Population & the Environment Flashcards
What 2 climate case studies do we study?
Polar tundra + tropical monsoon
Where is the tropical monsoon climate?
Within tropics and sub-tropics. E.g. central and south America, south Africa
What are the characteristics of the tropical monsoon climate?
Warm/humid climate with temps consistently above 18°C
Dry seasons and wet seasons know as monsoon seasons
What are the tropical monsoon regions used for?
Huge opportunities for farming & better food security
What type of farming is done in the tropical monsoon region?
Subsistence farming - most crops are used to support the farmers family/ little to sell. Lots of rice farming in waterlogged soils
Threats to the tropical monsoon climate zones?
Climate change changing the monsoon climate regularity, creating longer or short / wetter or drier seasons
Where is the polar tundra?
The polar regions
What are the characteristics of the polar tundra climate?
Consistently below freezing
Very little precipitation & majority of precipitation is snow
Few animals & plants can survive harsh conditions
Population in the polar regions?
13.1 million - low due to unfavorable conditions
What type of agriculture takes place in polar tundra regions?
V little agriculture due to climate but majority of food comes from farming of reindeers, and ice-fishing
Threats/changes to the polar tundra?
Climate change might make it easier to farm as permafrost melts
What is food security?
Having access to a reliable, nutritious, and affordable food supply
What does food security rely on?
Food availability, food access, food use, and food stability
What are the strategies to improve food security continues? (3)
Reducing post-production losses - reduce wastage &improve trade links
Increasing food production - increase livestock & pasture productivity
Reducing growth in demand - shift to healthier diets, avoid competition in selling food
What can affect the amount of disease in a population?
Topography - drainage, relief
Tectonic hazards
Climate - seasonality, sunlight, temperature, precipitation
Air quality - worlds largest environmental health threat. Accounted for 9% of all deaths in 2017
Water quality - causes 2 million deaths every year
What is arable farming?
Farming of cereal and root crops
What is pastoral farming?
Farming of livestock
What is mixed farming?
Mix of arable and pastoral farming
What is intensive farming?
High investment in labour or capita (machinery, greenhouse, etc)
What is extensive farming?
Low inputs of labour or capita but involves large areas of land
What is commerical farming?
Farming of a single product to maximise profits
What is subsistence farming?
Production of food to feed a family or community
What are hydroponics?
The science of growing plants without soil by feeding them minerals within water
What are examples of soil problems?
Waterlogging of soils
Salinisation of soils
What 2 soils types do we study?
Podsols and tropical red latosols
Where are podsols found?
Continuous belt across North America& Eurasia
Where are latosols found?
5° North and South of the equator
How does climate affect podsols?
Prolonged harsh winter and cool summers limit vegetation growth & therefore litter
How does climate benefit latosols?
Hot, wet, and humid conditions with no seasons promotes the perfect growing conditions
Depth of podsols?
1metre
Depth of latosols?
30 metres
Vegetation in/on podsols?
Spruce/pine trees
Vegetation in/on latosols?
Rainforest
Uses of podsols?
Mainly used for sheep farming/ pastoral farming
Uses of latosols?
Once trees are removed soils become poor due to high rainfall
How do humans use podsols?
Breeding grounds for grouses for shooting. Generates $150million annually
How do humans use latosols?
Land for ranching, cash-cropping, settlements, mineral explitation
Define health
A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease
Define morbidity
Being ill or unhealthy with a disease or symptoms of a disease
What are the 2 types of international health organisations?
Multilateral organisations
NGO’s
What is the WHO’s annual buget?
$4.4billion in 2018/19
What is UNICEF’s aim?
To protect children’s right and allow them to reach there full potential, by ensuring they have the basic needs
What is the epidemiological transition model?
Each stage
A model describing how morbidity varies as a country develops
Stage 1 age of infection & famine - poor sanitation causes most death
Stage 2 age of receding pandemics - improved sanitation
Stage 3 age of degenerative & man-made diseases - obesity, HBP
Stage 4 age of delayed degenerative diseases - cancer, dementia etc
Stage 5a age of inactivity & obesity - USA, Eastern Europe
Stage 5b emergence of new communicable diseases - COVID-19
What is the demographic transition model?
A model describing how population growth changes over time as a country develops
Stage 1- high BR, high DR - slow increase in population
Stage 2- high BR, DR falls dramatically - rapid pop growth
Stage 3- BR falls, DR falls slowly - increase slows
Stage 4- BR + DR low - population falls
Stage 5- BR lower than DR
Examples of NGO’s
Red Cross - to reduce human suffering in conflict zones, and protect life
Doctors Without Borders - provides medical assistance to victims of war & natural disasters, and will enter war zones without permission from authorities
What are the impacts of climate change on health?
Thermal Stress
Increased threat of vector-borne disease
Positive impacts of climate change on agriculture
Higher CO2 in atmosphere could lead to increased plant growth - up to 50% increased productivity
Negative impacts of climate change on agriculture
In 2010, the Russian drought left 40% less wheat being produced
Hurricanes have resulted in Mexico losing 10% of cultivated land each year
Define migration
Movement from one place to another
What is the difference between immigrant and emigrant?
Immigrant - arriving in a new place
Emigrant - leaving a place
Challenges created by population growth
Economic losses - importing more food, and medicines
Political conflict - over no. of refugees taken in, over resources
Social disruption - pressure on healthcare + increasing house prices
Environmental degradation - deforestation
What was Malthus’ view on population growth?
Catastrophe will occur as natural checks. There will no be enough food to support the population which will lead to a check.
E.g. China in the 1970’s suffered a famine killing 30 million
Who supports Malthus’ view?
Club of Rome
New-Malthusians
What is Boserup’s view on population growth?
People will innovate to produce more food - e.g. fertiliser
Who supports Boserup’s view?
Julian Simon - the human mind is “the ultimate resource”
