Ecology And Population Growth

Ecology And Population Growth

CheckPoint: Ecology and Population Growth
In 2010, according to Population Reference Bureau (July, 2010), the world population count was approximately 6,892,319,000 people. This number increases by 4.4 individuals every second, 384,146 every day, and 140,213,443 every year (Population Reference Bureau, July, 2010). Another source shows the world population for 2011 to currently be approximately 6,956,644,192 people (About.com - U.S. Census Bureau, 2011). This number is increasing by 4.3 a second, 367,642 a day, and 134,189,210 a year (About.com - U.S. Census Bureau, 2011). The U.S. Census Bureau shows the increase in the world population from 3 billion 1959 to 6 billion by 1999, and the doubled increase is expected from 1999 to 2040 (About.com - U.S. Census Bureau, 2011).
Experts on global issues are concerned about the way the growth of the population may threaten both human and ecological growth. Extremely discouraging are such impacts as falling grain harvests and water tables worldwide. A Chinese expert, named Ding Yihui (April 20, 2004), expresses his concern of how the high consumption impacts not just the climate, but biodiversity, ecosystems, air quality, and human health. Biodiversity has declined, shown in the decrease in coniferous forests and eight out of 11 types of major trees dwindling (Yihui, April 20, 2004). Ding (2004) also states that human health is deteriorating. In China alone, dengue fever has increased because of global warming, and the death rate is increasing (Yihui, April 20, 2004). In the case of air quality, emission of carbon dioxide rises because of the use of large amounts of energy due to the necessary increase in productivity to accommodate a growing population (Yihui, April 20, 2004).
                                  Reference
About.com - U.S. Census Bureau. (2011). International database world vital events. Retrieved
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