Population

• In what way are humans unique compared to other animals?

• We can adapt our environment to increase its carrying capacity.

Carrying Capacity

• The total population an area of land can sustain.

• A hot desert environment with poor soils and low rainfall has a lower carrying capacity than temperate zone with nutrient rich soils.

How can we manipulate the environment to increase its carrying

capacity?• Cultivation of crops and animals• Energy• Irrigation• Fertilizers• Pesticides and herbicides• Intensive farming in greenhouses• Urbanisation• Trade

So we can live anywhere?

Tristan de Cunha – Pop 271

But we have not spread evenly around the world

Population distribution –

Population density –

Ecumene –

Non-ecumene -

Factors affecting global population distribution

• Physical relief/altitude

• Climate

• Natural Vegetation

• Natural resources

• Soils

• Mineral deposits

• Coastal regions

Explain the relevance of each and give example location

Human factors which create Ecumenes

• Because of our ability to adapt the environment our population distribution is increasingly affected by human factors.

• Job opportunities• Access to services• Agglomeration and clustering• Multiplier affect creating core and periphery• Preference for urban lifestyle• But also barriers and obstacles to movement

Future Global PopulationDistribution

As Geographers we are concerned with the contemporary world. This understanding of current trends and processes is often used in the real world make predictions for the future.

So in pairs produce a map to show the future global population distribution. You will present the map to the class and justify your predictions.

Population 2008

Population 2050