Key Terms: Population ecology (AQA A Level Geography): Revision Note
Exam code: 7037
Population growth dynamics - key terms
Carrying capacity – The maximum number of people that the environment can sustainably support with available resources.
Dependency ratio – The proportion of dependents (people aged under 15 or over 64) compared to the working-age population.
Ecological footprint – A measure of the land and resource use by a population; higher in more developed countries.
Exponential growth – Rapid population increase over time, accelerating especially since the Industrial Revolution.
Limiting factors – Environmental, economic, or social conditions (e.g. disease, food shortage) that restrict population growth.
Optimum population – The number of people that, when combined with available resources and technology, achieves the highest standard of living.
Overpopulation – A situation where there are too many people relative to the resources and technology available to support them.
Population ecology – The study of how population changes interact with environmental systems.
Resource use – The consumption of natural materials (e.g. water, energy, minerals), closely linked to population size and lifestyle.
Standard of living – The level of wealth, comfort, and access to goods and services available to a population.
Technological innovation – Advances in tools and systems that increase the availability or efficiency of resource use.
Underpopulation – A situation where there are not enough people to use available resources effectively, leading to reduced economic potential.
Predicting population growth - key terms
Boserupian perspective – The theory that population growth drives innovation, leading to improved resource availability (e.g. Green Revolution).
Club of Rome – A group of scientists and economists who modelled future global collapse from resource overuse and population growth.
Feedback loops – Cycles where an initial change reinforces (positive feedback) or reduces (negative feedback) further changes in population and resource use.
Malthusian perspective – The belief that population grows faster than food supply, leading to famine, disease, and conflict.
Negative feedback – A mechanism that reduces growth, such as increased mortality or reduced fertility when resources become scarce.
Neo-Malthusian – A modern extension of Malthus’ ideas that emphasises limits to growth due to resource depletion and environmental damage.
Optimistic perspective – The belief that human creativity and innovation can overcome population pressures and resource limits.
Overshoot – When population exceeds the Earth’s carrying capacity, causing environmental degradation and population decline.
Population-resources-pollution model – A systems model showing the interaction between population growth, resource consumption, and pollution.
Positive feedback – A reinforcing cycle where population growth leads to more births, better health, and further growth.
Simon perspective – The view that population growth is beneficial because it leads to more innovation and problem-solving.
Sustainable resource use – Managing resources so they meet present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.
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