Review

The Human Population

MSTE 111
Objectives

At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:

a.define population;
b.describe the different characteristics of population,
factors that can cause the population to change, and
the population growth in the Philippines;
c. identify ways on how to slow human population growth;
and
d.contribute to class discussion by sharing insights.
 Key Questions
1. What is population?
2. What factors influence the size of
the human population?
3. How does a population’s age
distribution affect natality and
mortality?
4. How can we slow human
population growth?
VIDEO ANALYSIS

How does population grow

over time?
 The Human Population Over
Time
 The time it takes our population to
double has decreased sharply.

 It only has taken about 12 years to

go from 6-7 billion people.

 We are projected to hit 9 billion near

the year 2050.

 Estimates say stabilization around

2100 (10.5 billion)
 Thomas Malthus

“The power of population is

indefinitely greater than the
power in the earth to produce
subsistence for man.”
 Why does human population has
grown so quickly?
• Humans have the ability to expand
into all climate zones and habitats.

• Modern agriculture has allowed us

to produce food very efficiently
and in large quantities.

• Death rates decreased because of

improved sanitation and
healthcare (biggest influence).
 Why does human population has
grown so quickly?
• The current global population
growth rate is around 1.3% per
year (and slowing).

• Most of this growth happens in

developing countries.

If growth rate is slowing,

why is our population still
growing?
 Population Growth

• Overall, the world population is

growing at a rate of about 1.7
percent
• If this rate continues, the population
will double in 41 years.
• Population growth rate peaked in
the 1960s at about 2%
 World Population
as of March 2, 2023

Source: https://www.theworldcounts.com/challenges/state-of-the-planet/world-population-clock-live
 Carrying Capacity

• Under ideal conditions populations will grow exponentially until limiting

factors cause growth to slow.
• Carrying Capacity is the maximum number of individuals an ecosystem can
support.
a. Determined by limiting factors
b. Carrying capacity for humans on earth is highly
debated.
i. Innovation and technology
ii. Rules other populations follow do not
apply to us
 Cultural Carrying Capacity

• Cultural carrying capacity is the maximum

number of people who could live in reasonable
freedom and comfort indefinitely without
decreasing the ability of the earth to sustain future
generations.

What standard of living are we willing

to accept?
As of March
2, 2023

Source: https://www.theworldcounts.com/challenges/state-of-the-planet/world-population-clock-live
 As of
March 2,
2023
 Population Growth

• A population is a group of individuals of the same

species that live together in a region.
• Population ecology – is the study of populations
(especially population abundance) and how they
change over time.
• It studies the spatial and temporal patterns in organisms'
abundance and distribution and the mechanisms that
produce those patterns.
• Includes understanding, explanation, and prediction of population growth, regulation,
and dynamics or demography.
 Population Characteristics

• A population has several

characteristics or attributes
which are a function of the
whole group and not of the
individual.

• Different populations can be

compared by measuring these
attributes.

• The study of the group characteristics of a population, their changes over time and
prediction of future changes is known as demography.
Population Characteristics

1 Population Density

2 Natality

3 Mortality
Population Characteristics

4 Population Growth

5 Age Distribution

6 Population Fluctuations
 Assignment

Describe the 6 Characteristics of Population

1. Population Density
2. Natality
3. Mortality
4. Population Growth
5. Age Distribution
6. Population Fluctuations
 1 Population Density

• The size of the population is represented by its fundamental property called

density.
• Population density is generally expressed as the number of individuals or the
population biomass per unit area or volume.

Two Types of Densities

1. Crude Density. The density per unit of total space. Generally, populations do not
occupy all the space as whole because all area may not be habitable.

2. Specific (or Ecological) Density. The density per unit of habitable space. It
includes only that portion of total space that can actually be colonized by the
population.
 1 Population Density

How to Determine Population Size?

Population size can be measured by several methods:
1. Abundance
- Absolute number of individuals in population.
2. Numerical Density
- Number of individuals per unit area or volume. It is expressed when the size of
individuals in the population is relatively uniform, as in mammals, insects and
birds.
3. Biomass Density
- It is expressed in terms of wet weight, dry weight, volume, and carbon and
nitrogen weight per unit area or volume.
 A

1 Population Density

Population density can be calculated by the following equation:

𝐍
𝐃𝐩 =
𝐀
Whereas:
Dp is the density of population
N is the total population as a number of people
A is the land area covered by that population. It is usually expressed in
terms of either square miles or square kilometers.

