Understanding Human

Population Change
MODULE 6

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Chapter 6
Understanding Human Population Change

Making Connections
Individuals of a given species are part of a larger organization called a population.
Populations exhibit characteristics that are distinct from those of the individuals in them.
Some of the features characteristic of the population but not of individuals are birth and
death rates, growth rates, and age structure. Studying populations of non-human species
provides insight into some of the processes that affect the growth of human populations.
Understanding human population change is important because the size of the human
population is central to most of Earth’s environmental problems and their solutions.

In the previous modules, you learned about the components of our environment as well as
the structure and functions of the ecological system. We also tackled the importance of
biogeochemical cycles and distinguish the use of our natural resources. In this module, we
are going to discuss how the human population change and how this change contributes to
stresses in the environment.

Overview
In this module, we will be discussing the characteristics of the population and enumerate the
factors that contribute to population growth. Also, you will be knowing how these changes
impact our environment. Humans benefit a lot from ecosystem services but also contribute
to the major disturbance of the environment.
Rapid population growth of any organisms results in overexploitation of our natural
resources, for that reason we need to exert effort on knowing how to control our population
and consider the earth carrying capacity and be able to meet sustainability. This module will
take you around 3 hours, however, you may do it at your own pace. Where there are
suggested internet links, please visit the site and read.

Learning Outcomes
After completing this module, students should be able to:
1. Explain the four factors that produce changes in population size.
2. Define biotic potential and carrying capacity.
3. Elaborate the causes, effects and possible solutions of overpopulation.

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Initial Activity
SAY SOMETHING!

Intruction : Examine the given photos and share your thoughts.

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Lesson Proper
What is Population Ecology?

Population ecology deals with the number of individuals of a particular species found in an
area and how and why those numbers increase or decrease over time. Population refers
as any individuals of a given species that are part of a larger organization. Population
ecologists study how a population responds to its environment such as how individuals in a given
population compete for food or other resources, and how predation, disease, and other
environmental pressures affect that population.Environmental pressures such as these prevent
populations whether of bacteria or maple trees or giraffes from increasing indefinitely.But how do
population change?

On a global scale, this change is due to the two factors:

(1) the rate at which individual organisms produce offspring (birth rate) ;

(2) the rate at which individual organisms die (death rate) .

Figure 1 . Factors that interact to change population size.

In humans, the birth rate (b) is usually expressed as the number of births per 1000 people per year
and the death rate (d) as the number of deaths per 1000 people per year. The growth rate (r)
of a population is the birth rate (b) minus the death rate (d): r = b – d Growth rate is also referred
to as natural increase in human populations.If more individuals in a population are born than
die, the growth rate is more than zero, and population size increases. If more individuals in a
population die than are born, the growth rate is less than zero, and population size decreases. If the
growth rate is equal to zero, births and deaths match, and population size is stationary, despite
continued reproduction and death.

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In addition to birth and death rates, dispersal or movement from one region or country to another
affects local populations. There are two types of dispersal: (1) immigration (i), in which
individuals enter a population and increase its size, and ( 2 ) emigration (e), in which
individuals leave a population and decrease its size. The growth rate (r) of a local population
must take into account birth rate (b), death rate (d ), immigration (i ), and emigration (e). The
growth rate equals (birth rate minus death rate) plus (immigration minus emigration): r = (b – d)
+ (i – e) .

Maximum Population Growth

Different species have different biotic potentials (also called intrinsic rates of increase).
Several factors influence the biotic potential of a species: ( 1 ) the age at which reproduction
begins; (2) the fraction of the life span during which an individual can reproduce; (3) the number
of reproductive periods per lifetime, and ( 4 ) the number of offspring produced during each period
of reproduction. These factors, called life history characteristics, determine whether a particular
species has a large or a small biotic potential.

Figure 2. Percentages of preproductive and elderly populations for various regions

Generally, larger organisms, such as blue whales and elephants, have the smallest biotic potentials,
whereas microorganisms have the greatest biotic potentials. Under ideal conditions (that is, in
an environment with unlimited resources), certain bacteria reproduce by dividing in half every 30
minutes. At this rate of growth, a single bacterium increases to a population of more than 1 million
in just 10 hours and exceeds 1 billion in 15 hours. If you plot bacterial population numbers versus
time, the graph takes on the characteristic J shape of exponential population growth.

