Population and Environment Flashcards
(104 cards)
1
Q
What physical factors can change global food patterns?
A
- Climate
- Soils
- Relief/topography
- Water availability
2
Q
What human factors can change global food patterns?
A
- Resources
- Investment
- Technology
- Trade agreements
3
Q
What are the impacts of Climate on agriculture?
A
- Temperature: Arid areas need more water.
- Precipitation: Extreme rainfall can damage crops; Water availability for plants and animals.
- Wind: High winds can restrict crop growth.
4
Q
What are the characteristics of tropical environments?
A
- Very humid
- Hot + wet monsoon
- Cooler dry season
- Frequent tropical storms
5
Q
What are the characteristics of tundra environments?
A
- Very low temperatures
- Low population
- Permafrost
- Subsistence farming: Crops struggle with temperature.
- Low precipitation (<100 mm per year)
6
Q
What are the key parameters of population and environment?
A
- Change
- Numbers
- Distribution
- Density
7
Q
What is soil erosion?
A
Wearing away of the fertile top soil by wind and water.
8
Q
What are the causes of soil erosion?
A
- Deforestation
- Ploughing
- Topography
- Climate - (wind & rain)
9
Q
What are the impacts of soil erosion on agriculture?
A
- Less fertile soil (nutrients are removed)
- Less water retention
- Lower yields
- High costs of production
10
Q
What are the causes of water logging?
A
- Impermeable soil
- Heavy rainfall
- Poor drainage
11
Q
What are the impacts of water logging?
A
- Soil infertility
- Rotting of plants
- Slow crop growth
12
Q
What are the management strategies for water logging?
A
- Improved drainage
- Adding sand to increase pore space
- Sustainable irrigation systems
13
Q
What are the characteristics of zonal soils?
A
- Consists of weathered bedrock and decomposed organic matter from plants.
- Takes 100s of years to form.
14
Q
What is structural deterioration?
A
The loss of pore spaces in the soil as the structure of the soil is squeezed or collapses.
15
Q
What are the causes of structural deterioration?
A
- Removal of vegetation (roots no longer support the soil)
- Soil compaction from heavy farm machinery or livestock
16
Q
How does soil deterioration impact agriculture?
A
- Lack of pore space = less water = plants dry quickly
- Plant roots unable to grow through compacted soil as they need air pockets
- Farmers unable to plough the soil if it’s too compacted
17
Q
How can soil deterioration be managed?
A
- Avoid using heavy machinery
- Move livestock around to avoid compaction
- Introduce organic matter to aggregate soil together and increase number of pore spaces
18
Q
What are the characteristics of monsoon seasons?
A
- Hot wet season
- Cool dry season
19
Q
How does climate change impact agriculture?
A
- Extreme rainfall / drought
- Rising sea levels = lost land
- Lengthened growing seasons
- High temp + less precipitation = lower yields
20
Q
What factors influence food production?
A
- Season
- Soils
- Temperature
- Water availability
- Investment
- Technology
21
Q
What are 2 types of zonal soils?
A
- Gley sols
- Oxisols
22
Q
What are the characteristics of oxisols?
A
- Found in Tropical Rainforests
- Low fertility due to nutrients being leached away.
- High rates of leaching due to high precipitation
- Rich in iron and aluminium
- Iron and aluminium gives soil a red colour.
23
Q
What are the characteristics of gley sols?
A
- Found in Tundra Regions
- Very good carbon sinks
- Small layer of nutrients due to permafrost preventing decomposition.
- Very slow leaching in Summer due to low precipitation and snow.
- Often waterlogged due to small pore spaces & permafrost, giving a grey colour.
24
Q
What is morbidity?
A
The rate of disease in a population.
25
What are non-communicable diseases?
A disease that is non-infectious and non-transmissible among people.
26
What is a communicable disease?
A disease or infection that can be passed between people.
27
What are the patterns in distribution in communicable diseases/NCDS?