However, we could use smaller units as well. For example, if we are looking at the
population density of a type of insect on a tree, we would use square feet or square
meters,. We might also use acres if we're looking at the population density of cattle
on a ranch.
2 Natality

• Natality refers to the rate of reproduction or birth per unit of time. It is an

expression of the production of new individuals in the population by birth,
hatching, germination, or fission.

Number of births per year

Birth Rate or Natality (B) = 𝐱 𝟏, 𝟎𝟎𝟎
Number population per year

• The maximum number of births produced per individual under ideal conditions
of environment is called potential natality. It is also called reproductive or
biotic potential, absolute natality or maximum natality.
2 Natality

• Natality varies from organism to organism.

• It is a general rule that if the population density is usually low,
the birth rate is also low. This is so because the chances of
mating between males and females are low.
• If population density is unusually
high, the birth rate may also be low
due to poor nutrition or physiological or
psychological problems related to
crowding.
2 Natality

• The maximum or absolute natality is observed when the

species exists under ideal ecological and genetic conditions.
• The actual number of births occurring under the existing
environmental conditions is much less as compared to absolute
natality. It is referred to as ecological natality or realized
natality.
• It is not constant for population and may vary with the size of
population as well as with the time.
 3 Mortality

• Mortality refers to the number of deaths for every 1,000 people per year.
• The death rate is correlated with the conditions of country (e.g., with the
levels of prosperity, health, or the occurrence of war)
Number of deaths per year
Mortality Rate = 𝐱 𝟏, 𝟎𝟎𝟎
Number population per year
3 Mortality

• Mortality can be expressed in the following two ways:

1. Minimum (Specific or Potential) Mortality

 It represents the minimum of theoretical loss of individuals under ideal or
non- limiting condition. Thus, even under the best conditions individuals of a
population would die of old age determined by their physiological longevity.
2. Ecological or Realized Mortality
 Death rates vary among the species and are correlated with birth rates.
 When the rate of natality is equal to the rate of mortality the population is
stationary. A birth death ratio (Births/death x 100) is called vital index.
3 Mortality

• For a population, the survival of individuals is more important than the

death.
• The number of births in relation to the carrying capacity of the habitat is a
fundamental factor influencing the mortality rate.
• When more youngs are born than the habitat can support, the surplus
must either die or leave the area.
• Because the number of survivors is more important than the number of
dying individuals, mortality is better expressed as survival or as life
expectancy.
• The life expectancy refers to the average number of years the members of a
population have left to live.
4 Population Growth

• The growth is one of the dynamic features of species population.

• Population growth curve - when the number of individuals of population is

plotted on the y-axis and the times on the x-axis, a curve is obtained that
indicates the trend in the growth of population size in a given time.
4 Population Growth

There are two types of growth curves:

1. Sigmoid Curve (S-Curve)
• Lag phase - population increase is
very slow in the beginning.
• Logarithmic phase - the population
increase becomes very rapid.
• Negative acceleration phase -
population increase is slowed down
until an equilibrium is attained and
which the population size fluctuates
according to variability of environment.
4 Population Growth

1. Sigmoid Curve (S-Curve)

• Saturation level or carrying capacity
- the level beyond which no major
increase can occur.
• In the last phase the new organisms
are almost equal to the number of
dying individuals and thus there is no
increase in population size.
4 Population Growth

There are two types of growth curves:

2. J-Shaped Curve
• In the first phase, there is no increase in
population size because it needs some
time for adjustment in the new
environment.
• Soon after the population is established
in the new environment, it starts
multiplying rapidly. This increase in
population is continued until large
amount of food materials exist in the
habitat.
4 Population Growth

2. J-Shaped Curve
• After some time, due to increase in
population size, food supply in the
habitat becomes limited which ultimately
results in decrease in population size.
4 Population Growth

J- Curve S- Curve
 5 Age Distribution

• Age distribution is an important characteristic of population which

influences natality and mortality.
• Mortality, usually varies with age, as chances of death are more in early and later periods
of lifespan.
• Natality is restricted to certain age groups (e.g., in middle age-groups in higher animals)

• According to Bodenheimer (1958), the individuals of a population can be

divided into three-age groups:
1. Pre-reproductive Group - the individuals are young.
2. Reproductive Group – the individuals are matured.
3. Post-reproductive Group – the individuals are old.
 5 Age Distribution

• The distribution of ages may be

constant or variable.
• It is directly related to the growth rate
of the population.
• Depending upon the proportion of the
three age-groups, populations can be
said to be:
a. Growing
b. Mature or stable
c. Declining.
• The ratio of various age groups in a population determines the reproductive
status of the population.
 5 Age Distribution

Population Pyramids - graphs (histograms) that allow us to see the

population growth within a country broken down by age groups and gender.

