Week 5: Notes and Slide (1-3)

Question 1

Define Zoonosis

Answer 1

A disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans.

Question 2

Define Agricultural Revolution

Answer 2

The period marked by the transition from hunting and gathering to settled agriculture, leading to significant changes in lifestyle, population density, and diet.

Question 3

Why was disease less common among hunter-gatherers?

Answer 3

Disease was less common due to low population densities and the absence of domesticated animals, which limited the spread of infectious diseases.

Question 4

What factors led to an increase in infectious diseases in agricultural societies?

Answer 4

Higher population densities, changes in diet, closer living quarters, and the domestication of animals contributed to the spread of infectious diseases.

Question 5

Which of the following factors limited disease spread in pre-agricultural societies?

A) High population density
B) Use of domesticated animals
C) Low population density
D) High carb-heavy diet

Answer 5

C

Question 6

In agricultural societies, what dietary change contributed to lower resistance to disease?

A) Increase in protein intake

B) Heavy reliance on carbohydrates

C) More meat consumption

D) Increased variety of fruits and vegetables

Answer 6

B

Question 7

True or False: Infections in hunter-gatherer societies were primarily caused by the spread of diseases from domesticated animals.

Answer 7

False

Reason: Hunter-gatherer societies did not keep domesticated animals, which are a significant source of zoonotic diseases. Without close contact with domesticated animals, infections were more likely to arise from occasional trauma or contact with wild animals, not from domesticated sources.

Question 8

True or False: Disease became the major limiter of population in agricultural societies.

Answer 8

Answer: True

Reason: In agricultural societies, people lived in closer quarters and often with domesticated animals, which increased the risk of disease transmission. High population densities and a shift to a carb-heavy diet reduced immunity, making infectious diseases a primary factor limiting population growth.

Question 9

Explain how population density affected disease transmission in pre-agricultural vs. agricultural societies.

Answer 9

In pre-agricultural societies, low population density reduced the spread of disease, as people lived in small, dispersed groups. In agricultural societies, increased population density and close living quarters facilitated the spread of infectious diseases.

Question 10

Did low population densities in pre-agricultural societies help limit the spread of diseases?

Answer 10

Answer: Yes

Reason: In pre-agricultural societies, small, dispersed groups of people meant there was less opportunity for diseases to spread widely. This reduced the incidence of infectious disease outbreaks, as close contact among large groups is necessary for most infectious diseases to spread.

Question 11

Was meat a common part of the diet year-round in pre-agricultural societies?

Answer 11

Answer: No

Reason: In hunter-gatherer societies, access to meat was limited by seasonal availability and the lack of preservation methods. As a result, people could not rely on meat consistently throughout the year and would have relied more on foraged foods during certain times.

Question 12

Match each concept with the correct description:

CONCEPT
Low population density
Agricultural revolution
Zoonosis
Carb-heavy diet
Population limiter

DESCRIPTION
A. Limits disease spread

B. Rise of infectious disease

C. Disease transmission from animals

D. Lowered disease resistance

E. Role of disease in agricultural societies

Answer 12

Low population density – A. Limits disease spread

Agricultural revolution – B. Rise of infectious disease

Zoonosis – C. Disease transmission from animals

Carb-heavy diet – D. Lowered disease resistance

Population limiter – E. Role of disease in agricultural societies