HUMAN POPULATION,
CARRYING CAPACITY, AND
RESOURCE USE
3.8 Environmental Demands of Human populations
Assessment Statements
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3.8.1 Explain the concept of an ecological footprint
as a model for assessing the demands that human
populations make on their environment.
3.8.2 Calculate from appropriate data the
ecological footprint of a given population, stating
the approximations and assumptions involved.
3.8.3 Describe and explain the differences between
ecological footprints of two human populations, one
from an LEDC, and one from an MEDC.
Assessment Statements
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3.8.4 Discuss how national and international
development policies and cultural influences can
affect human population dynamics and growth.
3.8.5 Describe and explain the relationship
between population, resource consumption and
technological development, and their influence on
carrying capacity and material economic growth.
3.8.1 Explain the concept of an ecological footprint as a
model for assessing the demands that human populations make
on their environment.
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Ecological footprint –
hypothetical area of
land required by a
society, group, or
individual to fulfill all
their resource needs.
As a model it can
monitor environmental
impact, and allow for
direct comparisons
between groups and
individuals.
3.8.1 Explain the concept of an ecological footprint as a
model for assessing the demands that human populations make
on their environment.
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Since carrying
capacity is the number
of individuals an area
can support, these are
the inverse of one
another.
Carrying capacity is
sustainable support of
a population, whereas
ecological footprint is
not necessarily
sustainable.
3.8.1 Explain the concept of an ecological footprint as a
model for assessing the demands that human populations make
on their environment.
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Ecological footprint can be
increased by:
Greater reliance on fossil
fuels
Increased use of technology
and, therefore, energy
High level of imported
resources
Large per capita production
of carbon waste
Large per capita
consumption of food
A meat-rich diet
3.8.1 Explain the concept of an ecological footprint as a
model for assessing the demands that human populations make
on their environment.
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Ecological footprint can be
reduced by:
Reducing amount of resources
used
Recycling resources
Reusing resources
Improving efficiency of resource
use
Reducing amount of pollution
produced
Transporting waste to other
countries to deal with
Using and improving tech to
increase capacity
Reducing population to reduce use
Using tech to intensify land use
3.8.2 Calculate from appropriate data the ecological footprint of a
given population, stating the approximations and assumptions involved.
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To keep it simple it is usually
based on only net carbon
dioxide emissions, and food
production in grain
equivalent
Includes approximations for
the following:
Bioproductive land
Bioproductive sea
Energy land
Built land
Biodiversity land
Non-productive land
3.8.2 Calculate from appropriate data the ecological footprint of a
given population, stating the approximations and assumptions involved.
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Includes assumptions based on
ignoring the following factors:
The land or water required to
provide any aquatic and
atmospheric resources
Land or water needed to
assimilate wastes other than
carbon dioxide
Land used to produce
materials imported into the
country to subsidize arable
land and increase yields
Replacement of productive
land lost through urbanization
3.8.3 Describe and explain the differences between ecological footprints of
two human populations, one from an LEDC, and one from an MEDC.
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LEDC ecological footprints tend to
be smaller than MEDC due to:
Lower rate of resource
consumption
Less disposable income
Less waste and pollution
Informal economy responsible for
recycling resources
Low meat and animal product diet
Higher rates of carbon dioxide
uptake and lower emissions
MEDC ecological footprints tend
to be larger than LEDC due to
having the opposite affects of
LEDCs.
3.8.4 Discuss how national and international development policies and cultural
influences can affect human population dynamics and growth.
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Population policies have big
impacts on population growth
Pronatalist – in favor of
increasing the birth rate
(France)
Populations in the West tend to
be rising due to immigration.
Many immigrants come from
rural areas so are accustomed
to needing large families.
Therefore they have a higher
birth rate. It takes a couple of
generations in an urban setting
before this begins to decline.
3.8.4 Discuss how national and international development policies and cultural
influences can affect human population dynamics and growth.
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Anti-natalist – attempt to
limit the birth rate (China
and Arab countries)
Many countries in East Asia
(Japan, Singapore, Taiwan,
and South Korea) have
declining birth rates partly
due to more job
opportunities and earning
power for women. As well
as a reluctance to marry
and a preference for few if
any children among women.
3.8.4 Discuss how national and international development policies and cultural
influences can affect human population dynamics and growth.
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International policy includes
policies like the millennium
development goals which are:
Eradicate extreme poverty and
hunger
Achieve universal primary
education
Promote gender equality and
empower women
Reduce child mortality
Improve maternal health
Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and
other diseases
Ensure environmental sustainability
Develop global partnership for
development
3.8.5 Describe and explain the relationship between population, resource
consumption and technological development, and their influence on carrying
capacity and material economic growth.
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There are four types of
regions in the world: USA
type, European type, IndoChina type, and Brazil type.
They are each classified by
their population-resource
ratios.
USA – High Tech, Low Pop
European – High Tech, High
Pop
Indo-China – Low Tech, High
Pop
Brazil – Low Tech, Low Pop
3.8.5 Describe and explain the relationship between population, resource
consumption and technological development, and their influence on carrying
capacity and material economic growth.
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Agricultural development led to
massive deforestation in many
countries.
Industrialization led to higher resource
use, which led to drawing resources
from colonies and other countries.
Some countries have tried to triumph
over nature, and this tends to be very
anti-environmental. (USSR and USA)
This continued until the space program
brought pictures showing the effects.
The Green Party gained government
representation in many countries at this
time.
Emerging countries wish to use
resources to grow, but some MEDCs
argue to be conservative despite the
fact they were not in the past.
Hunter-gatherers may be more
sustainable but have higher rates of
infanticide and neglect of girls.