Population ecology

• What is overpopulation?


  When the number of people in an area exceeds the available resources and infrastructure to support them
• What is optimum population?

  Ideal number of people for the environment and its resources
• What is underpopulation?


  too little population to fully utilise environment and resources
• What is carrying capacity?

  the maximum population that can be supported in an environment without it being severely degraded
• What is the ecological footprint?

  measurement of how much the earth’s resources are used compared to the amount available
• What are implications of a large ecological footprint?

  air pollution, land degradation, water pollution
• Describe the population, resources and pollution model?

  population aquires resources from environment - alter conditions of ecosystem, resources are used which can lead to pollution
• What is the Malthusian perspective?

  negative population perspective - population cannot be sustained and will decline as a result of insufficient resources
• What are positive checks?

  war, famine, disease, disaster that reduces population
• What are preventative checks?

  cultural choice to lower population
• What is the Malthusian perspective criticised for?

  outdated as does not consider modern day technological/socio-economic advancements
• What is the neo-Malthusian model?


  new Malthusian model - limits to growth because of impacts to pollution, amounts of people, food ect
• What is boserups theory?

  no matter how large a population grows it will discover new ways to sustain food supplies such as new technology and systems
• What is Simon’s theory?

  humans are the ultimate resource and will invent new ways to sustain life and resources - believes population will increase and crop intensity will do the same
• What are criticisms of Simon’s theory?

  it is correct as it considers resource limitations and how it affects supply and demand, however it doesn’t consider factors like famine, war, climate change and natural hazards
• What evidence supports negative population perspectives?

  Global pandemics, war, famine, population needs to decline to tackle climate change
• What evidence supports positive population perspectives?

  the green revolution, vertical farming, GM crops, industrialisation of farming, later marriages, people choose not to have children, the population is likely to reach 10 billion by the end of the century
• Describe china as an anti-natalist example?

  • one child policy introduced in 1979 after population increase of 112 million between 1953-1964
  • laws to limit births of Han population (90% population)
  • cash bonuses, improved housing, free education and healthcare to couples who limited themselves to one child
  • age limits and marriage certificates
  • led to high dependency ratio of elderly
  • change gender structure due to female infanticide
  • fertility rate 6.2 (1950)->1.6 (2009)
• describe Singapore as a pro-natal example

  • 1984 - combat declining birth rates
  • financial benefits and baby bonus scheme
  • valentines cards promoting people to “make love not money”
  • led to reliance on migrant nannies- issues with child rearing and work