conditions with unlimited resources.

Limiting factor

Any environmental condition that restrains population growth, preventing indefinite exponential increase.

Carrying capacity

The largest population size of a species that an environment can sustain indefinitely.

Logistic growth curve

Population growth pattern showing initial exponential growth, slowing, and stabilization at carrying capacity.

Density-dependent factor

A limiting factor whose impact intensifies with increasing population density, e.g., disease, competition, predation.

Density-independent factor

A limiting factor whose effect is unrelated to population density, e.g., fires, weather events, earthquakes.