Question

4. It was originally estimated by scientists that the carrying capacity of humans on earth wo

approximately 1 billion people. The population of earth is now over 7 billion people. What is
best explanation for this?
Factors that
INCREASE
Increase in population
of food source
Carrying Capacity
Increase in population
of competitors
Factors that
DECREASE
a. Humans now consume less resources than they did previously.
b. Humans have become more efficient in producing and replenishing food resources
c. The earth has continued to grow at the same rate as the human population has.
5. The graph shows how the population of a particular cponion ol
IL

Answer 1

The human population has grown beyond the estimated carrying capacity due to improved efficiency in food production and resource use, which increased the earth's carrying capacity. However, concerns about overpopulation and sustainability persist.

The best explanation for the human population exceeding the initial estimated carrying capacity of 1 billion and reaching over 7 billion is that humans have become more efficient in producing and replenishing food resources. This efficiency has been fueled by technological advances in agriculture and food distribution, which in turn have increased the earth's carrying capacity for humans.

Furthermore, these advancements have also allowed for a decrease in the number of resources needed to sustain human life, thus spurring exponential population growth. Despite these improvements, some scientists and scholars, known as Neo-Malthusians, warn that we may already have exceeded the sustainable population limit, and without careful management, overpopulation could lead to resource scarcity and environmental degradation.