When a population grows exponentially, the larger the population gets, the faster it grows.
Regardless of species, whenever a population grows at its biotic potential, population size plotted
versus time gives the same J-shaped curve. The only variable is time. It may take longer for a
dolphin population than for a bacterial population to reach a certain size (because dolphins do
not reproduce as rapidly as bacteria), but both populations will always increase exponentially as
long as their growth rates remain constant.

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Environmental Resistance and Carrying Capacity

Certain populations particularly those of bacteria, protists, and certain insects may exhibit
exponential population growth for a short period. However, organisms don’t reproduce
indefinitely at their biotic potentials because the environment sets limits, which are
collectively called environmental resistance. Examples of environmental resistance include such
as (1) unfavorable environmental conditions as limited food, water, shelter, and other essential
resources (re sulting in increased competition), as well as (2) increased disease and predation. Using
the earlier example, we find that bacteria never reproduce unchecked for an indefinite period because
they run out of food and living space, and poisonous body wastes accumulate in their vicinity. With
crowding, bacteria become more susceptible to parasites (high population densities facilitate the spread
of infectious organisms such as viruses among individuals) and predators (high population densities
increase the likelihood of a predator catching an individual).

As the environment deteriorates, the bacteria’s birth rate declines and their death rate increases. The
environmental conditions might worsen to a point where the death rate exceeds the birth rate, and as a
result, the population decreases. Thus, the environment controls population size: As the population
increases, so does environmental resistance, which limits population growth.This leveling out occurs at
or near the environment’s carrying capacity (K). In nature, carrying capacity is dynamic and
changes in response to environmental changes. An extended drought, for example, might
decrease the amount of vegetation growing in an area, and this change, in turn, would lower the carrying
capacity for deer and other herbivores in that environment. He supplied a limited amount of food daily
and replenished the media to eliminate the buildup of wastes. Under these conditions, the population
increased exponentially at first, but then its growth rate de- clined to zero, and the population size leveled
off.

When a population influenced by environmental resistance is graphed over a long period, the
curve has an S shape. The curve shows the population’s initial exponential increase (note the
curve’s J shape at the start, when environmental resistance is low). Then the population size levels out
as it approaches the carrying capacity of the environment. The rate of population growth is
proportional to the amount of existing resources, and competition leads to limited population
growth. Although the S curve is an over simplification ,of how most populations change over time, it
fits some populations studied in the laboratory, as well as a few studied in nature.

A population rarely stabilizes at K (carrying capacity), but its size may temporarily rise higher than K.
It will then drop back to, or below, thecarrying capacity. Sometimes a population that overshoots K will
experience a population crash, an abrupt decline from high to low population density when
resources are exhausted. Such an abrupt change is commonly observed in bacterial cultures,
zooplankton, and other populations whose resources are exhausted.The availability of winter forage
largely determines the carrying capacity for reindeer, which live in cold northern habitats.

In 1911, a small herd of 26 reindeer was introduced on one of the Pribilof Islands in the Bering Sea.
The herd’s population increased exponentially for about 25 years, until there were approximately
2000 reindeer, many more than the island could support, particularly in winter. The reindeer overgrazed
the vegetation until the plant life was almost wiped out. Then, in slightly over a decade, as reindeer died
from starvation, the number of reindeer plunged to 8, about one-third the size of the original introduced
population and less than 1 percent of the population at its peak . Recovery of arctic and subarctic
vegetation after overgraz- ing by reindeer takes 15 to 20 years. During that period, the carrying
capacity for reindeer is greatly reduced.

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Causes , Effects and Solution of Overpopulation

Overpopulation is an undersireable condition where the number of the existing human

population exceeds the actual capacity of earth, Overpopulation is caused by a number of
factors. (1) Reduced mortality rate, better medical facilities, depletion of precious resources
are few causes which results to overpopulation.

It is possible for a sparsely populated area to become a densely populated if it is not able
to sustain life. Growing advances in technology with each coming year has affected
humanity in many ways. One of these has been ability to save lives and create a better
medical treatment for all. A direct result of this has been the increased lifespan and the
growth of the population.

Various causes of overpopulation:

 Decline in the Death Rate - At the root of overpopulation is the difference between
the overall birth rate and death rate in populations. If the number of children born
each year equals the number of adults that die, then the population will stabilize.

 Agricultural Advancement - Technological revolutions and population explosions

occur at the same time. There have been three major technological revolutions. They
are the tool-making revolution, the agricultural revolution, and the industrial
revolution. Agricultural advancements in the 20th century have allowed humans to
increase food production using fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides and yields
further. This allowed humans with more access to food that leads to subsequent
population explosions.

