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Human Population Growth & Habitat Destruction

Human Population Growth & Habitat Destruction. US population growth. 1 b every........................... 8 seconds 1 d every......................... 12 seconds 1 i (net) every.................. 26 seconds Net gain of 1 every......... 13 seconds . 45,000 675,000.

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Human Population Growth & Habitat Destruction

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  1. Human Population Growth&Habitat Destruction

  2. US population growth • 1 b every........................... 8 seconds • 1 d every......................... 12 seconds • 1 i (net) every.................. 26 seconds • Net gain of 1 every......... 13 seconds

  3. 45,000 675,000 zero pop change = April, 2240

  4. Growth trend is not unique to US • 2004 estimates (CIA website) • India (1.07B) • 2.85 children/woman • 22.8 births/1,000 population • 8.38 deaths/1,000 population • ∆ 1.44% • Sudan (39.1M) • 4.97 children/woman • 35.79 births/1,000 population • 9.37 deaths/1,000 population • ∆ 2.64% • Greenland (58k) • 2.42 children/woman • 15.96 births/1,000 population • 7.7 deaths/1,000 population • ∆ -0.01%

  5. http://www.census.gov/population/www/popclockus.html

  6. 5 min population growth  9503 – 8815 = 698

  7. 2.33 persons/sec

  8. Question 1 • Human population growth is sometimes blamed for the loss of biological diversity. Is this valid? • Is human population growth a concern for our environment?

  9. Habitat Destruction • Almost all modern “environmental” problems are linked to human population growth – habitat destruction. • HD - Destruction of wildlife habitats by increasing pressure for land by fast-growing human populations, pollution and over-exploitation (EPA definition) • Examples: • Habitat conversion and fragmentation. • Reductions in habitat quality, overexploitation (harvesting, pet trading), (pollution, inc. global temps, soil erosion, introduced competitors/predators, etc.)

  10. Tree harvesting

  11. Komi clearcuts

  12. Habitat Conversion • Wisconsin forest fragmentation

  13. 50 Million acres every year

  14. Tropical Rainforests…

  15. Habitat Conversion

  16. After the conversion… Mauna Loa, Hawaii

  17. Overgrazing

  18. Over harvesting • Rotenone abuse

  19. Results from digs of Paleolithic, archaeological remains

  20. Introduced (Exotic) species

  21. Pollution

  22. Manila Bay Pollution

  23. Mexico City

  24. Gasses trapped in ice pack

  25. Coal/oil fired pollutants

  26. Extinctions (real and ecological)

  27. Question 2 • How do we value the diversity of life or natural items? • How should we value them?

  28. Why is biodiversity valuable? • Direct values  $, meat, fibers • Indirect values  • Aesthetics • Religious • Optional  (e.g. rosy periwinkle) • See next slides: • Intrinsic value Vincristine - leukemia Vinblastine – Hodgkin’s disease

  29. Question 3 • What choices do you make on a daily basis that are “good” for the environment? • What choices do you make on a daily basis that are “bad” for the environment?

  30. Question 4 • Is the protection of the diversity of life a moral decision?

  31. Question 5 & 6 • Should we slow human population growth? • How?

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