Communicable diseases more prevalent in LICs due to poor water quality and services. NCDs more prevalent in HICs due to higher elderly population.
28
What is mortality?
Anything related to death.
29
What are the different ways that mortality is measured?
1. Life expectancy
2. Infant mortality: Num. of infants that die before 1 year per 1000 births.
30
What are the sources of air pollution?
1. Forest fires
2. Vehicles
3. Burning fossil fuels
31
What are the main gases involved in air pollution?
1. Carbon monoxide
2. Sulfur dioxide
32
What are the impacts of air pollution?
Can cause/stimulate respiratory issues.
33
How does topography impact population and environment?
1. Poor drainage (water borne disease)
2. Less oxygen at high altitudes
3. Agriculture
34
What are the triggers of asthma?
1. Cold & damp air
2. Allergies
3. Time of year
4. Lifestyle: Obesity, Smoking, Sanitation
35
How can asthma be managed?
Education on treatment and triggers.
36
What are the characteristics of malaria?
1. Found in tropical climates
2. Communicable disease
3. Malaria parasites can only survive between 16-32°C.
37
How can malaria be managed?
1. Vaccines
2. Mosquito nets
3. Mosquito sprays
38
Who is most vulnerable to malaria?
1. Infants
2. Children under 5
3. Pregnant women
39
What is epidemiological transition?
The idea that over time, as health and sanitation improves, communicable diseases are replaced by chronic diseases.
40
What is salinisation and how can it be managed?
The process of salt accumulating in soil or water, resulting in declining agricultural productivity.
## Footnote
Management: Improved drainage, Improved irrigation, Afforestation.
41
What is meant by birth rate?
The number of live births per 1000 population over a given time period.
42
What is meant by death rate?
The number of deaths per 1000 population over a given time period.
43
What is the relationship between birth rates and death rates?
If BR > DR, there will be a natural increase in population. If DR > BR, there will be a natural decrease in population.
44
What is meant by fertility rate?
The average number of children a mother will have in her lifetime.
45
What is meant by infant mortality rate?
The number of babies dying before age 1 for every 1000 live births over a given time period.
46
What is the replacement level?
The number of children per woman needed to keep the population the same size. (Currently 2.1)
47
What are the factors influencing natural population change?
- Death rate (caused by poor nutrition and sanitation...)
- Cultural controls
- Marriage traditions
48
What factors cause high death rates?
1. Poor nutrition
2. Poor sanitation
3. Lack of services
4. Lack of infrastructure
49
What is meant by cultural controls?
Factors influencing population that are based on the social, political and cultural circumstances of a place.
50
What are some examples of cultural controls?
1. Some societies prefer male children so they can contribute more to family income, leading to more births as parents keep having children until they have more than one boy.
2. Discrimination against women, leading to lack of education.
3. Marriage traditions (child marriages).
51
What does the demographic transition model show?
Describes how population growth and demographics change over time as a country develops economically and socially. It's split into 5 stages, each stage represents patterns in birth rates, death rates and population size.
52
Explain each stage of the demographic transition model.
Stage 1 (remote tribes) = High stationary, both BR and DR are high, leading to a stable low population.
Stage 2 (poorest LICs) = Early expanding, DR begin to decline due to improved healthcare, sanitation etc... while BR remains high, leading to rapid population growth.
Stage 3 (NEES) = Late expanding, BR starts to decrease as societal changes occur, such as improved education, access to contraception etc... Population growth begins to slow down.
Stage 4 (HICs) = Low stationary, both BR and DR are low, leading to a stable population.
Stage 5 (Very developed countries such as Japan) = Declining (optional), in some interpretations of the model, this stage is where BR fall below DR, leading to a declining population.
53
Explain how age-sex composition can influence population structure.
- Refers to the distribution of individuals by age group and gender.
- High proportion of young people puts pressure on services like schools and childcare.
- A large elderly population requires greater investment in pensions and healthcare.