 Better Medical Facilities – Following this the industrial revolution started.

Technological advancement was perhaps the biggest reason why the balance has
been permanently disturbed. Science was able to produce better means of producing
food, which allowed families to feed more mouths. Besides, medical science made
many discoveries, thanks to which they were able to defeat a whole range of
diseases.Illnesses that had claimed thousands of lives until now were cured because
of the invention of vaccines. Combining the increase in food supply with fewer means
of mortality tipped the balance and became the starting point of overpopulation.

 More Hands to Overcome Poverty – However, when talking about overpopulation,

we should understand that there is a psychological component as well. Poverty is
considered as the leading cause of overpopulation. In the absence of educational
resources, coupled with high death rates, which resulted in higher birth rates, that is
why impoverished areas are seeing large booms in population. For thousands of
years, a very small part of the population had enough money to live in comfort. The
rest faced poverty and would give birth to large families to make up for the high infant

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mortality rate. Families that have been through poverty, natural disasters, or are
simply in need of more hands to work are a major factor for overpopulation. As
compared to earlier times, most of these extra children survive and consume
resources that are not sufficient in nature.

 Child Labor - It is no less than a tragedy that child labor is still in practice extensively
in many parts of the world. As per the UNICEF, approximately 150 million
children are currently working in countries having few child labor laws. The children
being seen as a source of income by impoverished families begin work too young
and also lose the education oppurtunities reflected, particularly when it comes to
birth control.

 Technological advancement in Fertility Treatment – With the latest technological

advancement and more discoveries in medical science, it has become possible for
couples who are unable to conceive to undergo fertility treatment methods and have
their own babies. Today there are effective medicines that can increase the chance
of conception and lead to a rise in the birth rate. Moreover, due to modern techniques,
pregnancies today are far safer.

 Immigration – Many people prefer to move to developed countries like the US, UK,
Canada, and Australia, where the best facilities are available in terms of medical,
education, security, and employment. The result is that those people settle over there,
eventually making those places overcrowded. If the number of people who are
leaving the country is less than the number of people who enter, it usually leads to
more demand for food, clothes, energy, and homes. This gives rise to a shortage of
resources. Though the overall population remains the same, it just affects the density
of the population, making that place simply overcrowded.

 Lack of Family Planning – Most developing nations have a large number of people
who are illiterate, live below the poverty line, and have little or no knowledge about
family planning. Besides, getting their children married at an early age increases the
chances of producing more kids. Those people are unable to understand the harmful
effects of overpopulation, and lack of quality education prompts them to avoid family
planning measures.

 Poor Use of Contraceptives - Poor family planning on the part of partners can lead
to unexpected pregnancies though contraceptives are easily available in developed
countries.

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Fatal Effects of Overpopulation:

 Depletion of Resources – The effects of overpopulation are quite severe. The first
of these is the depletion of resources. The Earth can only produce a limited amount
of water and food, which is falling short of the current needs. Most of the
environmental damage seen in the last fifty-odd years is because of the growing
number of people on the planet. They include cutting down forests, hunting wildlife in
a reckless manner, causing pollution, and creating a host of other problems.

 Degradation of Environment - With the overuse of coal, oil, and natural gas, it has
started producing some serious effects on our environment. Besides, the exponential
rise in the number of ve hicles and industries has badly affected the quality of air. The
rise in amount of CO2 emmissions leads to global warming. Melting of polar icecaps,
changing climate patterns, rise in sea levels are few of the consequences that we
might have to fae due to environmental pollution.

 Conflicts and Wars – Overpopulation in developing countries puts a major strain on

the resources it should be utilizing for development. Conflicts over water are
becoming a source of tension between countries, which could result in wars. It causes
more diseases to spread and makes them harder to control. Starvation is a huge
issue that the world is facing, and the mortality rate for children is being fuelled by it.
Poverty is the biggest hallmark we see when talking about overpopulation.

 Rise in Unemployment - When a country becomes overpopulated, it gives rise to

unemployment as there are fewer jobs to support a large number of people. The rise
in unemployment gives rise to crime, such as theft, as people want to feed their
families and provide them basic amenities of life.

 High Cost of Living - As the difference between demand and supply continues to
expand due to overpopulation, it raises the prices of various essential commodities,
including food, shelter, and healthcare. This means that people have to pay more to
survive and feed their families.

