Populations and the environment

• What is the current world population as of May 2018?

  1. 6 billion
• What are the key population parameters?

  • Distribution: How population is spread
  • Numbers: Amount of people in an area
  • Density: Population per unit area
  • Change: Increases and decreases over time
• What does 'distribution' refer to in population studies?

  How a population is spread globally or regionally
• What is 'density' in the context of population?

  Measurement of population per unit area
• What factors mainly affect population?

  Physical environmental factors and development processes
• How does the physical environment affect population?

  It holds key resources for human well-being
• What aspects of the environment affect population support?

  • Climate regulation
  • Soil quality (water and nutrition)
  • Resource availability (water, food, shelter)
• What is a development process in population studies?

  Changing and becoming more advanced over time
• How did the Industrial Revolution affect population growth?

  It improved quality of life, allowing growth
• What has been the trend in global population since the 1960s?

  Rapidly increasing
• What is the estimated global population by 2050?

  9 billion
• Where are the most densely populated areas located?

  Urbanized areas
• What characterizes sparsely populated areas?

  Often have uninhabitable conditions
• Which regions are known for high population density?

  Macau, Hong Kong, and Bangladesh
• What are the global patterns of population growth rates?

  • HICs have low or decreasing growth rates
  • LICs have high growth rates
  • Urban areas grow faster than rural areas
• How much has global food production increased in the past 50 years?

  Tripled
• What is the relationship between food production and wealth of countries?

  Richest countries have the largest food supplies
• Where are crop yields especially high?

  Eastern Asia, North America, and Europe
• Which region has the lowest food production?

  Africa, especially Saharan Africa
• How has food consumption changed globally?

  Increased over time with higher populations
• What percentage of Africa's population is affected by severe food insecurity?

  Over 27%
• Which region has the highest food consumption rate?

  North America
• How much has China's food consumption increased in 50 years?

  Nearly 1000 calories
• What are the components of the agricultural system?

  • Inputs: Resources used in farming
  • Processes: Methods of production
  • Outputs: Products generated from farming

  
• What does agricultural productivity measure?

  Useful outputs in proportion to inputs
• What factors affect agricultural productivity?

  Type of system, climate, and soil quality
• How does climate affect agricultural productivity?

  It determines what can be farmed
• What are some climatic conditions that reduce productivity?

  Subzero temperatures and deserts
• How does climate change impact agricultural productivity?

  It can decrease yields and arable land
• What soil issues can decrease agricultural productivity?

  Erosion, flooding, and desertification
• How does climate change affect global agricultural systems?

  • Varying effects on productivity
  • Most areas will see yield declines
  • Some regions may see increased yields

  
• What extreme weather events can decrease agricultural productivity?

  Floods, droughts, and wildfires
• How does temperature rise affect rice yields in Asia?

  20% decrease per 1°C rise
• What soil problems are projected to increase due to climate change?

  Erosion, desertification, and salinisation
• How do rising sea levels affect agriculture?

  Cause flooding in low-lying areas
• What is the impact of pests and diseases due to climate change?

  Projected to increase and decrease productivity
• What are the soil problems linked to agriculture?

  • Water erosion
  • Wind erosion
  • Structural deterioration
  • Waterlogging
  • Salinisation
  • Desertification
• What causes water erosion in soil?

  Poor farming irrigation practices
• How does wind erosion affect agriculture?

  Removes topsoil and nutrients
• What causes structural deterioration in soil?

  Heavy machinery and livestock trampling