54
What is meant by demographic dividend?
Refers to the economic growth that arises when a country's population structure shifts from elderly to working age.
55
What is meant by migration?
The movement of people from one place to another to live.
56
What are the causes of migration?
Environmental: Natural disasters, Climate.
Socio-economic: Conflict, Unemployment, Lack of services.
57
What are the implications of migration?
Demographic: Population decline, Loss of workforce, Population growth.
Environmental: Changing pressure on natural resources, More pollution and deforestation.
Social: Changing pressure to services, Changing jobs available, Loss of culture.
Economic: Brain drain, Changing productivity, Increased pressure on housing.
Health: Increased communicable diseases.
Political: Pressure on the government.
58
What is meant by overpopulation?
When the population is higher than the resources available to ensure a high standard of living.
59
What is meant by underpopulation?
When the population is too small to develop the available resources effectively.
60
What is meant by optimum population?
A perfect balance between population and resources that allows for the highest standard of living.
61
What is meant by carrying capacity?
The maximum population size that can be sustained by the current resources available.
62
What is meant by ecological footprint?
A measure of the productive land needed to produce the resources that a population demands.
63
What is the implication of population structure on the population and resource balance?
- Countries with a low dependency ratio are more likely to develop resources efficiently, leading to economic growth and high standard of living.
- Countries with a high dependency ratio will spend precious resources on looking after the elderly or young dependents.
64
What are the implications of changes to carrying capacity and ecological footprint?
- Destruction of ecosystems
- Climate change
- Deforestation
- Water scarcity
- Food shortages
65
What is a positive feedback loop?
A feedback loop in which the outcome and process is amplified.
66
What is a negative feedback loop?
A feedback loop in which the outcome and process is nullified.
67
What is an example of a positive feedback loop in population and environment?
- Population increase = increased demand for resources = more resources acquired = supports further increase in population.
68
What is an example of a negative feedback loop in population and environment?
- Population increase = more resources acquired = pollution and environmental damage = decline in population due to rising death rates.
69
Explain the Malthusian perspective on population growth.
- Pessimistic view
Theory: Believes that population grows exponentially but food supply grows linearly.
Implications: There will be a time when there is not enough food to sustain the population. The population will exceed the carrying capacity. Population growth will stop due to crisis such as famine or disease.
70
What is meant by preventative checks on population?
Measures that decrease BR and slow down population growth.
71
Explain the Neo-Malthusian perspective of population growth.
- Pessimistic
Theory: Supported and extended Malthus's idea. Modeled how rapid population growth becomes a 'limit to economic growth'. Population checks should be introduced to reduce birth rates and conserve resources.
Implications: Population will rise until 2050 then decline. Fast resource depletion from 2000 - 2050. Food supply declines from 2000. Industrial output and productivity declines from 2000. Population increases until 2030 then declines.
72
Explain the perspective of Boserup on population growth.
- Optimistic
Theory: The human mind is the ultimate resource, and so will always solve the problem of resource scarcity.
Implications: Population increase is positive for humanity. Resources will never run out. Technological innovation will reduce scarcity of raw materials and decrease their cost. Food and water quality will increase.
73
Explain the perspective of Simon on population growth.
Theory: There are no limits to growth. Believed that the threat of high prices for essential materials would encourage the search for new supplies or alternatives. He was confident that the ingenuity of mankind will overcome its problems.
74
What are the impacts of Ozone depletion?
- Increasing exposure to UV rays, leading to higher rates of skin cancer.
- Increased exposure to UV rays leads to cataracts as the lens of the eye is damaged.
75
What is the ozone layer?
A layer of gas that protects earth from the Sun's short wave UV radiation.
76
What are the impacts of climate change?
1. Thermal stress - increased heat waves and extreme coldness.
2. Vector borne diseases - hotter and wetter conditions increases the growth and survival of vectors.
3. Agricultural productivity - changing precipitation patterns, increased temperatures, changing growing seasons.
4. Nutritional standards - food shortages leading to malnutrition.
77
How does climate change impact agriculture?