 Pandemics and Epidemics - Poverty is linked to many environmental and social

reasons, including overcrowded and unhygienic living conditions, malnutrition and
inaccessible, inadequate, or non-existent health care, for which the poor are more
likely to be exposed to infectious diseases. Further, high densities of population
increase the chance of the emergence of new pandemics and epidemics.

 Malnutrition, Starvation and Famine – When the availability of resources is scarce,

starvation, malnutrition, along with ill health and diseases caused by diet-deficiency

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such as rickets become more likely. Famine is typically associated with less-
developed regions, and there is a high correlation with poverty levels.

 Water Shortage – Roughly 1% of the world’s water is fresh and accessible.

Overpopulation is a major issue that creates immense pressure on the world’s
freshwater supplies. As per the study, the human demand for freshwater would stand
at approximately 70% of freshwater available on the planet by 2025. Therefore,
people living in impoverished areas that already have limited access to such water
will be at great risk.

 Lower Life Expectancy - A large proportion of the world’s population growth occurs
in less developed countries. Therefore, lower life expectancy caused by the booms
in population is experienced by less-developed nations. This causes a shortage of
resources in these countries resulting in less access to medical care, freshwater, food
and jobs, and ultimately in a sharp fall in life expectancy.

 Extinction - The impact of overpopulation on the world’s wildlife is severe. As

demand for land grows, the destruction of natural habitats, such as forests, becomes
common. Data has also been collected to show a direct link between increases in
human population and decreases in the number of species on the planet. If present
trends continue, as many as 50 % of the world’s wildlife will be at risk of extinction,
some scientists warn.

 Increased Intensive Farming – With the growth of population over the years,
farming practices have evolved to produce enough food required to feed a larger
number of people. However, this intensive farming methods cause damage to local
ecosystems and the land that may pose problems in the future. Furthermore,
intensive farming is also contributed to climate change due to the machinery required.
If the population continues to grow at its current rate, this effect will likely intensify.

 Faster Climate Change - Overpopulation forces larger nations, like China and India,
to continue to develop their industrial capacities. They now rank as two of the three
largest contributors to emissions in the world, other than the United States.According
to 70% science community human activities are changing global temperatures. If
more is not done to reduce individual carbon footprints on a wide scale, larger
populations may speed these changes up.

Possible Solutions to Overpopulation :

 Better Education – One of the first measures is to implement policies reflecting

social change. Educating the masses helps them understand the need to have one

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or two children at the most. Similarly, education plays a vital role in understanding the
latest technologies that are making huge waves in the world of computing. Families
that are facing a hard life and choose to have four or five children should be
discouraged. Family planning and efficient birth control can help in women making
their own reproductive choices. Open dialogue on abortion and voluntary sterilization
should be seen when talking about overpopulation.

 Education for a Girl Child – Currently, over 130 million young women and girls
around the globe are not enrolled in school. The majority of these live in male-
dominated societies, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and South and West Asia,
that does not give women equal right to education as men. Entrenched gender norms
and child marriage further disrupt their access to education. The girl who receives
less education is more likely to have children early and vulnerable to exploitation.
Moreover, impoverished families are less likely to enroll their female children in
school.

 Making People Aware to Family Planning - As the population of this world is

growing at a rapid pace, raising awareness among people regarding family planning
and letting them know about serious after-effects of overpopulation can help curb
population growth. One of the best ways is to let them know about various safe sex
techniques and contraceptive methods available to avoid any unwanted pregnancy.

 Tax Benefits Concession – The government of various countries might have to

come up with various policies related to tax exemptions to curb overpopulation. One
of them might be to waive a certain part of income tax or lowering rates of income tax
for those married couples who have single or two children. As we humans are more
inclined towards money, this may produce some positive results.

 Knowledge in Sex Education – Imparting sex education to young kids at the

elementary level should be a must. Most parents feel shy in discussing such things
with their kids that results in their children going out and look out for such information
on the internet or discuss it with their peers. Mostly, the information is incomplete,
which results in sexually active teenagers unaware of contraceptives and
embarrassed to seek information about the same. It is, therefore, important for
parents and teachers to shed their old inhibitions and make their kids or students
aware of solid sex education.

 Social Marketing - Social marketing has already been started by some societies to
educate the public on overpopulation effects. A variety of print materials (flyers,
brochures, fact sheets, stickers) can be distributed in places such as at local places
of worship, sporting events, local food markets, schools and at car parks.

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HOW does population change impact our Environment?

