Applying Population
Ecology: The Human
Population
Chapter 7
Sections 5-8
(not used 2008
Urbanization and Urban Growth

Urban and rural populations

Rural migration to urban areas

Megacities and megalopolises

Poverty and shantytowns

Patterns of urbanization
Major Urban Areas of the World
Karachi
10.4 million
16.2 million
Los Angeles
13.3 million
14.5 million
Mexico City
18.3 million
20.4 million
New York
16.8 million
17.9 million
Sao Paulo
18.3 million
21.2 million
Buenos Aires
12.1 million
13.2 million
Cairo
10.5 million
11.5 million
Lagos
12.2 million
24.4 million
Dhaka
13.2 million
22.8 million Beijing
10.8 million
11.7 million
Tokyo
26.5 million
27.2 million
Mumbai
(Bombay)
16.5 million
22.6 million
Delhi
13.0 million
20.9 million
Calcutta
13.3 million
16.7 million
Osaka
11.0 million
11.0 million
Manila
Jakarta
10.1 million
11.4 million
11.5 million
17.3 million
Shanghai
12.8 million
13.6 million
Fig. 7-13, p. 141
Megalopolises of Bowash and
Chipitts
Fig. 7-14, p. 141
US Urbanization

Initial migration to large central cities

Later migration from large cities to suburbs

Migration from north and east to south and west

Recent migration back to rural areas

Advantages and disadvantages of US urban areas
Major Urban Areas of the US
Fig. 7-15, p. 142
Urban Sprawl
1952
1967
1972
1995
Fig. 7-16, p. 143
Some Undesirable Effects of Urban Sprawl
Fig. 7-17a, p. 144
Some Undesirable Effects of
Urban Sprawl
Human Health
and Aesthetics
Contaminated drinking water
and air
Weight gain
Noise pollution
Sky illumination at night
Traffic congestion
Fig. 7-17b, p. 144
Some Undesirable Effects of
Urban Sprawl
Water
Increased runoff
Increased surface water and
groundwater pollution
Increased use of surface water
and groundwater
Decreased storage of surface
water and groundwater
Increased flooding
Decreased natural sewage
treatment
Fig. 7-17c, p. 144
Animation
SF Bay region growth animation
Advantages of Urbanization
(especially in Developed Countries)

Jobs

Education

Better access to health care

Some environmental advantages

Biodiversity may be preserved in some rural areas
Disadvantages of Urbanization

Resource use and waste

Reduction in vegetation

Water supply problems and flooding

Don’t grow food

Air, noise and water pollution

Disease, poverty, crime and accidents

Microclimates: Urban heat islands
Urban Areas as Open Systems
Inputs
Outputs
Energy
Solid wastes
Food
Waste heat
Water
Air pollutants
Water pollutants
Raw
materials
Greenhouse gases
Manufactured
goods
Manufactured goods
Money
Wealth
Information
Ideas
Noise
© 2006 Brooks/Cole - Thomson
Fig. 7-18, p. 145
Urban Areas as Open Systems
Permanent damage
begins after 8-hour
exposure
Noise Levels (in dbA)
0
10
Normal
breathing
20
85
30
40
Quiet
rural area
Whisper
© 2006 Brooks/Cole - Thomson
Quiet
room
50
Rainfall
60
70
Vacuum
cleaner
Normal
conversation
80
90
Lawn
mower
Average
factory
100
110
120
130
140
150
Rock music Earphones Boom
at loud level cars
Chain
saw
Thunderclap
(nearby)
Air raid
siren
Military
rifle
Fig. 7-19, p. 146
Extreme Poverty in Urban Areas
Fig. 7-20, p. 146
Plight of Urban Poor in Developing
Countries

Squatter settlements (shantytowns)

Poor housing and homelessness

Poor sanitation and little clean water- Fecal Snow!!!

Lack of electricity and roads

Pollution and other hazards

Governments often destroy illegal settlements

Unemployment

Overcrowding

Lack of educational and medical facilities

Crime

Disease

Mexico City
Transportation and Urban
Development

Compact and dispersed cities

Personal automobiles

Motor vehicles in the US

Advantages and disadvantages of motor vehicles

Reduction of motor vehicle use

Alternatives to motor vehicles
Tradeoffs of Bicycles
Trade-Offs
Bicycles
Advantages
Affordable
Produce no
pollution
Quiet
Require little
parking space
Disadvantages
Little protection
in an accident
Do not protect
riders from
bad weather
Easy to
maneuver in
traffic
Not practical for
trips longer than
8 kilometers
(5 miles)
Take few
resources to
make
Can be tiring
(except for electric
bicycles)
Very energy
efficient
Lack of secure
bike
parking
Provide exercise
Fig. 7-21, p. 149
Tradeoffs of Mass Transit Rail
Trade-Offs
Mass Transit Rail
Advantages
More energy
efficient than cars
Produce less air
pollution than cars
Require less
land than roads
and parking
areas for cars
Cause fewer
injuries and
deaths than cars
Reduce car
congestion in
cities
Disadvantages
Expensive to
build and
maintain
Cost effective
only along
a densely
populated
narrow corridor
Commit riders to
Transportation
schedules
Can cause noise
and vibration
for nearby
residents
Fig. 7-22, p. 149
Tradeoffs of Buses
Trade-Offs
Buses
Advantages
More flexible
than rail system
Can be rerouted
as needed
Cost less to
develop and
maintain than
heavy-rail
system
Can greatly
reduce car use
and pollution
Disadvantages
Can lose money
because they
need low fares
to attract riders
Often get caught
in traffic unless
operating in
express lanes
Commit riders
to transportation
schedules
Noisy
Fig. 7-23, p. 150
Tradeoffs of Rapid Rail
Trade-Offs
Rapid Rail
Advantages
Disadvantages
Can reduce travel by car or
plane
Expensive to run and
maintain
Ideal for trips of 200–1,000
kilometers (120–620 miles)
Must operate along heavily
used
routes to be profitable
Much more energy efficient
per rider over the same
distance than a car or plane
Cause noise and vibration
for nearby residents
Fig. 7-24, p. 150
Making Urban Areas More Livable
and Sustainable

Land-use planning (Smart Growth)

Walkability

Environmental sustainability

Smart transportation

Ecocities

Reduce pollution and waste

Protect biodiversity

Curitiba, Brazil
Smart Growth
Solutions
Smart Growth Tools
Limits and Regulations
• Limit building permits
Protection
• Preserve existing open space
• Urban growth boundaries
• Buy new open space
• Green belts around cities
• Buy development rights that prohibit certain
types of development on land parcels
• Public review of new dvlmt
Zoning
• Encourage mixed use
• Concentrate development along
mass transportation routes
Taxes
• Tax land, not buildings
• Tax land on value of actual use (such as forest
and agriculture) instead of highest value as
developed land
• Promote high-density cluster
housing developments
Tax Breaks
• For owners agreeing legally to not allow certain
types of development (conservation easements)
Planning
• For cleaning up and developing abandoned
urban sites (brownfields)
• Ecological land-use planning
• Environmental impact analysis
Revitalization and New Growth
• Integrated regional planning
• Revitalize existing towns and cities
• State and national planning
• Build well-planned new towns and villages
within cities
Fig. 7-25, p. 151
Bus System
of Curitiba,
Brazil
City
center
Express
City
center
Interdistrict
Direct
Feeder
Workers
Fig. 7-26, p. 152