Abstract
Comprehension of population patterns and processes is integral to any discussion of human-environment interactions, whether global in scope or at regional, urban, or more localized geographic scales. Indeed, with nearly 7.5 billion inhabitants of the earth, numbers remain a significant piece of the human-environment puzzle. Nevertheless, numbers alone often belie the complexities and contingencies of human-environment interactions. This chapter examines contemporary geographic patterns of population and population growth and introduces multiple perspectives on population, resources, and the environment. Concepts such as the demographic transition theory and IPAT model are defined and applied to human-environment issues, including greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. The chapter provides a foundation for understanding how, why, and where people affect and are affected by environmental processes at multiple geographic scales.
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Welford, M.R., Yarbrough, R.A. (2021). Population. In: Human-Environment Interactions. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-56032-4_6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-56032-4_6
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