Exam 3 Study Guideas Soon As Possible After Attending Lecture Comple ✓ Solved
EXAM 3 STUDY GUIDE As soon as possible, after attending lecture, complete the part of the study guide that was covered in lecture. This will help transfer the information from your short term memory to your long term memory. EACH DAY review the study guide. If you don’t understand something, ask me. POPULATION Describe the difference between exponential and logistic growth.
When plotted on graph paper, the curves are very different. How are they different? How does environmental resistance prevent a population from growing exponentially indefinitely? What is meant by "carrying capacity"? What happens when populations don't make a smooth transition between exponential and logistic growth?
What is demography? Both replacement level fertility and total fertility rate (TFR) are 2 types of fertility rates that affect population size and growth rate. How are they different (what do they measure)? The demographic transition model that was discussed in class looks at the effects of economic development (improvement of living conditions) on birth and death rates, and consequently population growth. Four demographic stages were discussed. a.
During the predevelopment stage, why are birth rates and death rates high? Does total population increase, decrease, or remain about the same? b. Populations that start experiencing improved living conditions (economic development) usually experience a decrease in death rates; however, birth rates remain high and populations grow very rapidly. What are some factors that increase the desire to have children? c. What are some factors that increase the desire to have fewer children? d.
With time, birth rates finally decrease and death rates remain stable. In order to have zero population growth (equilibrium), what is the goal? Declining fertility rates in the last 3 decades have resulted in a decrease in the rate of population growth. If population growth is decreasing, then why will populations continue to grow from 6 billion to possibly 8 billion or more, with 90% of that growth occurring in developing countries? To achieve stable world population, 75% of all couples will need to use contraceptives.
The “key†to meeting this goal is improved social, educational and economic status of women. Why? What are the 3 most populous nations on earth? How was China able to reduce its TFR from 5.7 to 1.8 in only 30 years? In the very near future, India is expected to be the #1 most populated country even though it has decreased its TFR from 5.3 to 3.2.
Why does India have such a strong momentum for growth? In the U.S., TFR is at replacement level, but population growth is not expected to stabilize. Why? What is the IPAT equation? Using this equation, describe the differences between poor countries and rich countries in terms of environmental impact.
What is an ecological footprint? To reduce environmental impact, affluence and traditional industrial technology also need to be addressed (not just population). Why? What is occurring in many developing countries that is creating real concerns about future global environmental impact? Describe sustainable development using fair trade and microloans as examples.
SOLID, TOXIC AND HAZARDOUS WASTE In the U.S., which method is primarily used for disposing of municipal waste? One-fifth of superfund sites are old municipal waste dumps. Why? Unlike open dumps, modern landfills must be designed to provide better protection for the environment. List ways this can be accomplished.
Give reasons why there are fewer landfills available for domestic waste disposal. Why are so many communities exporting their waste? What are some concerns with this practice? What is the difference between a mass burn facility and a refuse-derived fuel facility? What are some benefits and concerns with using incineration to dispose of domestic waste?
You were hired by a community to recommend the best method for municipal waste disposal. List 2 methods and compare their advantages and disadvantages. What would be your final recommendation? What is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch What happened in Love Canal, NY that exposed the health hazards of improper hazardous waste disposal? As a result of the Love Canal incident, the Superfund was created.
What is the superfund used for? AGRICULTURE: Food Using the diagram below, answer the following questions: a. What are trophic levels? b. What is the difference between producers and consumers? c. Describe the 10% rule. d.
Why is it that the number of individuals supported decreases at higher trophic levels? e. Explain why you can feed more people on a vegetarian diet (grain) than on a meat diet. What is a CAFO? In the last 40 years, what is happening with food production in relation to population growth rate? Is international food aid a good long-term solution to providing food security?
Explain. In a world of surplus food, why are millions of people still not getting enough food? From , due to the green revolution, grain production surpassed human population growth. What factors contributed to the Green Revolution? According to the U.N.
Food and Agriculture Organization, which factor will contribute to 70% of future food production? Explain. What are some advantages and disadvantages of using crop irrigation? The use of chemical fertilizers contributed to the green revolution and helped to increase yields, but there are some negative consequences. What are they?
In Europe, a tremendous amount of chemical fertilizers are used to increase crop yields. When farmers in those areas double their fertilizer use, do crop yields also double? Explain. DDT was first used in 1940. Why was it considered to be a “miracle†chemical at the time?