Environmental Effects of Overpopulation

The relationship between overpopulation and environmental impacts are often interrelated
and complex. Below are some of the key sustainability challenges associated with
overpopulation. For the sake of simplicity they are listed separately, but understand the
connections between them are complicated, which makes them more challenging to
manage.

Farming impacts

A growing agricultural base to feed an expanding world population comes with its own
complications. As the global population increases, more food is needed. Such measures
may be met through more intensive farming, or through deforestation to create new farm
lands, which in turn can have negative outcomes. Agriculture is responsible for about 80
percent of deforestation, worldwide.

The yield of existing farmland can be increased through intensive farming to feed our rapidly
growing population. This approach is characterized by reliance on
mechanization, pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Such practices can be associated with
soil erosion or depletion. According to the World Wildlife Fund, the land used and
abandoned in the last 50 years globally may be equal to the amount of land used today. As
well, the agricultural runoff of excess fertilizers is one of the main causes of eutrophication,
which depletes waters from oxygen and results in significant negative impacts for marine
life.

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Deforestation

Deforestation in turn leads to a reduced ability to capture CO2, thus exasperating the
greenhouse gas problem. Tropical rainforests in South America are responsible for
producing 20 percent of the Earth's oxygen. Deforestation is also strongly associated with
loss of habitat and extinctions. Agriculture, as mentioned above, is responsible for about
80% of global deforestation. Another 14 percent is attributed to logging, 5 percent to
firewood collection, and the balance resulting from other causes.Human population increase
is related to all of these deforestation pressures. More people means we need more food,
more wood products, and more firewood.

Eutrophication

Agricultural runoff is one of the main causes of eutrophication, the presence of excessive
nutrients in bodies of waster, such as large pockets like the Dead Zone of the Gulf of Mexico.
Worldwide, there are more than 400 marine 'dead zones' caused by
eutrophication, collectively covering an area six times the size of Switzerland.

Eutrophication causes the dense growth of plant life that consumes oxygen, resulting in the
death of aquatic animals. Other major sources of eutrophication are industry and sewage
disposal--both related to population growth. The cost of mediating eutrophication in the U.S.,
in 2013, was estimated at over over $2.2 billion annually. Recent research points out that
there are other important impacts other than food production, such as clothing and
manufactured good production. Cotton or linen production, for example, can involve direct
agricultural impacts associated with growing crops. The use of fossil fuel for electrical
production to power factories also creates NOx emissions, which can ultimately be absorbed
by oceans to increase their nutrient load.

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Loss of Fresh Water

While there is plenty of water on the planet, it is very much a scarce resource. Only 2.5
percent of water resources are fresh water, and just a small fraction of that is available as
unpolluted drinking water.

One of the byproducts of population growth has been stress on freshwater supplies. "Water
stressed" is defined as a case of demand exceeding the supply of suitable water available.
According to one report, around 15 percent of the world's population lived in "water stressed"
regions in 2016, the amount has been projected to reach 50 percent by 2030. Another
commentator expects 2/3 of the world's population to be living with water shortages by 2025,
which he attributes to population growth. Also consider that population growth is most rapid
in part of the world where water is in high demand already, such as Africa, Southeast,
Southwest, and Central Asia, and Oceania.

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Global Warming

Human population growth and climate change have grown hand in hand as the use of fossil
fuels has exploded to support industrialized societies. "More people means more demand
for oil, gas, coal and other fuels mined or drilled from below the Earth’s surface that, when
burned, spew enough carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere to trap warm air inside like
a greenhouse," notes Scientific American. Most fossil fuel consumption comes from
developed countries. It is a sobering thought that most developing nations aspire to similar
industrial economies as they experience economic growth, which further escalates CO2
emissions into the atmosphere.

Deforestation is another important component of greenhouse gas emissions. Globally,

forests store more than twice the amount of carbon dioxide than is found in the atmosphere.
As forests are cleared and burned, that CO2 is released into the atmosphere, accounting
for an estimated 25 percent of total greenhouse gas production.

Outlook for Overpopulation and Sustainability

There are issues aplenty to overcome. Clearly, initiatives to switch to clean energy
sources such as solar, improve agricultural practices, better manage water resources and
fully embrace the principles of the circular economy will help us mitigate the impact of
population growth. At the other end of the spectrum, policies that encourage family planning,
education, gender equity and other measures to help slow population growth will help reduce
pressure on the planet. Take time to understand the issues, and support policies that will
make a difference.

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Learning Check
Instruction: Answer the following questions.
1. How would you describe human population growth for the past 200 years.
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2. When determining Earth’s carrying capacity for humans, why is it not enough to just
consider human numbers?
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3. What will happen if there is a rapid growth in human population?

