GE 10

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

2nd Semester S.Y. 2020 - 2021

MODULE 3
LESSON 1: Human Population
LESSON 2: Environmental Hazards and Human Health

Prepared by:
MARYGRACE P. SANOPAL, LPT
Faculty, College of Arts & Sciences
Natural Sciences Department
 MODULE 3

TITLE OF SUBJECT: Environmental Science

Major Topic: Human Population

INTRODUCTION
In general, most people think of human populations when they hear the word
population. However, to understand a population, you have to think in terms of
groupings. A grouping of individuals of the same species located in the same
geographical area is known as a population. This concept is applied not only to
humans but to other animals and plants as well. Several population of the same
species in the same area are known as a community. When the environment is
added to the overall equation, various populations and communities are considered
an ecosystem. However, plant and animal species are constantly changing, moving
and dying off. These changes are part of the ecological succession described in the
past lesson.
Besides increasing birth rates or germination, population also grow when the
organisms enter or immigrate . in the case of the seeds, they may be transported by
birds or on the wind. Some animals may fly or swim into a new area, while others
are hitchhikers on the fur or feather of another species or carried by the flow of
water.

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
1.Explain the elements that influence the human population's size.
2.Explain how the age structure of a population influences growth or decrease.
3.Discuss the major issues concerning urban resources and the environment.
4.Explain the dangers that biological threats pose to human health.
5.Discuss risk reduction and health risk management.

GUIDELINES ON THE PROPER USAGE OF THE MODULE

Please follow the guidelines listed below in order to fully understand the module.
1. This module consists of two lessons. Each lesson is discussed substantively.
Read the content thoroughly in order to fully understand the content of the
lesson.
2. You will find the specific learning outcomes (SLOs) of each lesson on the first
page of each lesson. Read very carefully the SLOs for each lesson because
these are the knowledge and skills you are expected to acquire at the end of
each lesson.
3. To acquire the SLOs , the Learning Activities/Exercises (LAEs) must be
answered by you at the end of the lesson.
4. If there are comments, reactions, questions or reflections about the contents
found on this module, feel free to text, call, chat or send an email message
to me.
5. I will personally check the practice Task/ Assessment and the Assignment at
the end of each lesson, so you should answer them very carefully.
LESSON 1 – HUMAN POPULATION
SPECIFIC LEARNING OUTCOMES:
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
1. Explain factors influencing the size of the human population.
2. Discuss how a population’s age structure affecting growth or decline.
3. Discuss the major urban resource and environmental problems.
4. Explain major urban resource and environmental problems.
5. Discuss how can we make cities more sustainable and livable.

MOTIVATION/PROMPTING QUESTIONS
 Is it advantageous to have a lot of children in the family?

DISCUSSION
Populations are dynamic and changes in response to environmental stress or changes
in environmental conditions. To understand such changes, there are 5 properties of
populations we should know about.
1. Size - Population size is defined as the number of individuals present in
a subjectively designated geographic range. Despite the simplicity in its
concept, locating all individuals during a census (a full count of every
individual) is nearly impossible, so ecologists usually estimate population size
by counting individuals within a small sample area and extrapolating that
sample to the larger population.
2. Density - density is the number of individuals per unit area or volume.
Counting the number of organisms inhabiting a certain area is often very
difficult, if not impossible. For example, imagine trying to count the number of
ants in a one hectare of land. Instead, scientist use sampling techniques to
estimate the number of organism living in one area.
3. Dispersion – is the pattern of spacing of individuals within the area the
population inhabits; the most common pattern of dispersion is clumped. Fish
travel this way in schools because there is safety in numbers. Some population
are spread in a uniform pattern. For example, certain plants may secrete
toxins that keep away other plants that would compete for limited resources.
Random spacing occurs in the absence of any special attractions or
repulsions. Trees can be spaced randomly in a forest.