In the 1960s, it was discovered that DDT bioaccumulated. What does this mean? What is the difference between bioaccumulation and biomagnification? Why was DDT banned in the US? In 1950, a relatively small amount of pesticides were used and crop loss to pests was 31%.
Now, 64 times more pesticides are used and crop loss to pests is 37%. If more pesticides are being used, shouldn’t there be a reduction in crop loss? What’s going on? What is meant by “the pesticide treadmillâ€? What is meant by "the circle of poison"?
Describe methods that can reduce insect populations. Describe IPM. When are insecticides used? What happened in Indonesia when they switched to IPM? What are some differences between IPM and organic farming?
How can the use of Bt corn result in insecticide resistance? Retaining land currently in crop production is a serious concern due to excessive soil degradation, caused by using inappropriate farming practices. What is happening to the topsoil in these situations? Which factors contributed to the “Dust Bowlâ€? It was brought about by farmers who dug so deep into the ground hence destroying roots that used to hold soil together.
The freed soil would then be blown away by wind hence the dust bowl. As a result of the Dust Bowl, in 1935, the Soil Conservation Service was established. However topsoil is still eroding faster than it forms. In the U.S., soil on cultivated land is eroding 16x faster than it is forming. Is this sustainable or unsustainable?
Explain. List and describe some agricultural practices that can reduce soil erosion. (Be sure to explain how they reduce soil erosion) Imagine that you work for an international nonprofit organization and your job is to establish aquaculture in a coastal village in order to increase local protein consumption. List the potential problems with aquaculture and describe ways that you can avoid these problems.
Paper for above instructions
Population Dynamics
Exponential and Logistic Growth
Exponential growth refers to a population increase that occurs under ideal conditions, characterized by a J-shaped curve on a graph. The population grows at a constant percentage rate, reflecting unchecked growth potential \( (Freedman, 2023) \). On the other hand, logistic growth describes a more realistic scenario where population growth slows as it approaches the environment's carrying capacity, depicted as an S-shaped curve. The carrying capacity (K) is the maximum population size an environment can sustain (Odum & Barrett, 2005).
Environmental Resistance and Carrying Capacity
Environmental resistance comprises factors that limit population growth, such as food scarcity, predation, disease, and habitat loss (Peavy et al., 2013). These factors prevent populations from achieving infinite growth. When populations fail to transition smoothly from exponential to logistic growth, they can overshoot their environment's carrying capacity, leading to resource depletion and population crashes.
Demography and Fertility Rates
Demography is the statistical study of populations, including their size, distribution, and trends. Replacement-level fertility (RLF) refers to the number of children a couple must have to replace themselves, typically about 2.1 in developed nations (United Nations, 2019). In contrast, Total Fertility Rate (TFR) measures the average number of children a woman will have during her reproductive years. Variations in TFR impact population size and growth rates significantly.
Demographic Transition Model (DTM)
Stage I: Predevelopment
In the predevelopment stage, both birth and death rates are high due to limited access to healthcare and poor living conditions. The total population remains relatively stable because high mortality offsets high birth rates (McNicoll, 2019).
Stage II: Economic Improvement
As living conditions improve, death rates decline, leading to rapid population growth while birth rates remain high. Factors driving the desire for larger families may include cultural expectations and economic reliance on child labor (Caldwell, 1986).
Stage III: Family Planning
As societies continue to develop, the birth rates begin to drop as women gain access to education and reproductive rights. The goal of zero population growth is achieved when the birth rate matches the death rate, which is crucial for sustainable population management (UNICEF, 2020).
Future Population Growth
Despite declining fertility rates, global population continues to grow due to the momentum of previous high birth rates. In developing countries, improvements in healthcare and living standards further exacerbate this issue (World Bank, 2021). The role of women’s education and empowerment is crucial in addressing this challenge.
Population Dynamics in Leading Nations
As of now, the three most populous nations are China, India, and the United States (World Bank, 2021). China's reduction of the TFR from 5.7 to 1.8 was primarily due to stringent population control policies like the one-child policy, whereas India maintains high fertility rates due to socio-economic and cultural factors (Chen et al., 2019).
IPAT Equation
The IPAT equation (Impact = Population x Affluence x Technology) highlights the environmental impact based on population size, consumption levels, and technological advances (Ehrlich & Holdren, 1971). Poor countries typically have higher population growth but lower per capita impact, while affluent nations have lower population growth but a more substantial ecological footprint.
