Monday, March 16, 2015

Factors Affecting Population Growth


FACTORS AFFECTING POPULATION GROWTH
by Antonio C. Antonio
March 6, 2015

“Population growth” and “population explosion” are nagging terms that have remained bothersome in the human psyche.  On a larger sense, population has a direct relationship to other equally nagging statements and concerns such as: (a) food security; (b) land use conversion; (c) terrestrial carrying capacity; (d) biodiversity conservation; (e) ecological balance; etc.  Before we jump into the more complex impact and effects of population on the environment, it is more important for us to understand the simple word “population”. (Antonio, 2015)  Having stated this, we probably need to determine the factors affecting population growth to better understand the dynamic relationship between population and the environment.

FOOD QUANTITY AND FOOD QUALITY:  The quantity and quality of food available is very critical to the survival of a population.  The availability of food affects the growth, development and survival especially the younger segment of a population.  Both the quantity and quality of food has a direct effect on the carrying capacity of a specific habitat.  While both flora and fauna require the same basic elements for the growth of a population, there is a difference in their energy sources.  While plants depend primarily on inorganic materials as their source of energy, animals depend on both plants and animals for their nutritional requirement.  Animals are either carnivores or herbivores or a combination of carnivores and herbivores at the same time.  There are also some plant species that depend on decomposing plants and animals for their nutrition.  There really is a dependence character between plants and animals when it comes to food and nutrition.

CLIMATE AND WEATHER:  Let us first define and differentiate climate and weather.  “CLIMATE is defined as: (1) the average long-term pattern of weather in a particular area or region.  Climate normally undergoes a cyclic change over a longer period of time covering years, decades, centuries or millennia; (2) the average course or condition in a particular place or area over a period of time exhibited by temperature, wind velocity and precipitation; and, (3) the prevailing set of environmental conditions on a particular region on earth characterizing a long period of time.  On the other hand, WEATHER is defined as the state of the atmosphere with respect to heat or cold, wetness or dryness, calm or storm, clearness or cloudiness over a relatively short period of time.” (Antonio, 2015)  Extreme weather and climactic conditions may cause high death rate that affect population growth.  The reproductive capability of a population is also influenced by climate and weather and, therefore, also has a significant effect on population growth.

INTRASPECIFIC COMPETITION:  Intraspecific competition as a interaction in population ecology whereby members of the same species compete for the same resources or limited resources in a specific area.  This leads to a reduction in fitness for both individuals.  This condition has profound effects on the health and reproduction capability of both flora and fauna in a specific habitat.

INTERSPECIFIC COMPETITION:  Interspecific competition, in ecology, is a form of competition characterized by individuals of different species competing for the same resource in an ecosystem (therefore, food or territory).  This is opposed to intraspecific completion in the sense that actual competition involves different species of plants and animals in a specific habitat which also affects population growth.

PREDATION:  In ecology, predation is a biological interaction wherein a predator (an organism always in the hunt) feeds on its prey (an organism that is hunted).  Predators often kill their prey before feeding on their tissues.  Predation is commonly associated with carnivory (meaning: an animal that feeds on flesh) although sometimes it could also be associated with herbivory (meaning: the eating and consumption of plants).  Predation reduces animal and plant population and affects population growth.  In human populations, predation could very well be the killing of people for other resources… not food, but other natural resources and territory.

These are the more common factors affecting population growth.

Just my little thoughts…

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REFERENCES:

Antonio, A. C. (2015). Population. Retrieved 6th of March 2015 from http://antonantonio.blogspot.com/

Antonio, A. C. (2015). Climate and Weather. Retrieved 6th of March 2015 from http://antonantonio.blogspot.com/search?q=CLIMATE+AND+WEATHER



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