4. Survivorship curves

Survivorship or mortality curves show the size and composition of the

population. There are three types of survivorship curves;
  Type 1 curves show organisms with low death rates in young and middle
age and high mortality in old age. There is great deal of parenting , which
accounts for the high survival rates of the young. This is characteristic of
humans.
 Type 2 curves describe a species with a death rate that is constant over
the life span. This describes the hydra, reptiles and rodents.
 Type 3 curves show a very high death rate among the young but then
shows that death rates decline for those few individuals that have survived
to a certain age. This is characteristic of fish and invertebrates that release
thousands of eggs , have external fertilization and have no parenting.

5. Age Structure Diagrams

Another important parameter of population is age structure. An age structure
diagram shows
the relative numbers of individuals at certain age.

The three age structure diagrams shown above display varied projections of
population growth. The first diagram shows the population of Kenya with
majority of its populace at reproductive age. The population of the country is
expected to increase as more babies will be conceived in the future. This is an
opposite case with the third diagram showing the country of Austria. As
majority of its populace are no longer reproductive, a decrease in population
growth is projected since it is expected for death rate to exceed birth rate .
On the other hand, the
 second diagram showing the United States will have a slow population growth
as the number of people at each age group is about the same and birth rates
and death rates are about equal.

Internal Population Factors

Lots of external factors affect population. In fact, internal factors are often
controlled by changes in the external factors. Natality , the germination,
cloning, birth, or hatching of new individuals in a population is affected by
external factors. ( e.g. climate, temperature, moisture and soil ) which
determine whether a population will grow or shrink.

Fecundity is the actual capability to reproduce, while fertility is a measure of

the number of offspring produced. In animal population, the fecundity of
individuals determine a population’s fertility. However , in humans, if two
people are physically capable ( fecund ), it is a matter of choice ( with all the
birth control options available) whether or not to reproduce’

On the other end of the reproductive spectrum, mortality or death rate is an

internal factor increased or decreased by outside conditions such as extreme
heat or cold . mortality is calculated by dividing the number of individuals that
die during a specific time period. Another way of looking at this is in terms of
survivorship, which describes the number of individuals born at or near the
same time, surviving to a specific age.

Life expectancy is the number of years a person is expected to live based on

statistical probability. However, life expectancy for a specific person is not set.
At birth, a person might be expected, statistically, to live to be 75 years old.
However, since many people die at infancy and during childhood, a person
who lives to be 74, and is still healthy, will most likely live 10 more years.
Except for accidents, he or she will most likely exceed expectancy, rather than
die the next year after beating the odds of early death.

Life span describes the longest interval of time a certain species is estimated
to live. Life span range from a matter of minutes to thousands of years. The
maximum human life span is around 120 years.

Population Growth

Every population has a characteristic biotic potential, the maximum rate at

which a population could increase under ideal conditions. Different populations
have different biotic potentials, which are influenced by several factors. These
factors include;
1. Age at which reproduction begins
2. The life span during which the organisms are capable of reproducing
3. The number of reproductive periods in the lifetime
4. The number of offspring the organism is capable of reproducing.
Exponential Growth
The simpliest model for population growth is one with unrestrained or exponential
growth. This population has no predation, parasitism or competition. It has no
immigration or emigration and is in an environment with unlimited resources. This is
characteristic of a population that has been recently introduced into an area, such as
a sample of bacteria newly inoculated onto a petri dish.
The Earth's Carrying Capacity
Prior to 1950, the death rate was high, which kept the numbers of humans from
increasing rapidly. In the 19th Century, the agricultural revolution increased food
production. In the 20th Century, advances in medicine, sanitation and nutrition
decreased the death rates further. These factors combined to produce the rapid
growth of the human population in the 20th century.
As with any population, humans are also limited by factors such as space, amount of
food and disease. The carrying capacity is the number of individuals that a stable
environment can support. There is no agreement on how many people the earth can
support. Though we can observe in ecosystems that as populations of animals reach
their carrying capacity, the population is at risk of starvation and disease. These
factors will reduce the population to its carrying capacity.
Some countries have a much higher growth rate than others. Growth rate is the
number of people born minus the number of people that die. In countries with high
growth rates, the numbers of babies being born is much larger than the number of
individuals dying. This is called a positive growth rate. In other countries, the
number of babies being born is less than those who are leaving the population; this
is a negative growth rate. To calculate the growth rate, subtract the number of
deaths from the number of births, this will give you either a positive or negative
number.
Zero population growth means that as many people are being born as there are
dying - to achieve zero population growth, each couple would need to have no more
than two children, which will eventually replace the parents in the population. Even if
this number is achieved, the population will continue to grow because the parents
will still live on for decades, as their children have children and their children have
children..and so forth.