Horizontal axis: Gender

• Male: left-hand ; Female: right-hand
• Absolute number of people or %
Vertical axis: Age
• Ages categorized as:
• Pre-reproductive: ages 0-14
• Reproductive: ages 15-44
• Post-reproductive: ages 44+
 5 Age Distribution

Population Pyramids are classified based on the shape they take.

a. Rapidly Growing: large amounts of people in the pre-reproductive and

reproductive years. Very large bottom of the pyramid.
b. Growing Slowly: more individuals in the pre-reproductive and reproductive
years. Bottom of pyramid is slightly larger than the rest.
c. Stable (zero population growth): population is evenly distributed
throughout age groups. Pyramid is relatively even top to bottom.
d. Declining (negative growth): more individuals in the post-reproductive age
groups. Bottom of pyramid is smaller than the top
5 Age Distribution
5 Age Distribution
Rapid Growth
5 Age Distribution

Expanding Slowly
5 Age Distribution

Stable—Zero Population Growth

5 Age Distribution

Declining
5 Age Distribution

• Using population pyramids, we ca see differences based on economics. Is the

country developed or developing?
• Allow us to project future growth based on age structure.
6 Population Fluctuations

• Population fluctuation is the changing

pattern over a period of time of the size
and density of natural population .

Three Major Types of Variations in the

Pattern of Population

1. Non-fluctuating (Stable)
2. Cyclic
3. Irruptive
6 Population Fluctuations
Three Major Types of Variations in the Pattern of Population

1. Non-fluctuating
• When the population remains static over the years.
6 Population Fluctuations
Three Major Types of Variations in the Pattern of Population
2. Cyclic
• The cyclic variations may be seasonal, and annual.
• When the population of a species shows regular ups and downs over the
years, it is called annual cyclic variation.
 6 Population Fluctuations
Three Major Types of Variations in the Pattern of Population
3. Irruptive

• change in population density

does not occur at regular
intervals.
• There is a sudden exponential
increase in population density in
short time followed by equally
quick drop in population density
due to deaths, and returns to
normal level or even below that
level.
 Any
question?
 Concept Check
Non-fluctuating 12 people/square mile
4 people/square mile Realized mortality
Potential Natality S-curved
Abundance J-curved
Specific density 40 people/square mile

1. It refers to the density per unit of habitable space.

2. It refers to the absolute number of individual in population.
3. The population in a 300 square mile area is 1200. What is the population density?
4. It refers to the maximum number of births produced per individual under ideal
conditions of environment.
5. It refers to the death of individuals of a population under existing environmental
condition.
 Concept Check
Non-fluctuating 12 people/square mile
4 people/square mile Realized mortality
Potential Natality S-curved
Abundance J-curved
Specific density 40 people/square mile
6. A/An ______ describes the tendency of a population to grow without limit to its size.
7. It is the pattern of population change where the population remains static over the years.
8. Pattern of growth in which, in a new environment, the population density of an organism increases
slowly initially, in a positive acceleration phase; then increases rapidly, approaching an exponential
growth rate.
9. A/An ________ describes the tendency of a population's growth rate to slow or stop as resources
become unavailable.
10.There are 240 people living in a 20 square mile land. Calculate its population density.
 Factors that Cause Populations to Change

Population Ecologists classify factors causing changes in populations as either density-

dependent or density independent factors.

1. Density-dependent factors
• As the density of a population increases, the amount of resources available to each individual
decreases, and the health of individuals decreases. As health decreases, mortality (death
rate) increases and reproduction decreases.
• Examples: parasites, disease, starvation, and predation.

2. Density-independent factors
• Are those factors that act on a population independent of the size of the population.
• Examples: weather, accidents, and environmental catastrophes like volcanoes, floods,
landslides, and fire.
 Human Population Growth
Should we worry about human population growth or not? Why?
 Factors Affecting Population Growth
• When inputs into a system are larger than the outputs the system will grow.

