CHAPTER III

HUMAN
POPULATION
AND THE
ENVIRONMENT
Human-Environmental Interactions

It can be defined as

interactions between the
humanity or human social
system and the rest of the
ecosystem.
Important Characteristics
of Human Social Systems
• Population size
• Social organization
• Values
• Technology
• Wealth
• Education
• Knowledge
It summarizes the interactions between ‘human activities’ and ‘the
environment’.
The green arrow indicates the waste generated as a product of this
interaction.
The red arrows indicate the negative effect on both the environment and
humans if the waste is not properly managed.
The links between human activity and the
environment are complex and varied, but can be
grouped into two main types of activity:

1. use of natural resources such as land,

food, water, soils, minerals, plants and
animals
2. production of wastes from a range of
activities including agriculture, industry

and mining, as well as wastes from our

Coevolution and Coadaptation
The terms coevolution and coadaptation
describe the never-ending process
of mutual adjustment and change between
human social systems and the environment.
Peoples actions have consequences on the
environment. But also the environment
influences human activities. Human social
systems have to adapt to their specific
environment.
 - Peoples actions have effects on the
environment.
 - These are some of the
natural phenomena can either
be directly or not primarily
anthropogenic and again
affect human actions as
people have to react to new
situation.
 Storm

Tsunami
Earthquake

Volcanic Eruption
 - Human Interaction on the environment is a
product of human over confidence on itself.
 - Human interaction on the
environment cause the disastrous
failure and eventually extinction of
humanity.
*Demographers estimated that
in every second five babies are
born. Two of them die at birth
while three of them keep on
growing and multiply. That's
180 babies in one minute.
*Land space on earth is getting smaller
and smaller for human to settle.
 *That is contradicting…
Aristotle believes that Earth is
alive, breathing and growing Man
is contemplating on sending human
expedition mars, a one-way trip to
depopulate Earth and make Mars
another "Earth".
* OVERPOPULATION

-is undesirable condition where

the number of existing human
population exceeds the
carrying capacity of the earth.
POPULATION DISTRIBUTION

-means the pattern of where

people live in transient and
permanent setting.
*Indigenous people in the Forest
*Corporate World
* People in Polar region (extremely cold region)
* Extremely hot areas like Desert
* Too Populated: Urban areas
THREE PATTERNS OF DISTRIBUTION IN
POPULATION OF ORGANISMS

Organisms have an Organisms have an

Organisms are clustered
unpredictable unpredictable
together in groups. This
distribution. This is typical distribution. This is typical
may reflect a patchy
of species in which of species in which
distribution of resources
individuals do not interact individuals do not interact
in the environment. This is
strongly. strongly.
the most common pattern
of population dispersion.
Random
 POPULATION DENSITY

-Is the number of people living in a particular

community usually 1 square mile or 1 sq km and
can be referred to as the total population per
land area.
 POPULATION DENSITY

Number of people
PD=
Land Area

*111,348,750 50-100 people per sq. km

 298,170 km2
 The major factors that determines
population distribution
• Climate • Accessibility like
• Landforms distance from sea
• Topography coast
• Soil • Natural Harbors
• Energy • Navigable Rivers
• Mineral Resources • Cultural Factors
 The major factors that determines
population distribution
• Political Boundaries • Technology
• Controls on Migration (agricultural and
and trade transportation
• Workplace facilities)
• Government Policies • Social Organization
• Types of Business • Natural Increase in
activities Migration