Ultimately, there is a limit to the number of

individuals that can occupy one area at a particular
time. That limit is called the carrying capacity (k). Each particular environment has
its own
carrying capacity around which the population size oscillates.

Limiting Factors
Limiting factors are those factors that limit population growth. They are
divided into two
categories; density –dependent and density-independent factors.
  Density-dependent factors are those factors that increase directly as the
population density increases. They include competition for food, the build
up of wastes, predation and disease.
 Density-independent factors are those factors whose occurrence is
unrelated to the population density. These include earthquakes, storms
and naturally occurring fires and floods.
Growth Patterns
Some species are opportunistic; they reproduce rapidly when the
environment is uncrowded and
resources are vast. They are referred to as r-strategists. Other organisms, the
K-strategists, live at
a density near the carrying capacity.

Comparison of two life strategies

r-strategist k-strategist
Many young Few young
Little or no parenting Intensive parenting
Rapid maturation Slow maturation
Small young Large young
More than any other species. Reproduce many times
Example : insect Example : mammals

Human Population Change

Humans travel to new locations for family, food, jobs, land, religious freedom and to
avoid war. Population movements from a place is known as emigration. When
people join a population, it’s called immigration.
Human population changes are also related to replacement birth rate, or the number
of children a couple has to replace them in a population. Two seems to be the
obvious answer, but children die in childhood and some couples don’t have children,
so statistically the human replacement birth rate can be as high as 2.5.
Culture, birth control availability, women’s education, public and private retirement
programs, child labor needs ( e. g. farming), and religious beliefs all impact human
fertility rates. Human population growth is also affected by death rates related to
(1.) mothers dying in childbirth and infant mortality, (2.) infectious disease, (3.)
hazardous work, (4.) poor sanitation, (5.) clean water supplies, (6.) better health
care and (7.) better and more available food.

Impacts of Population Growth

Because of population growth, humans have impacted the Earth’s resources more
than any other species. The availability of clean water, sanitation, improved medical
treatments, and advanced food production methods have all lengthened the average
human life and added to global population growth.
Historically, many countries have been able to feed their populations with local
resources. However, population growth increases food demand and the demands
on these resources. some regions (e.g. Latin America), previously self sufficient, must
now import grain and other products to feed their growing populations.
Land Use
Land overuse results from economic circumstances, poor land laws, and cultural
customs. Some people exploit land resources for their own gain with little thought for
the land or neiboring areas. Some people in poverty have little choice but to overuse
their meager resources, even to the extent of wearing out the land.
Wars and national emergencies also destroy rich land by overburdening it with
refugiees and other displaced people. Natural disasters like floods and droughts can
do the same thing. All this limits environmental resources needed for regional
population to maintain population growth and health.
Population Control
Efforts to control population include birth control and education ( especially of
women). Some countries, such as China with extreme overpopulation
( 1,444,539,589 people as of June 10, 2021), limit population growth by enacting
laws (e.g. one child policy per couple) to raise everyone’s standard of living and
prevent hunger and poverty resulting from unrestrained population growth. China’s
One Child Policy , though controversial in the West due to female gender
discrimination has resulted in a decrease in the population growth of that country by
approximately 250 million.
How Have Humans Modified Natural Ecosystems
To ensure survival of the growing number of people, we have greatly increased the
number and area of the earth’s natural systems that we have modified, cultivated ,
built on or degraded. We have used technology to alter much of the rest of nature in
a number of ways.
 One is fragmenting and degrading wildlife habitats.
 Second is simplifying natural ecosystems. Example of this would be the
conversion of a forest that contains thousands of interrelated plants and
animal species and replace it with one crop. Such happens when a natural
ecosystem is converted into a kaingin; where different species of living
things are replaced by a single crop such as corn ( Zea mays).
 Third is using, wasting or destroying an increasing percentage of the
earth’s net primary productivity that supports all consumer species
( including humans).
 Fourth is the inadvertently strengthening of some pest species population
and disease causing bacteria. This has occurred through the overuse of
pesticides and antibiotics that has speeded up directional natural selection.
 Fifth is the elimination of some predators which results in the upset of the
existing food chain. Example of this is the removal of predators that feed
on field mice ( such as snakes and hawk) ,will cause the population of mice
to increase and cause infestation on the growing crop ( such as rice ).
 Sixth is the accidental introduction of new or nonnative species into
ecosystems. Some of these species are beneficial (such as most food
producing crops) and some harmful to us and other species.
 Seventh, some renewable resources have been overharvested. Farmers
sometimes deplete soil nutrients by excessive crop growing. Some species
are overharvested. Illegal hunting
(poaching) endangers wildlife species with economically valuable parts
(such as elephant tusks, rhinoceros horns and tiger skins).
 Eighth, some human activities interfere with the normal chemical cycling
and energy flow in ecosystems. Chemicals such as chlorofluorocarbon
(CFC’s) released into the atmosphere can increase the amount of harmful
ultraviolet energy reaching the earth by reducing ozone levels in the
stratosphere. Emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases –
from burning fossil fuels and from clearing and burning forests and
grasslands – can trigger global climate change by altering energy flow
through the atmosphere.
Learning Activity I
Instructions: Complete the chart below. (30pts.)

