population and the environment Flashcards
outline the relationship between climate/resources and the population in the physical environment
climate;
- > has a direct impact on food supply as it determines global distribution of farming
- > adequate water supply is vital in sustaining a population
- > climate can drive diseases such a malaria
resources;
- > water is needed for agriculture, industry and domestic use.
- > there is an uneven supply of water due to rainfall variation
what are the key population parameters
distribution -> pattern of where people live.
density -> average number of people in an area per km3
total pop number -> total number of people at any given scale
percentage change -> number of people added and substracted from a population in a year
what is the global pattern in population change
1984;
- > india had high population only in coastal areas
- > Europe was very densely populated
- > central africa densely distributed but in sparse numbers
- > asia is very populated
2020;
- > india dense population and now evenly distributed
- > Europe very high population and densely packed
- > central africa has low population numbers
- > Asia still densely populated
what are the global/regional patterns of food production and consumption
production;
- > climate and soil are key environmental variables determining this.
- > in 2015 there was enough food globally to provide every single person with 2040 calories a day, but production uneven.
- > in 2018, 820 million were undernourished.
consumption;
- > there has been significant progress in increasing food consumption.
- > large numbers are undernourished in areas such as sub-saharan africa.
what are agricultural systems
farms are open systems inputs; -> physical climate -> farming processes -> money
outputs;
- > crops
- > animals products
- > animal meat
explain agricultural productivity
productivity - is the efficiency of the agricultural industry.
improving productivity;
- > disease and drug resistant crops
- > better technology
- > expansion of land, used for agriculture
- > increase in scientific research ie. GM
describe the characteristics of a polar climate
consists of long intensely cold winters at -40*, snow, wind, ice, permafrost
human activities linked to climate;
- > farming requires input of tech, ground thawed by clearing vegetation
- > indigenous groups herd reindeer as a source of fur and meat.
population;
- > 13.1 million in over 8 countries
- > Northern America
- > Eurasia tundra
describe the characteristics of the monsoon climate
consists of summers being hot and wet with temperatures of 30*, 1500mm+ rain, i.e. india.
human activities relating to climate;
- > rice - seeds planted in flooded fields - labour intensive.
- > strength of monsoon affects the yield and therefore the prices.
population;
-> india 1.32 billion - 17.8% global population
how does climate change effect agriculture
- rain fell on Greenland and ice formed so plants couldn’t grow, reindeer could not break it to eat.
- Asia-pacific hit hardest due to the reliance on agriculture and therefore climate, for example longer monsoon season ill affect crop yield, therefore food insecurity.
what is food availability
when food is available in sufficient quantities and on a consistent basis
what is food access
when someone can regularly acquire adequate quantities of food through purchases or home production
what is food utilisation
where food consumed must have a positive nutritional impact of someones health.
what is the green revolution + the issues
strategies to ensure food security
- in 1960s countries started hybridisation to develop new crop variations
- in Mexico, wheat and maize strains were developed to withstand heavy rainfall.
- animals were cross-bred to improve tolerance to arid environments.
- extensions of water irrigation schemes.
ISSUES;
- costs are very high
- richer farmers can afford new machinery thus decreasing amount of jobs available.
what is the gene revolution + the issues
strategies to ensure food security
- biotechnology research and development in GM
- makes plants more resistant to drought and disease.
- soy is a largely prevalent GM crop
ISSUES;
- potential implications to human health not known yet
- GM crops are banned in the uk, nearly 40 countries have also banned its cultivation.
how can food storage ensure security
- post harvest management is important
- food poisoning is caused by afloxatoxin contamination
- naturally occurring carcinogens are prominent In maize
