Environmental population growth study guide

What has the human population growth done in the past couple of years?

It has decreased but the population still continues to grow

What do demographers do?

study the size and density and distribution of human populations

What does fertility rate help demographers do?

helps them predict the rates at which populations will grow in the future.

What do age structure and sex ratios define?

They define a populations potential for growth.

History of Human Population (Trends in population growth)

For thousands of years, the human population remained under 1 billion due to high mortality rates, only exploding in the last 200 years due to advancements in medicine and food production. Today, while we have reached 8 billion people, the rate of growth is slowing down as fertility rates drop globally.

Impacts on Human population growth

Human population growth is primarily driven by the balance between birth rates and death rates, which are heavily influenced by access to healthcare, sanitation, and nutrition. Additionally, social factors such as the education of women, economic development, and government policies play a crucial role in determining family size and overall growth trends.

How does the human population impact the environment?

Human population growth impacts the environment by increasing the demand for natural resources like land, water, and energy, which often leads to habitat destruction and biodiversity loss. Additionally, the expanded human activity generates higher levels of waste and greenhouse gas emissions, significantly contributing to pollution and global climate change.

Relationship between carrying capacity and population growth?

Carrying capacity acts as a natural limit on population growth

when a population is well below this limit, it typically grows rapidly because resources are abundant. However, as the population approaches or exceeds the carrying capacity, growth slows down and stabilizes (or declines) because the environment can no longer support more individuals.

How is the human population described?

Human population is described by measuring the total number of people, their density in specific areas, and how they are distributed across the globe. It is further characterized by demographics—such as age, gender, and income—to understand the specific makeup and needs of a society.

Population Growth Predictions - How do we do this? What factors contribute to this?

Experts predict population growth by counting how many babies are born and how many people move into a country. They compare those numbers to how many people pass away or move away to figure out if the total number of people will go up or down.

Demographic Transition & Social Factors - impact on population growth.

The Demographic Transition Model explains how population growth stabilizes as a country develops, shifting from high birth and death rates to lower ones. This change is primarily driven by social factors like improved healthcare, which reduces infant mortality, and increased education for women, which leads to later marriages and smaller family sizes.

How does population impact the environment (developed vs undeveloped nations, technology, etc.)

While rapid population growth in developing nations often strains local natural resources, developed nations typically exert a much larger global environmental impact due to significantly higher per-capita consumption and carbon emissions. Technology acts as a critical multiplier in this dynamic, simultaneously fueling industrial pollution and resource extraction while offering the potential for sustainable solutions and efficiency improvements.

Describe China's One Child Policy?

China's One Child Policy was a strict government program implemented from 1979 to 2016 that restricted most couples to having only a single child in an effort to curb rapid population growth. The policy was enforced through a combination of financial incentives and harsh penalties, ultimately resulting in a significant reduction in fertility rates but also creating long-term social issues like a shrinking workforce and gender imbalance.

What is the US Census, How is it used, Why is it important?

The U.S. Census is a mandatory headcount of every person living in the United States that the government conducts every 10 years. Its results determine political power by deciding how many representatives each state gets in Congress. The data is also used to distribute billions of dollars in federal funding to communities for schools, hospitals, and infrastructure.