Unit 8 Flashcards
Crude Birth Rate (CBR)
is the number of births 1000/year- how many babies are born each year for every thousand people in the population.
The CBR = number of births/total population x100
Total fertility rate (TFR)
is number of children a women is expected to have in her lifetime. TFR is highest in least developed countries.
Factors affecting birth rates and fertility rates
Role of children in the labor force or education
In LEDC’s children are seen as an economic asset
MEDC’s are seen as economic burden
Rates of urban living
Space is more limited
Access to healthcare and family planning is better
Access to education is better so more children go to school
Women’s status
Low socioeconomic status of women increases fertility rates
In MEDC’s the role of a domestic housewife applies less each time
Lifestyle choices and cultural norms
Marrying young before, marrying later now
IMR
If IMR (infant mortality rate) if this is high people have more children to ensure some of them survive
Family planning and abortions
Impact fertility and ability of family planning
Religious beliefs
In some countries having multiple children is seen as a sign of the mans virility and because men control fertility, large families are the result
Government policies like chinas one child policy
Crude death rate (CDR) is the number of deaths per year. Factors affecting death rates:
Income
(food, healthcare, education, shelter)
Literacy/education
Especially important among women, a better educated mother better understands how to look after the children, lowering child mortality
Access to food
Balanced diet
Availability of health care
MEDC’s public health is readily available to the majority of the population
Water supply and sanitation
Access tp shelter
natural increase rate (NIR).
Fertility and mortality combine to determine population size and this is known as the natural increase rate (NIR).
If fertility is greater than mortality (LEDC) → NIR is positive
If mortality is greater than fertility → NIR is negative
nir formula and doubling time
NIR = CBR-CDR / 10
The NIR is used to calculate the doubling time (DT) - how long will it take a given population to double in size.
DT = 70/NIR
Mathusian predictions
Thomas Malthus (1798) wrote an essay in which he predicted the fate of humanity. He argued that population growth is exponential. Whereas the increase in food production is arithmetic. This naturally leads to disaster when the human population exceeds carrying capacity and population growth outsrtips food production. Malthus saw this being resolved by famine and war.
Malthu’s view was reaffirmed by German scientist Paul Ehrlich in 1968 when he wrote The population bomb. The too predicted global famine in the 1970’s and 80s.
In 1972 the book the Limits to Growth was also published, following the malthusian idea. How exponential growth of the human population will cause problems in relation to finite resources (fossil fuels), levels of pollution and food production.
Anti Malthusian theories
Economists such as Boserup argued that advances in agriculture due to the Green revolution had increased food production faster than we could imagine.
Between 1950 and 1984 grain production increased by 250% which kept pace with population growth. The truth is that globally there is enough food to feed everyone. Famine is still a problem locally due to poor distribution networks of inadequate production.
The economist take on the situation is “necessity is the mother of invention” and humans can be very inventive when need drives them.
There have been a number of agricultural revolutions (Green, Blue, hydroponics, aquaponics. All increase our food production)
Medical advantages allow to improve life expectancy and life quality for many
Technological advances are giving us solutions to power requirements (renewable energy)
Industrial advances allow industry to keep pace with demand
Green revolution was driven by fossil fuels. Fertilizers and pesticides are derived from oil and natural as. Agricultural machinery and the delivery networks also rely on fossil fuels.
Overpopulation and the environment
Grain prices increase as biofuel production replaces food production.
Oil prices increase and we are turning to fracking which damages environment
Effects of climate change are being felt ever more sharply
Agricultural land is being lost to residential and industrial developments
Food riots occur in countries eg 2007 West Bengal, India
Pimentel estimates that USA can only feed 200million people when it already has a population of 300 million.
According to UN the world needs 70% more food by 2050. Number of unnourished people is increasing.
Water is increasing and aquieres cannot be replenished. Glaciers are disappearing
DTM demographic transition model
Stage 1: Pre industrial society.
Highly fluctuating CBR and CDR and give almost cero NIR. High deaths caused by natural events like disease and famine. High birth rates are result of lack of awareness of family planning
Stage 2:
CBR remains high but death rates drop quickly, causing significant increase in NIR and a rapidly expanding population
Falling death rates due to (improved food production caused by green revolution, improvments in food storage, greater understanding of disease, water supply, poor santitation) discovery of penicillin and vaccination.
Stage 3: industrial
Death rates continue to fall and birth rates decline as well. At this stage the NIR is the highest of all stages. Large gap between the CBR and the CDR.
Fall in birth rates due to (availability of of contraceptives and family planning, ban on child labor, parents begin to invest in child’s education, making children a financial burden)
Stage 4: Post industrial
BR DR and NIR are low. However the population is already large having gone through a period of high growth
Stage 5: Post industrial
Death rates now exeed birth rates due to an increases in a so called lifestyle diseases like low excerise and high obesity causing cardio-vascular diseases. Aging population ensues as the large numbers aused by high birth rates in 1 and 2 are now into old age. This is a problem because the falling birth rates of stage three mean fewer workers to support the growing aging population
Critisisms of the DTM
The applicability of the DTM is a useful tool to predicting population change is questionable. The MEDC;s are at the end of the model are actually being observed to develop the model further and LEDCS may not follow the same patters because
The model is Eurocentrc and the relationship between economic development and population growth does not seem to be the same in LEDCs
Some LEDCs are going through the stages much faster as the medical advances have been made, contraception is already in existance and education is widespread
Does not take into account natural disasters, epicemis
Does not take into account govermnet policies designed to manage the population
Does not factor migration
Cultural and religious factors have mainatined high birth ates in may LEDCs, so they are stuck in stage 2
Natural Capital def
Natural capital is the natural resources that produce sustainable natural income of goods and services
Economic capital , aesthetic capital, cultural capital, environmental capital , technological capital
Economic capital
Economic natural capital = fossil fuels, timber, food, gemstones
Aesthetic and insttinctis capital
It is valued not because you can make money from it but simply because its there
Cultural capital
Cultural services with cultural heritage and spiritual value like famous buildings, ancient monuments
Environmental capital
The whole planet to be natural capital. Our environment provides all other capital.
Ecocentrics would say that natural capital should be left untouched
Anthopocentrics would say it should be managed
Technocentrics would say we should exploit it all
Technological capital
Technological development of natural capital can change status incredibly quickly. Much of the technology becomes useless very quickly.
Questions about natural capital are common so you need to have a clear idea of what it is and how and why its value and status may change. Have at least one example of all types of natural capital and what effects its value and status. Remember changes are spatial and temporal.
Economic Capital
Example: Fossil fuels (oil, coal)
Value and status change: The value of fossil fuels can fluctuate due to factors like geopolitical conflicts, technological advancements in renewable energy sources, and shifts in energy demand. Additionally, concerns over environmental impacts, such as carbon emissions leading to climate change, can influence their status.
Aesthetic and Intrinstc Capital
Example: Northern Lights
The Northern Lights’ allure varies by location, season, solar activity, and cultural significance, making their value and desirability fluctuate spatially and temporally.
Cultural Capital
Example: Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu’s cultural significance evolves over time, impacted by factors like tourism, preservation efforts, and changing perceptions, affecting its status and value.
Technological Capital
Example: Mobile phone
Mobile phones epitomize technological capital, and their rapid advancements and changing features influence their value and status continually.
Non renewable natural capital
Non-renewable natural capital is either irreplaceable or can only be replaced over geological timescales; for example, fossil fuels, soil and minerals.
Non renewable natural capital is anything that takes geological time scales to form. It is irreplaceable in our life times. Cannot be replaced equal to our consumption rates. It therefore is referred as finite.