Factors: Births, Deaths, Migration (Immigration and Emigration)

1. Births and Deaths

• Crude birth rate: births per 1000
• Crude death rate: deaths per 1000
• Fertility Rates
• Replacement level fertility (number to replace the parents)
• Average 2.1-2.5 (babies dying before reproductive years); Gauges changes in population size
• Total fertility (estimate of average number of children born)
• Lower in developed countries; On average declining worldwide; China 1.5 Total Fertility Rate
(one child policy)
 Factors Affecting Population Growth

1. What factors affect birth and 2. What factors affect death rates?
fertility rates? • Access to nutrition, medical care,
• Labor force clean water
• Cost of raising and educating • Community support for elders
children • Increased life expectancy
• Usually higher for women
• Urbanization • Decrease in infant mortality
• Infant deaths
• Education for women
• Marrying age
• Access to contraceptives
 Factors Affecting Population Growth

• Infant Mortality is a good measure of a

nation’s quality of life.
• Measured as number of infant deaths per 1000
births
• World average is 46.

• 40 countries have a lower Infant Mortality

Rate than the United States. Why?
• Inadequate prenatal care
• drug addiction
• teenage pregnancies
• socioeconomic variances
 Factors Affecting Population Growth

2. Migration is the permanent movement

to a new location.
 Emigration – migration from a location.
 Immigration – migration to a location.

Place “A” can have individuals migrating away from

and to it.
• Emigrant: Place A  Place B
• Immigrant: Place B  Place A

• Net Migration Rate: difference between

immigration and emigration per 1000 people in a
given year (only effects individual countries)
 Factors Affecting Population Growth
What factors affect migration?

• Better jobs and economic improvement

• Religious, ethnic, or political conflicts
• Lack of access to basic needs (food, water, etc.)
• Environmental refugees
 Major Causes of Human Population Change

1. Agricultural Revolution
• Agricultural revolution, ten thousand years ago, made a great change to increase the
human population. This was a transition from hunting and gathering of food for
subsistence. It has created settlement, easy access for food and mortality reduction
and increase life expectancy.

2. Industrial revolution
• It started around 1750 in England, making an even faster population growth
possible. Giving an average growth rate of 0.84% since the beginning of the
industrial revolution, about seventeen times the previous rate.

3. Progressing growth
• With the development and spreading of modern medicine and sanitation, the growth
rate is still progressing.
 How Can We Slow Human Population Growth?

• Demographic Transition: as countries become industrialized, first their death rates and then
their birth rates decline.

• The transition takes place in four distinct

stages.
• Stage 1 - Birth and death rates are both high
• Stage 2 - Death rates fall; birth rates remain
high; growth rate rises
• Stage 3 - Birth rates fall as standard of living
rises; growth rate falls
• Stage 4 - Growth rate continues to fall to zero
or to a negative rate
 Stage 1

• High birth rates, high (at time erratic) death

rates, low growth rates, low total population
• Stage for much of human history, traditional
societies
• Practically no country today
 Stage 2

• High birth rates, declining death rates, rising

growth rates
• Improvements in sanitation (water) and
medicine
• “Developing countries”
• Much of Africa today, some countries of Asia
(Afghanistan, Nepal, etc.)
 Population Pyramid and Demographic
Transition
• Stage 2: wide base
• Stage 3: wide middle
• Stage 4: slender
 Stage 3

• Continued decline of death rates, declining

birth rates, growth rates decline from high to
lower levels
• “Moderately developed countries”
• Economic change: urbanization (incentive
to have fewer children)
• Mexico today
 Population Pyramid and Demographic
Transition
• Stage 2: wide base
• Stage 3: wide middle
• Stage 4: slender
 Stage 4

• Low birth rates, low death rates, low

growth rates
• United States today
 Population Pyramid and Demographic
Transition
• Stage 2: wide base
• Stage 3: wide middle
• Stage 4: slender
 What is the Importance of Population
Pyramid?
• By comparing age structure diagrams between countries it is possible to infer
social changes that occurred within the country and predict future population
changes.
 How Can We Slow Human Population Growth?

1. Economic development
• reduction of poverty
• Education

2. Family planning
• reproductive health care

3. Empowering women
 How Can We Slow Human Population Growth?

1. Economic development
• get people out of poverty.

• “Failing states”- rapid population growth, extreme poverty and

environmental degradation leads to the government no longer ensuring the
personal security of their people and they can’t provide basic services. Leads
to people perpetually trapped in poverty.
• civil war and terrorism are common
• low income, less developed
• lack of skilled workers, financial capital
• stuck in stage 2 of transition

Examples: Somalia, Haiti

 How Can We Slow Human Population Growth?

