/*! This file is auto-generated */ .wp-block-button__link{color:#fff;background-color:#32373c;border-radius:9999px;box-shadow:none;text-decoration:none;padding:calc(.667em + 2px) calc(1.333em + 2px);font-size:1.125em}.wp-block-file__button{background:#32373c;color:#fff;text-decoration:none} Problem 24 Humans have altered their own ca... [FREE SOLUTION] | 91影视

91影视

Log out

Learning Materials

Features

Discover

Chapter 36: Problem 24

Humans have altered their own carrying capacity. Explain how humans have changed their carrying capacity and the consequences of this change. a. By limiting their own carrying capacity, humans have enabled their population to grow rapidly. b. By decreasing their own carrying capacity, humans have enabled their population to grow slowly. c. By stabilizing their own carrying capacity, humans have enabled their population to grow steadily. d. By increasing their own carrying capacity, humans have enabled their population to grow exponentially.

Short Answer

Expert verified
d. By increasing their own carrying capacity, humans have enabled their population to grow exponentially.

Step by step solution

01

- Understand Carrying Capacity

Carrying capacity refers to the maximum number of individuals that an environment can support sustainably without degrading the environment.
02

- Human Alteration of Carrying Capacity

Humans have changed their carrying capacity through advancements in technology, agriculture, medicine, and infrastructure, which have increased food production, reduced mortality rates, and improved living conditions.
03

- Consequences of Changing Carrying Capacity

As a result of increasing the carrying capacity, humans have enabled their population to grow, and this growth has often been at an exponential rate.
04

- Identify the Correct Answer

Based on the explanations, the correct answer is: d. By increasing their own carrying capacity, humans have enabled their population to grow exponentially.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with 91影视!

Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

carrying capacity
Carrying capacity is a term used in ecology. It refers to the largest number of individuals of a species that an environment can support without being degraded. For instance, an island can only support a set number of rabbits. Beyond this, the island would run out of resources like food and space. The carrying capacity depends on the availability of resources such as food, water, and shelter. In humans, this concept is more complex because we can alter our environment significantly.
population growth
Population growth is the increase in the number of people in a particular area over time. This growth can be influenced by birth rates, death rates, and migration patterns. When the carrying capacity of an area increases, the population can grow more. In human history, this growth has been exponential, especially in recent centuries. Improvements in healthcare and technology have reduced death rates, allowing more people to live longer and contribute to population growth.
technological advancements
Technological advancements have played a crucial role in altering human carrying capacity. Innovations in agriculture, medicine, and infrastructure have made it possible to support more people in the same area. For example, agricultural technology has increased food production through the use of fertilizers, pesticides, and machinery. Medical advancements like vaccines and antibiotics have reduced mortality rates. Infrastructure improvements, such as better housing and sanitation systems, have also contributed to higher carrying capacity.
food production
Food production is essential for supporting large populations. Advances in agriculture have allowed humans to produce more food than ever before. The Green Revolution, which involved the use of high-yield crops, fertilizers, and irrigation, significantly boosted food production. Modern farming techniques, such as genetically modified organisms (GMOs), have further increased crop yields. These advancements have helped increase the carrying capacity of human populations by ensuring a stable food supply.
mortality reduction
Mortality reduction refers to the decrease in death rates, particularly from diseases and poor living conditions. This reduction is a key factor in population growth. Advances in medical science have led to the development of vaccines, antibiotics, and other treatments that save lives. Improvements in public health, such as clean water and sanitation, have also contributed to lower mortality rates. By decreasing mortality, human populations can grow more, as fewer people die young and more people live longer.

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

Some animal behaviors can be modified by experience. Which of the following accurately predicts how an experiential factor is likely to affect an animal鈥檚 behavior? a. A species of salmon will migrate up the same river regardless of increases in predators that visit these waterways from one year to the next. b. Female elk that had difficult deliveries of calves will continue to mate with males in succeeding mating seasons. c. Bears that receive food from humans are later more likely to break into human habitations than bears that are not approached by humans. d. A bird raised from an egg isolated in a lab environment will give the same alarm call as birds of the same species raised in the wild.

A biologist hypothesizes birds of various species recognize the predator warning calls of other bird species. The biologist has established several feeders in a forest where birds come to feed regularly. They are spread out over a wide area, making it difficult to observe all of the boxes at the same time. Describe how the biologist can use this site to collect data to test his hypothesis. a. The biologist can use video cameras to record the behavior of birds coming to the feeders. b. The biologist can leave an audio recorder near the feeders. c. The biologist can record the behavior of birds by comparing them with other birds using video cameras. d. The biologist could observe the birds continually for one month.

Explain the correlation between age structure and the level of economic development observed in many countries. a. There is no correlation between the characteristics of age structures and the level of economic development. b. Countries that are more economically developed tend to have fewer middle- aged individuals and more young individuals than undeveloped countries. c. A larger ratio of very young individuals to very old individuals characterizes the age structures of countries with the highest economic development. d. Age structures of economically undeveloped countries show greater proportions of children and fewer proportions of elderly people.

Fruit flies are found in many different areas in the world. Fruit flies that are resistant to cold temperatures tend to have decreased fecundity at early ages compared to flies that are not capable of surviving the cold. Explain a likely reason for why this set of traits is observed. (credit: Anthony Zera Publications) a. Flies having traits that traded early reproductive energy for greater storage of energy in their bodies were favored via natural selection because they survived the cold better than flies that did not have these traits. b. In cold conditions, flies have less need for reproduction than in warm conditions and so energy normally used for reproduction is diverted to other survival functions. c. Flies respond to weather conditions to shift their energy resources to either storage in their bodies in the cold or to reproduction when conditions become warm again. d. All fruit flies have the same genetic makeup, but express different patterns of genes under different conditions, which results in expression of certain genes for cold conditions and others for warm conditions.

Prairie dogs are considered a keystone species in the western U.S. because of their extensive burrowing activities and their role as a prey animal. Explain why these characteristics would result in the keystone role of prairie dogs in their ecosystem. a. Prairie dogs provide protection and shelter for small animals and harm predator animals in the ecosystem. b. Without the prairie dogs, the ecosystem might collapse due to lack of protection and shelter for small animals and lack of prey to sustain large predator animals. c. Prairie dogs dig underground burrows, reducing aeration in the soil and preventing excessive growth of plants above ground. d. The burrows prairie dogs dig underground provide shelter for other species of animals as well as protection from predators, but prevent growth of plants above ground.
See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Biology Textbooks

Reproduction

Read Explanation

Microbiology

Read Explanation

Astrobiological Science

Read Explanation

Ecology

Read Explanation

Ecosystems

Read Explanation

Genetic Information

Read Explanation
View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.