1. Scientists use age structure to predict future growth patterns: They analyze factors such as: Number and proportion of individuals in each age group. The number of males versus the number of females in each age group. Scientists use age structure diagrams to: 1. Compare age groups such as pre-reproductive to reproductive ages 2. Compare the number of males to the number of females Scientists use the shape of the graph to determine: 1. If a population is growing, shrinking or staying the same 2. Growth momentum (how soon overpopulation will become a problem) AGE STRUCTURE DIAGRAMS

2. The shape of the age structure diagram tells you: 1. If a population is increasing, stable or shrinking 2. Population growth momentum- even if people are having less children, the effect won’t take place until much later when the children reach reproductive maturity.

3. 1. Expanding/growing population- pyramid shape, has more children than any other age group.- Nigeria or Bolivia 2. Stable populations- Number of children is roughly the same as the number of reproductive adults- European countries 3. Declining population- Pre-reproductive group is smaller- Russia, Bulgaria and Germany