Populations Chapter 7

Current Population Trends Still growing rapidly Over 7 billion and by 2025 it will be 8 billion Asia, Africa, South America = 80+ % of population What do these places have in common?

Population and Standard of Living As population increases, standard of living decreases Must consider factors like industrialization and development

The Human Population Issue Problems: 1.Famine in areas that cannot provide enough food to feed ever-growing population 2.Revolutions where disparity in availability of resources (jobs, food, goods) 3.Environmental degradation (erosion from poor farming practices, water & air pollution)

The Human Population Issue 4.Extinctions (habitat destruction to make farms) 5.Exploiting Natural Resources (strip mines, oil spills, groundwater mining) Population density magnifies these issues. For example, NYC has greater energy needs than most of the state of Pennsylvania

Degree of Technological Development More developed countries consume more resources 1.Have more possessions 2.Eat more animal protein in diets 3.Consume more fossil fuels for energy

Causes of Population Growth Birth rate > Death rate Replacement rate = 2.1 children per woman Why may this not stabilize population immediately?

Social Reasons for Population Growth Religion Social/Traditional Economic Research has shown that as education rates for women increase, reproductive rates decrease

Political Factors that Affect Population Growth Governments can make laws for population goals Tax advantages/rewards for people who meet goals Low-cost access to birth control Immigration policy

Demographic Transition Concept What is the relationship between standard of living and population growth rate? Stages of Demographic Transition 1.Population is stable with high birth and death rates 2.Improved economic and social conditions = rapid population growth (birth rates high and death rates lower because of better disease control)

Demographic Transition Concept 3. Countries become industrialized, as this happens, family size gets smaller 4. Birth and death rates balance, both being lower Social, political and economic processes help stabilize population if country can become industrialized Can this model be followed today?

Hunger, Food Production and Environmental Degradation As population increases, demand for food also increases In America, people purchase food; have enough to eat In countries where people grow own food, if crops fail; they starve Only so many species and # of each species can exist on the planet at one time

Hunger, Food Production and Environmental Degradation Example: People clear land to grow crops Problems: dust bowl, erosion, desertification in Africa, clear-cutting rainforests Poorer people eat at lower trophic levels (Remember 10% Rule) People eating at carnivore level have 10X the impact on the environment as herbivores

Hunger, Food Production and Environmental Degradation Complicated process: Politics and economics play a role Some countries are importers and can afford it (Japan), others are importers that cannot afford it (Sub-Saharan Africa)

Anticipated Changes with Population Growth Necessities will become luxuries (2+ cars/family, dining out) Wealth will be redistributed as jobs flow from country to country Changes will not happen quickly unless a political or economic calamity occurs