Learning Activity II
Instructions: Understand the population growth model and answer the following
questions below. (5pts.each)

1. What is
the term
used to

populations moving into an area?

2. What is the term used for populations leaving in an area?
3.Name two factors that cause an increase in population size.
4. Name two factors that cause an increase in population size.

Teacher Intervention
NOTE TO STUDENTS: If you have questions and clarifications regarding the topics
discussed in this module, please feel free to send me a message in my e-mail address
([email protected]). I’ll try to address your concerns the soonest
possible time.
Practice Task/ Assessment
Instructions: Understand the human population growth data and answer the
following questions below. (15 pts. each)
I. Human Population Growth
Objectives: Create a graph of human population growth and use it to predict future
growth and identify factors that affect population growth.
Number of
Year People (in
billions)

1650 .50

1750 .70

1850 1.0

1925 2.0

1956 2.5

1966 3.3

1970 3.6

1976 4.0

1980 4.4

1991 5.5

2000 6.0

2004 6.4

2012 7.5

 
1. It took 1649 years for the world population to double, going from .25 billion
people to .50 billion people.
    How long did it take for the population to double once again?
_____________________________
2. How long did it take for the population to double a second time? ___________ A
third time? ________________
3. Use a different color to extend your graph to the year 2015. In what year will the
population reach 10 billion? ________
4. Based on your graph, how many years will it take for the population of 2000 to
double? ______________
5. The graph illustrates exponential growth. Based on the properties of the graph,
what does this term mean?
II. Create a graph. (30 pts.)
Directions in making your graph:
 Place time on the horizontal axis. Values should range from 1650 to 2050.
 Place number of people on the vertical access. Values should range from 0 to 15
billion.
 Create a a title for your graph.
Title:___________________________________

Assignment
Answer the following statements/questions comprehensively. (30 points)
1. Explain why the current estimation of the number of human population
is so speculative.
2. What are your experiences and discoveries you have learned in this
module?
FEEDBACK TO ASSESSMENT
ANSWERS MAY VARY
LESSON 2 – ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS AND HUMAN HEALTH

SPECIFIC LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
1. Explain how biological hazards threaten human health.
2. Discuss risk reduction and management health risks.
3. Explain the 3P principle.
4. Discuss ways to reduce health risks.
MOTIVATION/PROMPTING QUESTIONS
 How good health is most important part of our life?
 Why people fail in maintaining their health?

