Analysis should include use of human and non-human examples of populations to determine the capacity of an area and the environmental consequences of exceeding the local environment’s carrying capacity.
Process/Skill Questions:
- How are population size and carrying capacity related to sustainability?
- What factors affect population growth in developing and in developed countries?
- When a population has exceeded its location’s carrying capacity, what are the environmental consequences?
- What are the implications for water, food, and resources availability over the next 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 years, given the data on population growth?
- What are significant issues relating to population control as they pertain to carrying capacity?
- How does carrying capacity vary around the world and with climate?