2. Family Planning
• helps couples choose how many
children to have and when to have them
• educating men and women
• birth spacing, birth control, health care
for women and infants
• the older a women is when she has her
first child will decrease the total number
of children
• reduces number of pregnancies and
abortions
• lack of access to services hinders efforts
 How Can We Slow Human Population Growth?

3. Empowering Women
• Women will have fewer children if they
are educated, can control their own
fertility, and earn an income of their own
• Microloans for skilled trades (weaving,
sewing, etc.) to earn income
• In many societies women have fewer
rights and educational and economic
opportunities
• patriarchal societies (sons valued) - India
• women account for 66% of all hours
worked but only 10% of income earned
(worldwide)
 Problems with a Growing Population

• “Graying of a Population” (Japan)

• Characteristic of highly developed countries
• Women choosing not to have children.. pursue career instead
• Who will care for the elders?
• Income to provide for social services
• Economic impacts (smaller workforce)
• Some countries providing incentives to have more children (Europe)
• May be balanced out with a large number of immigrants
Any question?
 Concept Check

TRUE or FALSE
1. The development of modern technology in the health sector and the
discovery of new vaccines made the death rate grew fast.
2. Agricultural revolution made a great change to decrease the human
population.
3. Density refers to the number of animals per unit area.
4. Empowering woman can help to slow down the growing rate of
population.
5. Death caused by car accident is an example of density-independent
factor.
 Concept Check

TRUE or FALSE
6. Animals that are in poor nutritional condition have fewer young and/or
breed less often.
7. Population growth rate tend to slowdown when the country is more
developed.
8. Family planning is illegal in the Philippines because Christianity is the
predominant faith in the country.
9. A 35 years old male was infected by covid-19 virus, he was advised to do a
self- quarantine since it is not severe. After 3 days, the 35 years old male
died due to the infection. This scenario is an example of density-
independent factor of mortality.
10. Fecundity means the ability to produce offspring.
 Population Growth in the Philippines

• The Philippine population is projected to

reach 142 million by 2045.
• This signifies about 49 million persons
added to the country’s population from 2010
to 2045, equivalent to an average annual
growth rate of 1.21 percent.
• All regions are expected to increase
in population but with varying rates of
growth. Ten regions are projected to
grow faster than the national average
with five of these regions located in
Mindanao.
 Population Growth in the Philippines

• During the years 2010 to 2045, the

Autonomous Region in Muslim
Mindanao (ARMM) is projected to
have the highest average annual
growth rate of 2.12 percent.
• Caraga’s population growth rate of 1.72
percent ranks second with
SOCCSKSARGEN, Davao Region and
Zamboanga Peninsula following.
 Population Growth in the Philippines

• In terms of population, CALABARZON

remains the largest in numbers by 2045
(20.1 million), f
• Followed by the National Capital Region
and Central Luzon with 14.5 million
each.
• Western Visayas and Central Visayas
are the other regions surpassing the 10-
million mark, with 10.4 million each in
2045.
• Cordillera Administrative Region will
continue to have the smallest population
with 2.6 million in year 2045.
 Population Growth in the Philippines
Philippine Population Density (Based on the 2015 Census of Population)
• The population of the Philippines as of August 1, 2015
based on the 2015 Census of Population (POPCEN
2015) was 100.98 million persons.
• With a total land area of approximately 300,000
square kilometers, the population density of the
Philippines in 2015 was posted at 337 persons per
square kilometer.
• This represents an increase of 29 persons per square
kilometer (9.4 percent) from the population density of
308 persons per square kilometer in 2010.
 Population Growth in the Philippines
Philippine Population Density (Based on the 2015 Census of Population)
• Among the country’s 18 administrative regions, the
most densely populated was the National Capital
Region (NCR) (Population density = 20,785 persons
per square kilometer.
• This figure is more than 60 times higher than the population
density of 337 persons per square kilometer at the national
level.

• The most sparsely populated region in 2015 was the

Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), with 87
persons per square kilometer.
Any question?
 Concept Check

Choose 2 questions to answer concisely. Your answer should have a maximum of

two sentences only.

1. Identify a major local, national, or global environmental problem, and describe

the role of population growth in this problem.
2. Is it justifiable for a couple living in poverty in a developing country such as the
Philippines to have four or five children? Explain.
3. Do you believe that the population is too high in (a) the world (b) the Philippines,
and (c) the area where you live? Explain.
4. If given a chance to pass a law in promoting to slow the growth of human
population, what would be the title and its rationale?
End of the Presentation