CHAPTER 5:

HUMAN HABITATION OF THE

EARTH.
This chapter explains the impact that humans have had on the earth's
environment throughout the centuries.
Human Habitation of the Earth
 The chapter can be distinguished into 4 different parts i.e.

 The influence of different communities on the earth

 Essential reasons for the environmental crisis

 Techniques developed to address environmental problem

 Cultural-ecological systems
5.1 Influence of Different Communities on the Environment
• Agricultural Communities: Started to change environmental conditions to meet demands.
E.g. cutting down forests for farming or grazing.

• Industrial Communities: dramatic changes to environment to meet increased demand for

resources. Pollution. Use of fossil fuels.

• Modern Era: Change in global mindset towards environment. International agreements and
legislation to encourage eco-friendliness.
5.2ANALYZING THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEM
• The environmental problem is divided into two categories:

• 5.2.1 The Demand Factor

• Population, geographic distribution and nutrition quality

• 5.2.2 The supply factor( Resource availability)

• Wastage of energy and matter and lowering the quality of resources due to pollution and degradation.
• Criticism of the Population Theories
• The rapid increase in the population has led to the development of population theories:
• Malthusian theory, the Verhulst theory, the Ratchet theory, and many more.

• 5.3 HUMANKIND’S ANSWER TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEM: PEOPLE AS AN

ECOLOGICAL FACTOR
- Ecology is concerned with how living organisms relate to one another and to their physical surroundings.
- Humans are continually in contact with other organisms (animals, plants, et cetera) and the environment.
- They are viewed as ecological dominants because of the following:

5.3.1 INTELLECTUAL DOMINION

- Through their intellectual capacity, humans have developed technology to help dominate the
environment and domesticate animals and plants.
5.3.2 MODIFICATION OF THE NATURAL ECOSYSTEM
5.3.2.1 DEVELOPMENT OF NEW RACES AND CULTIVARS
• Farming has affected the genetics of domestic animals and plants because people selected
strains that were easy to grow and harvest. This increased species that were initially rare.
• Wheat was also domesticated by humans, it was moved from its original habitat and forced to produce
greater offspring.

• Domestic animals have been bred to make them submissive and to produce meat and dairy products for
human beings.

• Humans grow new variations of species with different characteristics through genetic manipulation
(hybridization and cloning).

• Biotechnology promised better, healthy and increased food production through some cultivars similar to
new species.

5.3.2.2 DISTRIBUTION OF SPECIES

-Due to human being’s ability to move, they have helped in the distribution of species all over the
world.
-This has advantages to humans economically through trade.
-But this too has negative effects:
1. PLANT INVADERS ON LAND AND IN WATER
-Alien species that have been introduced to a new region spread out of control and overrun the
indigenous vegetation and wildlife. E.g. weeds.
• CONTROL OF INVADER PLANTS
1. BY MECHANICAL CONTROLS
-Use machinery to cut and remove the plants.
2. BY BIOLOGICAL CONTROL
-Introducing a natural enemy. This approach is applied for animal invaders too.
• 2. PROBLEM OF PESTICIDES
- A pesticide is a substance that is used to destroy insects or other organisms that are harmful to cultivated plants
or animals.
-Drawback:
 Non targeted organisms may be affected
 Predators that feed on target organisms will diminish.
5.3.2.3. CREATION OF NEW HABITATS
-People create new habitats.
- Habitat creation involves the creation of ecosystems at localities where systems of that type did not exist
previously or, if they did, the modification to the area is such that the original system is not recognizable.
- E.g. Deforestation.
5.4 The classification of cultural-ecological systems
• 5.4.1 Altered natural ecosystems
- Found in areas where human habitation is difficult or impossible. E.g. tropical rainforests (see figure 1.)

Figure 1: Tropical rainforest.