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4. What will be the challenges in limiting the human population growth?

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Learning Enrichment
To enrich your knowledge about human population change,watch the following videos :
1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqKg5rWLpEo
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QShgk6FrlX0
3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1haK55QKJ8
4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqKg5rWLpEo&t=54s
5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wn3F55rFmmc
6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7lrCMoZKUU
7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjrPiIem30g
8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDoanNM7O_s
9. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSVbdaubxxg
10. biotic potential and earth carrying capacity

Leave a message here to your teacher if you have questions:

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Assessment Task
LET’S DO THIS!

Task 1.1

Instructon: Anwer the following questions.

1, Explain Briefly the four factors that produce changes in population size.
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2. Discuss the biotic potential of humans and relate it to earth carrying capacity.
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3. Elaborate the causes, effects and possible solutions of overpopulation.
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4. What will happen if the human will continously double the its population each year?
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Task 1.2

Instruction: Predict the human population of the Philippines 10 years from now through
graphical representation.

Disscusion :

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NOTE:
Reflection (For those who are taking this module offline ONLY)

Make a reflection paper on what you have learned in Module 6 in relation with consumption
of natural resources . Not more than two pages.

References
Book

Botkin, D. B., & Keller, E. A. (2011). ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE: Earth as a Living

Planet, Eighth Edition. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., USA.
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Cunningham, W., & Cunningham, M. A. (2017). Principles of ENVIRONMENTAL
SCIENCE: Inquiry & Application, Eighth Edition. McGraw-Hill Education, New York,
USA.
Galloway, J. N., Schlesinger, W. H., Clark, C. M., Grimm, N. B., Jackson, R. B., Law, B. E.,
Thornton, P. E., Townsend, A. R., & Martin, R. (2014). Biogeochemical Cycles.
Climate Change Impacts in the United States: The Third National Climate
Assessment. In G. W. Melillo, J. M., Richmond, T., & Yohe (Ed.), U.S. Global Change
Research Program (pp. 350–368). https://doi.org/10.7930/J0X63JT0
Leghari, S. J., Wahocho, N. A., Laghari, G. M., HafeezLaghari, A., MustafaBhabhan, G.,
HussainTalpur, K., & Lashari, A. A. (2016). Role of nitrogen for plant growth and
development : A review. Advances in Environmental Biology, 10(9), 209–219.
Malhotra, H., Vandana, Sharma, S., & Pandey, R. (2018). Phosphorus Nutrition: Plant
Growth in Response to Deficiency and Excess. In Hasanuzzaman (Ed.), Plant
Nutrients and Abiotic Stress Tolerance (pp. 171–190). Springer Nature Singapore Pte
Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-9044-8_7
Mutiti, S., Mutiti, C., Manoylov, K., Vandevoort, A., & Bennett, D. (2018). Introduction to
Environmental Science, 3rd Edition. Open Textbook, Georgia College and State
University, USA.
Skinner, B. J., & Murck, B. W. (2011). The Blue Planet: An Introduction to Earth System
Science, 3rd Edition. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., USA.

Internet Links:

Encyclopædia Britannica. (2020). Understand the carbon and oxygen cycles in the
atmosphere

. https://www.britannica.com/video/143200/organisms-carbon-cycling-oxygen-
environment.

Khan Academy. (2020). Intro to biogeochemical cycle.

https://www.khanacademy.org/science/biology/ecology/biogeochemical-
cycles/a/introduction-to-biogeochemical-cycles.

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 GE-ES Environmental Science


National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA. (2019a). Water cycle.

https://www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/freshwater/water-cycle.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA. (2019b). What is the carbon
cycle? National Ocean Service website.
https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/carbon-cycle.html.
https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/causes-effects-solutions-of-
overpopulation.php#:~:text=Reduced%20mortality%20rate%2C%20better%20medi
cal,causes%20which%20result%20in%20overpopulation.&text=It%20can%20result
%20from%20an,biome%20and%20depletion%20of%20resources.%E2%80%9D

https://www.thebalancesmb.com/how-overpopulation-impacts-the-environment-
4172964#:~:text=Population%20is%20growing%20rapidly%2C%20far,to%20eutrop
hication%20and%20global%20warming.

ANSWER KEY

(NOTE: Model answers in Module 6 shall be provided after you have completed and
submitted all the requirements under this module. It will be sent through your individual
email.)

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