AP Environmental Science
Population Ecology - chapter 6
I. History of human population growth/demographics
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check out an interactive animation of growth history and this one depicting current
growth rates around the world
mapping current population growth
Explore population and resource use trends with Gapminder
A. Worldwide human growth patterns
1. growth rates have slowed since the 1950s
2. current growth rates vary around the world (fig. 6-11)
3. current population and projections for 2025 in leading countries
4. fertility rates differ from growth rates. Check out US history in
6-5
5. projection for world population in 2050
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See p. 130 "science focus" for disucssion
latest statistics and information from population connection
more statistics - life expentancy, employment, etc, by
country
US Census information
 US Population clock
 World Population clock
 another world population clock - this one moves
 map of population trends world-wide
 World Clock - interactive data on population and
resource use
Earth Trends has lots of maps and data
CIA Factbook - compare countries
Nationmaster - demographic data on countries
Formulas, examples, and definitions
maps of humans population through history
The "rule of 70" can be used to estimate doubling times
(link includes a mathematical explanation)
Interactive map of current and future population + climate
change effects
6. Population age structure diagrams - fig 6-11, 6-12, 6-13
B. what factors influence the drop in fertility and overall population growth seen
in developed countries?
1. education, economics, access to birth control
2. infant mortality
3. age structure of populations influences growth rates – counties
with a high percentage of younger people will continue to grow
even when fertility levels drop (see previous section)
4. demographic transition - fig. 6-16
III. Problems related to population growth
A. resource limitations – food, water, raw materials, fuel
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is food shortage a problem? (see chapter 12)
jobs and caring for the elderly – fig. 6-14 - population decline
these interactive maps have more info on resource depletion
compare the possessions of typical families in different countries - can the
whole world live like the United States?
Mapping human consumption patterns
B. Overcrowding
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creation of environmental refugees and social unrest
spread of disease
C. uncontrolled development ("sprawl") leading to habitat loss and species
extinction (the east coast problem!!) (more on sprawl)
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use the UN Atlas of our changing environment to see how development
has changed the landscape in many areas
see chap 22 in text
D. Pollution problems increase if other factors remain constant
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Worldwatch population website
what happened on Easter Island? (more on this site too)
IV. Solutions to the problems of population growth
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Population Connection website has lots of good info
A. the demographic transition – developed countries have followed this progression through four
stages (fig. 6-16)
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countries cannot stay in stage two indefinitely – they will either move forward or go back
to stage one!!
compare stats on various countries
B. should population growth be limited?
C. other solutions involve “empowering women”
1. economic opportunity
2. access to birth control
D. case studies – China and India – p. 136-138
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examples of strategies taken by three different countries - China, India, and Kenya
China from the Inside - PBS
E. sustainable development is the “key word” (more discussion on this later). The idea of
"Smart Growth" is related and has become more common recently
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more links on sprawl
SmarterGrowth - planning development in the DC region
EPA Smart Growth page
SmarterGrowth America
Sierra Club - reducing sprawl