• 5.4.2 Controlled systems
• 5.4.2.1 Outdoor recreation
- Human influence is by artificial boundaries
• 5.4.2.2 Conservation areas
Figure 2: Safari, conservational area.
5.4.2.2.1 Impact of nature conservation on an ecosystem
• Physical environmental factors:
-The soil surface is disturbed
• Biological environmental factors:
-Controlled fires affect animal populations.
5.4.2.2.2 The value of nature conservation areas
-Serve as recreational areas.
• 5.4.2.2.3 Problems in nature conservation areas
-Limitations are placed on the size and position of these areas.
-Imbalance between species.
5.4.2.2.4 Management of conservation areas.
Solutions related to the imbalance in species:
1. Laissez faire which is allowing nature take its course
2. Providing additional water away from the river
3. Scientifically based culling
4. Birth control
5.4.2.2.5 The individual as nature conservationist
Figure 3. Home garden
5.4.3 Modified Ecosystems
Figure 4: Human modified ecosystems

5.4.3.1. Extensive grazing areas

- Humans influence these areas by replacement of indigenous animal population by herds of livestock.
- 5.4.3.1.1. The impact of extensive grazing on the environment
• -Gas balance in the atmosphere
• -Wind erosion removes large amount of topsoil
• A change in species composition. That is where the carnivores are removed.

• 5.4.3.1.2. Food chains and energy flow

• Food chains are simplified.

• Tropic levels

• Autotropic level (first)- remains unchanged, second tropic level is replaced by selected animals, third and
fourth to a certain extent, and fifth level is eliminated and replaced by humans. Livestock kept for producing
meat.
• Changes to the natural ecosystem to be expected:
- Soil, water and wind erosion.
• The agronomic ecosystem
-provides more energy to humans than grazing ecosystem.
• Techniques used to yield maximum production:
 Selection and growing of better varieties.

 Increasing inputs into the system.

 The removal of competing species, such as weed.

• The introduction of monoculture.

• Figure 3: Energy inputs into a modern agro-ecosystem

• 5.4.3.2.1.1. The classification of agro-ecosystems according to productivity

-Classified in terms of energy inputs
-Low- energy production systems - controlled by solar energy with human input.
-Medium-energy - solar energy is increased by wind, water, ploughing, etc.
-Energy ratio of crop calculation:

( )
= Energy ratio(ER)

• To obtain maximum yields, competing plants must be removed while damage caused by animals is kept to
minimum.
5.4.4 Artificial ecosystems
• Created entirely by humans.
• Little of the original natural ecosystem is recognisable.
• The system is completely dependent on technology and imported energy.
5.4.4.1 The city as ecosystem
-A city must maintain a flow of energy, provide necessary material resources and have ways of recycling wastes.
5.4.4.2 The impact of urbanization on ecosystems
-Large areas of the land surface are covered with artificial materials.
-The soil profile is disturbed.
-Purification and transportation of water necessary for urban complexes.
-Air pollution
-Production of large quantities of waste material.
-Urban fires
-Change of natural topography
-Destruction of natural vegetation.

Urban agriculture
-Natural animal life has been almost totally eradicated in urban areas.
-Domestic animals are viewed as exotic species in the city.
QUESTIONS
• Explain the demographic characteristics of Europe and Africa at the hand of
the population models.

Africa
Most African countries are developing countries comprising of high birth rates and
mortality rates. This is due to poor living conditions, inadequate medical resources.
Africa has a high population growth.
Europe
European countries are developed countries with low birth and mortality rates. The
low birth rates are due to an introduction of birth control methods. They have better
medical equipment and living conditions which improves the life expectancy.
• All population projections seem to be grossly inaccurate due to the spread of
HIV/AIDS. How will the current situation in South Africa affect our drive
towards sustainable living and increasing quality of life ?

• Due to the spread of HIV/AIDS, many people will become infected and this will
increase the need for medical supplies, and as a result the economy will be
negatively affected. With a drop in the country’s budget, the country may face high
rates of unemployment, which may lead to an increase in birth rates. With a high
rate of unemployment and on the verge of famine, our drive towards sustainable
living will be held back by many factors and will thus be negatively affected.