Topic 8.1 - Human Populations and Dynamics

Question 1

Crude Birth Rate

Answer 1

The number of births per thousand individuals in a population per year

Question 2

Crude Death Rate

Answer 2

The number of deaths per thousand individuals in a population per year

Question 3

Natural Increase Rate

Answer 3

The rate of human growth expressed as a percentage change per yer

Question 4

Doubling Time

Answer 4

The time it takes for the population to double in size

Question 5

Total Fertility Rate

Answer 5

The average number of children each woman has over her lifetime

Question 7

How do you calculate ‘CBR’?

Answer 7

Total numbers of birth/total population x 1000

Question 8

How do you calculate ‘CDR’?

Answer 8

Number of deaths/total population x 1000

Question 9

What is the weakness of ‘CDR’ as a measure of death rates?

Answer 9

It is a poor indicator as populations with many old people (MEDCs) have higher CDRs than countries with more younger populations (e.g. Denmark)

Question 10

Why is the world’s population increasing so fast?

Answer 10

Factors such as education, health, poverty, place of residence and social class.

Question 11

Where is population growth more common and why?

Answer 11

Less economically developed countries as they are less educated, and believe they need more children to help them make a living and take care of them in the future.

Question 12

Why is population growth slower in MEDCs?

Answer 12

More economically developed countries believe they cannot raise children with a low income which means they can only have children if it does not affect their standard of living

Question 13

What is exponential growth?

Answer 13

When the population is growing, and there are no limiting factors slowing the growth.

Question 14

What are the impacts of exponential growth?

Answer 14

Huge amounts of extra resources needed to feed, house, clothe and look after the increasing number of people

Question 15

How do humans exploit the Earth’s resources using fossil fuels?

Answer 15

The burning of fossil fuels leads to an increase in atmospheric sulfur dioxide –> causes acid rain.

Question 16

How does acid rain impact the environment?

Answer 16

Devestating consequences on biodiversity as many plants and animal species cannot survive in these conditions. As the rain becomes more acidic biodiversity decreases

Question 17

How does untreated sewage impact the environment?

Answer 17

If untreated sewage is released into rivers it provides food for bacteria, which will increase in number and use up the oxygen supply of the water –> results in a decrease in species diversity

Question 18

How does deforestation impact the environment?

Answer 18

Can result in habitat destruction, a reduction in soil fertility and poor soil structure leading to a decrease in biodiversity

Question 19

How does desertification impact the environment?

Answer 19

Decreases biodiversity as only species that can survive in a dry habitat will remain in these areas

Question 20

How does grazing impact the environment?

Answer 20

Low grazing intensisties –> the biodiversity of grassland is low because of a few species of plants are able to outcompete the others

As intensity increases the biodiversity increases as the dominant plant species are kept in check by grazers and the weaker competitors are able to grow

At very high intensities –> biodiversity decreases because only plants with adaptations can tolerate the effects of grazing

Question 21

How do pesticides impact the environment?

Answer 21

Can have adverse effects on environment if they are not biodegradeable and accumulate in the bodies of organisms over time

Up the foodchain the concetration of pesticides found increases resultig in the toxicity reaching fatal levels in the organism

Question 22

What does the DTM (demographic transition model) show us?

Answer 22

Countries progress through recognized states in the transition from LEDC to MEDC.

Suggests that death rates fall before birth rates and the total population expands

Question 23

Discuss how cultural, historical, religious, social, political, and economic factors can influence population dynamics.​

Answer 23

Some agriculture cultures see that having more children help with working the land. While other cultures where women are employed and education have low birth rates.

Religious believes include family planning. Most religions are pro-natalists.

Social pressures are put on many women in more traditional societies to have children

Governments may be pro-natalist or anti-natalists

Availability of clean water, sanitation, adequate housing, reliable food supply, diseases, healthcare, occupation, civil conflicts

Question 24

Policies that reduce population growth rate:

Answer 24

Pension schemes reduce parents reliance on their children for care when they are elderly.

Taxes and poor job security can lead to a decision to have a smaller family.

Any policy that stimulates economic growth usually leads to increased education and therefore knowledge of birth control.

Urbanisation limits physical space to have large family.

Policies directed at educating and liberating women.

Question 25

Policies that increase population growth rate:

Answer 25

Agricultural development, improved public health and sanitation etc. may lower CDR and stimulate rapid growth without lowering fertility (stage 2 of DTM) Lowering income tax or giving incentives and free education may increase CBR. E.g. Australian baby bonus Encourage immigration, particularly of workers. Especially if immigration is from less developed countries.

Question 26

Analyse age-gender pyramids and diagrams showing demographic transition models

Answer 26

a wide base indicates a high birth rate narrowing base suggests falling birth rate straight or near vertical sides reveal a low death rate concave slopes characterize high death rates bulges in the slope indicate immigration or in-migration deficits in the slope indicate emigration or out-migration or age-specific or sex-specific deaths (epidemics, war)

Question 27

Birth rates decline because

Answer 27

children are very costly the government looks after people through pensions and health services more women want their own career there is a more widespread use of family planning as the infant mortality rate decreases there is no need of child replacement

Question 28

Death rates decline because

Answer 28

clean water reliable food supply good hygiene and sanitation lower population densities better vacations and healthcare rising standards of living

Question 29

People want children: ( High Birth rates)

Answer 29

for labour to look after them in old age to continue the family name prestige to replace children who have died

Question 30

People die from: (High Death rates)

Answer 30

lack of clean water lack of food poor hygiene and sanitation overcrowding contagious disease poverty

Question 31

China - Anti-natalist policy

Answer 31

China instilled an anti natalist policy to help combat population explosion. Imbalances between population and available resources were steadily increasing. China has 7% of the world’s agricultural land and 23% of the world’s population. The idea was to encourage economic development and improve the standard of living for the population. 1953 - First modern census takes place in China. The population comes in as 583 million. Between 1953 and 1964 the population increased by 112 million as Mao Zedong encouraged larger families in an attempt to make China stronger. Attempts to slow down population growth were started in the 1970s using the slogan “Later, longer, fewer”. People were encouraged to limit families to two children. 1979 - One child policy introduced.