POPULATION GROWTH

PART 1

Look at the U.S. Census Bureau's World Population Clock: http://www.census.gov/main/www/popclock.html. This clock gives an up to the second estimate of the world population. By how much does the population grow in 1 minute? How many people is that per second? Per week?

 

 

Using the U.S. Census Bureau's State and County Quick Facts: http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/. Find the most recent population estimates for your state and county. How does your county population compare to the number of people the world population grows by each week? Are you surprised by the results?

 

 

 

 

Look at the Historical Estimates of World Population: http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/worldhis.html. In what year did the world population start to suddenly increase? What do you think might be the cause for this?

 

 

 

PART 2

Write an equation that expresses the growth rate of a population in terms of the birth rate and death rate.

 

What circumstances might result in a high birth rate for a population? A low birth rate?

 

What circumstances might result a high death rate for a population? A low death rate?

 

 

 

Look at these charts of Birth and Death Rates: http://www.prb.org/pdf/popgrowth.pdf. If both birth rates and death rates are declining worldwide, why is the world's population still increasing? Based on this birth rate and death rate information, what could you say about the world's growth rate in recent years?

 

 

 

PART 3

 

What are some factors that will control the growth of most populations of organisms?

 

·         Which of these factors are density-dependent?

 

 

 

·         Which of these are density-independent?

You can use the following websites to help answer the remaining questions:

·         World Resources Institute Earth Trends: http://earthtrends.wri.org/

·         Visible Earth Images: http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/

 

How does population size affect the resources used by a country? 

 

How does population size affect other environmental conditions?

 

Are there other factors besides population size that can have an impact on resource consumption and environmental conditions in a country?

 

 

 

What is meant by carrying capacity? Do you think the earth has reached its carrying capacity yet? Why are there so many differing opinions about this?