- Determines water availability for crops and livestock.
- Extreme rainfall can damage crops.
- Consistent temperatures.
- High temperatures require more water supply.
78
What is arable farming?
Growing crops.
79
What is an asylum seeker?
Someone who has applied for asylum in a country due to fear of persecution, but hasn't yet received a decision on their claim.
80
What is meant by irrigation?
The process of regularly watering crops using machinery, rather than relying on precipitation.
81
What is meant by mortality rate?
The number of deaths per 1000 over a given time period.
82
What is meant by morbidity?
The occurrence of diseases within a population over time.
83
What is pastoral farming?
Livestock.
84
What is a refugee?
An individual fleeing natural disasters, conflict or persecution.
85
What is salinisation?
The accumulation of salt within the soil.
86
What are the causes of salinisation?
- High temperatures and low precipitation lead to high rates of evaporation, which leaves salt on the ground.
- Sea level rise can draw salt up into soil in coastal areas.
- Over irrigation of water containing dissolved salts.
- Fertilisers containing salts left in soil.
87
What are the impacts of salinisation?
Can be toxic to plants.
88
How can salinisation be managed?
- Drip irrigation & moisture monitoring.
- Selection of deep rooted crops to increase water retention.
- Soil flushing (although this moves the problem elsewhere).
89
What is topsoil?
The upper layer of soil, responsible for providing the majority of nutrients and structure for agricultural activities.
90
What is a Vector-borne disease?
Diseases that can be passed between individuals by parasites or through hosts, e.g. Chagas Disease, Malaria, Lyme Disease.
91
What is water logging?
Soil becomes oversaturated with water or a lack of oxygen within the soil, meaning plants cannot respire aerobically and are vulnerable to rot.
92
How does climate impact population density?
Areas with extreme temperatures and low annual precipitation will have a lower population density.
93
What are the major advances in development?
1. Neolithic Revolution
2. Industrial Revolution
3. Green Revolution
94
What happened in the Neolithic Revolution?
- Around 12,000 years ago farming practices developed and shifted from small hunter-gatherer populations to larger agricultural communities.
- More stable food supply meant population growth.
95
What happened in the Industrial Revolution?
- around 1760 - 1850
- Discovery of large supplies of energy resources and labour-saving machinery
- Manufacturing industry overtook agricultural industry in Britain.
- People move to cities and life expectancy increased.
96
What happened in the Green Revolution?
- 1960s, technological advancements increased the food production.
- New food technologies and better farming techniques, particularly in less developed countries.
- More reliable food supply meant populations in developing countries increased quickly.
97
What are the general global population changes?
- Global average growth rate has declined since 1970s
- Countries that went through Industrial Revolutions in the 18th and 19th centuries experienced rapid population growth
- The fastest population growth today occurs in developing countries that are rapidly industrialising.
98
How has global food production & consumption changed over time?
- Increased global food production in the last 50 years (3x than 1970)
- Technological advancements have greatly increased crop yields
- Global food consumption has also greatly increased in recent years.
99
What is subsistence farming?
Food is produced to feed family or community and only excess is sold or traded.
## Footnote
(Is also extensive)
100
What is commercial farming?
Crops grown or livestock raised to sell for profit.
## Footnote
(Also intensive)
101
What is meant by intensive farming?
High yields per area of land as a result of large investment in capital or labour.
## Footnote
E.g. commercial farming
102
What is extensive farming?
Small inputs of capital or labour per area, leading to low yields.
## Footnote
E.g. subsistence farming
103
What is meant by food security?
The ability to access a diet of sufficient quantity and quality to meet their daily health needs.
104
What are the strategies to ensure food security?
- Green revolutions
- Sustainable farming practices to improve longevity of food supply
- Improving food storage to ensure food lasts longer
- Education
