Question

Is the human population clumped, random or uniform? How might the patterns have changed with the development of technology? Justify your answer.

Consider the four demographic characteristics relating to biotic potential listed in the text: 1) usual number of offspring per reproduction, 2) chances of survival until the age of reproduction, 3) how often each individual reproduces and 4) age at which reproduction begins. Relate each factor to the human population, rating each one as contributing to a high or low biotic potential, justifying each rating. Then decide overall if humans have high or low biotic potential.

Describe the differences between ecology, environmental science, and conservation biology. Include how ecology is related to environmental science and conservation biology.

Answer 1

The human population was uniform in the starting because of the even conditions at all around the world. Gradually it has spread to the level of clumped population because of the development of the technology that has made the population to be gathered at certain specified regions, where the natural resources like water facilities and forests are present which has made the living conditions of the humans more comfortable by providing necessary conditions and materials to the man kind.
Development of technology has made the life of mankind very much comfortable. But the products of technology could not spread everywhere. They are available at specified places, so population also got clumped at these areas. Eg: Cities and towns.
Relationship of the given four factors.
1.number of offspring 2.chances of survival until the age of reproduction, 3.how often each individual reproduces and 4.age at which reproduction begins.
Humans can produce the offspring frequently, since the gestation period is only nine months and each couple can give birth to as many as 10-15 offspring. Due to the availability of health care facilities and other socio economic and urban conditions, the chances of survival until the age of reproduction have increased. People can reproduce as frequently as they can as per the availability of their comfortable conditions. Humans can start reproduction from the age of 14-21 range or more as per their socio economic conditions.
Thus, each factor is related to the other three factors and result in the increase of the population. And humans have high biotic potential of increasing their population with the available associated conditions needed for their survival.
Environmental science includes all the elements of the earth that supports the survival of the living organisms, whereas ecology deals with only interacting living organisms and their habitats.
Conservation biology refers to the protection of the living organisms and their necessary conditions for their survival for the sustainable living.
Conservational biology deals with the conservation of all natural resources in the environment that are needed for the effective survival of the living organisms.