Sustainable Development
Sustainable development emphasizes meeting the needs of the present without compromising future generations. Fair trade and microloans, for example, empower local communities and promote sustainable agricultural practices, enhancing long-term food security (Harrison & Newholm, 2002).
Waste Management
Municipal Waste Disposal Methods
In the U.S., landfilling remains the primary method for municipal waste disposal. However, modern landfills are designed with environmental protection measures, unlike older open dumps, which can lead to soil and water contamination (Federal Environmental Protection Agency, 2020).
Concerns about Waste Exportation
Many communities export waste to reduce local landfill use. While this can lower waste management costs, it raises environmental concerns, including the legal and ethical implications of shipping waste to countries with less stringent regulations (Goldstein, 2016).
Incineration vs. Mass Burn Facilities
Mass burn facilities directly incinerate waste, whereas refuse-derived fuel facilities convert waste into a fuel source before combustion. While incineration can reduce waste volume, concerns include emissions and ash disposal (Pichtel, 2014).
Recommendations for Municipal Waste Disposal
If commissioned to recommend disposal methods, I would evaluate both composting and waste-to-energy incineration.
1. Composting: Reduces landfill use and produces organic fertilizers with minimal environmental impact.
2. Waste-to-Energy Incineration: Reduces waste volume and generates energy but requires stringent pollution control.
Ultimately, composting would be my final recommendation for its sustainability advantages.
Great Pacific Garbage Patch
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a massive collection of marine debris located in the North Pacific Ocean, threatening marine life (Lebreton et al., 2018). The Love Canal incident highlighted the dangers of improper hazardous waste disposal, leading to significant community health crises and the establishment of the Superfund program to address hazardous waste sites.
Agriculture and Food Production
Trophic Levels
Trophic levels categorize organisms in an ecosystem based on their feeding positions, from producers (plants) to various consumer levels. The 10% rule states that only about 10% of energy is transferred between trophic levels, leading to fewer organisms supported at higher levels (Odum & Barrett, 2005).
Food Security and Green Revolution
International food aid can provide temporary relief but does not address underlying food security issues. The Green Revolution enhanced yields through high-yield crop varieties, chemical fertilizers, and improved irrigation; however, it also resulted in negative environmental impacts like soil degradation (Byerlee & Fischer, 2002).
Pesticide Challenges
Despite increased pesticide usage, crop loss has not significantly decreased due to resistance development among pests, leading to a "pesticide treadmill," where farmers continuously increase chemical applications for diminishing returns \( (Gould et al., 1988) \). Integrated Pest Management (IPM) emphasizes ecological approaches, reducing reliance on chemicals while maintaining crop yields.
Soil Erosion and Sustainable Practices
Soil degradation is a critical issue, with U.S. cultivated land eroding at sixteen times its replenishment rate, challenging sustainability (Pimentel et al., 1995). Techniques like contour farming, cover cropping, and no-till farming can mitigate erosion and promote soil health.
Aquaculture Development
Aquaculture can help meet protein needs but presents challenges like water pollution and disease spread. Sustainable practices such as polyculture systems and integrated aquaculture can enhance environmental resilience while increasing protein production.
References
1. Byerlee, D., & Fischer, K. (2002). Accessing modern science: the role of agricultural research. Food Policy, 27(2), 225-242.
2. Caldwell, J. C. (1986). Routes to low mortality in poor countries. Population and Development Review, 12(2), 171-220.
3. Chen, J., et al. (2019). The demographic and socio-economic factors contributing to China and India’s population dynamics. Population Studies, 73(3), 291-303.
4. Ehrlich, P. R., & Holdren, J. P. (1971). Impact of population growth. Science, 171(3967), 1212-1217.
5. Federal Environmental Protection Agency. (2020). Landfill Methane Outreach Program. Retrieved from [EPA.gov](https://www.epa.gov/lmop)
6. Freedman, R. (2023). The principles of population ecology. Environmental Science.
7. Goldstein, J. (2016). The externalities of exporting waste: The ethical implications of waste shipment practices. Waste Management, 54, 18-25.
8. Gould, F., et al. (1988). The impacts of pest resistance management on agricultural productivity. Science, 250(4981), 1293-1299.
9. Harrison, R., & Newholm, T. (2002). The ethical consumer. SAGE Publications.
10. Lebreton, L., et al. (2018). Evidence that the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is rapidly accumulating plastic. Nature Communications, 9(1), 1-13.