Biology, Eighth Edition (Raven)

Chapter 55: Population Ecology

World Hunger

How is hunger related to the carrying capacity of the environment? Every population occurs in an environment. Based on the resources in the environment each population has a carrying capacity. The carrying capacity is the number of individuals the environment will support. The amount of available food and other resources and the presence or absence of other species are the primary determinants of the carrying capacity. Humans have the ability to greatly change their own carrying capacity. The rapid growth of human populations has been matched by technological improvements in food production. However many agricultural areas have been degraded and the carrying capacity has decreased in those local areas. Where the population exceeds the carrying capacity there is often widespread hunger and associated problems.

View the animation below, then complete the quiz to test your knowledge of the concept.



1.

In the Hunger Cycle shown undernutrition increases susceptibility to disease and this disease
A)is easily cured.
B)only affects very old people.
C)decreases a person’s ability to grow or buy food.
D)increases a person’s ability to grow or buy food.
2.

Hunger in the developing world is caused by
A)one problem that is easily solved.
B)many problems, but they are easy to solve.
C)one problem, but it is difficult to solve.
D)many problems which are difficult to solve.
3.

A lack of adequate storage and transportation which leads to food spoilage describes
A)high debt to developed nations.
B)poor infrastructure.
C)depletion of natural resources..
D)cultural attitudes toward some foods.
4.

One part of the mission of the Peace Corps is to
A)help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served.
B)help decrease world hunger by cultivating food crops to give away.
C)decrease AIDS by giving out new medications to those who need them.
D)convince different cultures to adapt to American foods so there will be a better market.
5.

The Hunger Project, an organization committed to the sustainable end of world hunger, is
A)an United States government organization.
B)a global movement involving many nations.
C)focused mostly on hunger in Bangladesh.
D)headquartered in Uganda .
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