Understanding Overpopulation

For our science project we all started researching different topics. Particularly overpopulation interested me immediately. Thinking about the capacity the world can take and how fast that’s probably gonna be reached in contrast with solutions that are from good to morally more than reprehensible, that’s what really interested me. With this post however I first of all want to give you overall information about the topic and a rough, but good understanding of the word “overpopulation”.

In general overpopulation describes the state when the limit of the population density is exceeded (2), so the final stage of the population growth is reached (1). Additionally to that it can also be seen as the point when the number of people is bigger compared to the capacity of the ecosystem (1).  Reasons that then cause overpopulation in general are immigration, declines of the mortality rate, medical breakthroughs and increased birth rates (1), but also declines and losses of resources (4), what belongs to the ecosystem. 

The consequences of overpopulation however are precarious. Especially people in regions with a high population density feel these consequences of population growth and/or overpopulation in their own regions. On resource shortages or not having enough of esentiell materials, such as water, transportation, shelter, food and social amenities (1) then follow poor supply and higher death rates.  

This problem of high population densities however is not everywhere as big. By taking a look at the whole globe again there are huge differences. Especially in the northern countries of Africa the population rate but also the population growth is very high, whereas the rate and growth in Europe is pretty low (3). However, this shouldn’t be used to perpetuate racist stigma. The whole concept of human overpopulation is also discussed controversial because of some movements and communities disputing its premise (4). 

1. https://www.issuesonline.co.uk/articles/what-is-overpopulation 
2. https://stats.oecd.org/glossary/detail.asp?ID=1978 
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_overpopulation
4. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10668-011-9336-2

picture: https://weltexpress.info/menschenmassen-wandern-auf-der-erde-ueberbevoelkerung-nimmt-zu/