Resource Reliance Theory

Question 1

How is demand for resources increasing?

Answer 1

Global population is (7 billion in 2011 - expected to reach 9 by 2040) increasing, requiring more resources.
Economic development means people are getting wealthier, with more disposable income and so higher resource consumption.
Increased demand for one resource can increase demand for another.

Question 2

Why can’t resource supply meet demand?

Answer 2

• Climate - low rainfall or changing rainfall patterns due to climate change.
• Geology - fossil fuels, surface store, landscape for renewable energy.
• Conflict - transport disruption.
• Poverty - exploiting natural resources requires technology.
• Natural hazards - infrastructure destruction.

Question 3

Explain mechanisation of farming as a human use of the environment.

Question 4

Explain commercial fishing as a human use of the environment.

Answer 4

• Methods include trawling (towing huge nets behind boats) and dredging (dragging a metal frame along the seabed to harvest shellfish).
• Fishing has become increasingly mechanised since the 1950s.
• Fish farms are also used to breed fish and shellfish in contained spaces.

Question 5

Explain deforestation as a human use of the environment.

Question 6

Explain mining as a human use of the environment.

Question 7

Explain reservoirs as a human use of the environment.

Question 8

Explain water transfer schemes as a human use of the environment.

Question 9

Explain the impact of mechanisation of farming on ecosystems and the environment.

Answer 9

• As fields grow, hedgerow removal leads to a decline in biodiversity.
• More chemicals are being used, which harm or kill organisms if they reach water courses.
• Heavy machinery can cause soil erosion.

Question 10

Explain the impact of commercial fishing on ecosystems and the environment.

Answer 10

• Over-fishing has endangered some fish, and has knock-on impacts on other species.
• Dredging damages seafloor habitats.
• Fish farms are often overcrowded, producing waste that, if released, can cause algal blooms.

Question 11

Explain the impact of deforestation on ecosystems and the environment.

Answer 11

• More CO2 in the atmosphere increases global warming.
• 70% of land animals have a forest as a habitat.
• Removing trees exposes soil, leading to erosion that damages river/stream habitats.
• Reducing interception makes flooding more likely, damaging habitats.

Question 12

Explain the impact of mining on ecosystems and the environment.

Answer 12

• Waste pollutes everything. Mercury and lead are very toxic.
• Habitats are destroyed o make way for mines.
• Mining uses huge amounts of water.
• Fossil fuels are non-renewable and contribute to global warming.

Question 13

Explain the impact of reservoirs on ecosystems and the environment.

Answer 13

• They flood land - habitats and farms.
• Dams regularly release water, leading to uniform flow, reducing biodiversity.
• Dams barrier species and sediment movement.

Question 14

Explain the impact of water transfer schemes on ecosystems and the environment.

Answer 14

• New channels require large-scale engineering - damaging ecosystems.
• The donor area may experience water shortages, pressuring local ecosystems.
• Lots of energy is needed for long-distance pumping.

Question 15

Define food security

Answer 15

Food security is when people have access to enough nutritious food to stay healthy and active.

Question 16

Explain physical factors that affect food security.

Answer 16

• Climate - low temperatures or rainfall mean not much food can be grown.
• Water stress - crops and livestock need water to survive.
• Pests and diseases - pests consume crops, diseases affect most crops and livestock.

Question 17

Explain human factors that affect food security.

Answer 17

• Poverty - can’t buy, grow, or on a global scale import food.
• Technology - mechanisation and new technologies fighting disease.
• Conflict - land damage, access/imports.
• Over-farming - grazing too much livestock causes soil erosion; intensive arable farming makes the land infertile.
• Food prices - supply and demand can increase prices.

Question 18

How can global patterns of access to food be illustrated?

Answer 18

The daily calorie intake of people in different countries shows the amount that people eat.
The Global Hunger Index shows how many people in developing countries are suffering from hunger or illness caused by lack of food (0 - no hunger; 100 - extreme hunger; converted to categories of severity).

Question 19

Compare Malthusian and Boserupian theories about the relationship between population and food supply.

Answer 19

Thomas Malthus - an 18th-century economist - said population would increase faster than food supply, leading to catastrophes.
Ester Boserup - a 20th-century economist - said no matter population size, technological advances would allow for production of sufficient food indefinitely.

Question 20

Define ethical consumerism

Answer 20

Ethical consumerism means choosing to buy goods that have been produced with minimal harm to people and the environment.

Question 21

Discuss ethical consumerism as a sustainable attempt to achieve food security.

Question 22

Discuss food production methods as sustainable attempts to achieve food security.

Question 23

Discuss technological developments as sustainable attempts to achieve food security.

Question 24

Discuss ‘bottom up’ approaches as a sustainable attempt to achieve food security.