Page 13 - e-Learning Module

2. Human Population Growth

OBJECTIVES
> To know that the evolution of humans from hunter-gatherers to permanent
settlers caused changes in the environment
> To understand the form of a human population growth curve

Humans, like other organisms, must find food, Growth of the human population
shelter and a place to breed. The first humans were As with other organisms, the growth of the human

hunter-gatherers who moved from place to place, population can be presented as a population
taking what they needed to satisfy these growth. curve. The number of humans increases,
requirements (but allowing the environment by reproduction, until the carrying capacity of
to recover once they moved on). After the most recent the environment has been reached. Humans have
Ice Age this method of living became more difficult the ability to alter their environment to raise the
and humans began to settle in the most suitable carrying capacity. Three major changes in human
areas. This meant that the environment did not have activities led to significant surges in the world
time to recover. population over the past 300 years, as shown
below.

Learning Module Organisms and Their Environment | Class 11 4