INTRODUCTION
A substance, state, or event that has the potential to endanger the natural
environment and/or harm human health is known as an environmental hazard.
Pollution, natural calamities, and man-made risks are all covered under this umbrella
term. Human health impacts of exposure to environmental risks ranging from
chemical pollutants to natural, technological dangers are investigated in health
research.The physical, chemical, and biological components of the environment in
which we exist can be divided into three categories. The existence of a link between
an exposure and a negative health consequence does not imply that the former is the
cause of the latter. Many additional non-causal relationships could account for the
findings. Environmental dangers that might cause harm are referred to as physical
hazards.Earthquakes, electromagnetic fields, floods, light pollution, noise pollution,
vibration, x-rays, and other natural disasters are examples. Some illnesses, such as
leukemia, have an exposure-dependent risk related with radioactivity. The scientific
evidence of negative health effects from exposure to electromagnetic fields in the
general environment is "not verified." Asthma, bronchitis, lung cancer, and other lung
disorders are among the health impacts of concern, and there is strong evidence
linking an increased risk of symptoms of these diseases with rising levels of Sulphur
dioxide, ozone, and other pollutants. Biohazards are divided into two types: those
that cause illness through infection and those that do not (microorganisms, viruses or
toxins) and those which produce adverse effects in non-infective (allergic) ways.

DISCUSSION
WHAT MAJOR HEALTH HAZARDS DO WE FACE?
A risk is the probability of suffering harm from a hazard that can cause injury,
disease, death, economic loss, or damage. Scientists often describe a risk in terms of
its probability of causing harm in terms such as, “The lifetime probability of
developing a lung cancer from smoking one pack of cigarettes per day is 1 in 250”.
Risk assesment is the process of using statistical health methods to estimate how
much harm a particular hazard can cause to human health or the environment. Risk
management involves deciding whether and how to reduce a particular risk to a
certain level and at what cost.
HOW DO BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS THREATEN HUMAN HEALTH?
Some diseases can spread from one person to another. An infectious
disease is a disease caused by a pathogen such as bacterium, virus, or parasite
invading the body and multiplying in its cells and tissues. Bacteria are single-cell
organisms that are found everywhere and that can multiply rapidly on their own,
Most bacteria are harmless and some are beneficial. However, those that cause
diseases such as strep throat or tuberculosis are harmful.
Viruses are smaller than bacteria and work by invading a cell and taking over its
genetic machinery to copy themselves. They then multiply and spread throughout
one’s body, causing a viral disease such as flu or AIDS. A transmissible disease is
an infectious bacterial or viral disease that can be transmitted from one person to
another. A non-transmissible disease is caused by something other than a living
organism and does not spread from one person to another. Examples include
cardiovascular (heart and blood vessel) diseases, most cancers, asthma, and
diabetes. In 1900, infectious disease was the leading cause of death in the world.
Greatly reduced by a combination of better health care, the use of antibiotics to treat
infectious diseases caused by bacteria, and the development of vaccines.

Infectious diseases are still major health threats.

• Infectious diseases remain as serious health threats, especially in less-developed
countries.
• Spread through air, water, food, and body fluids.
• A large-scale outbreak of an infectious disease in an area is called an epidemic.
• A global epidemic such as tuberculosis or AIDS is called a pandemic.
• Many disease-carrying bacteria have developed genetic immunity to widely used
antibiotics and many disease transmitting species of insects such as mosquitoes have
become immune to widely used pesticides that once helped to control their
populations.

WHAT TYPES OF BIOLOGICAL

HAZARDS DO WE FACE?
Some chemicals can cause cancers, mutations, and birth defects.
• A toxic chemical is one that can cause temporary or permanent harm or death to
humans and animals.
• In 2004, the EPA listed arsenic, lead, mercury, vinyl chloride (used to make PVC
plastics), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) as the top five toxic substances in
terms of human and environmental health.
• There are three major types of potentially toxic agents. – Carcinogens are
chemicals, types of radiation, or certain viruses that can cause or promote cancer. –
Mutagens are chemicals or forms of radiation that cause mutations, or changes, in
the DNA molecules found in cells, or that increase the frequency of such changes. –
Teratogens are chemicals that cause harm or birth defects to a fetus or embryo.

• The EPA estimates that about 1 in 12 women of childbearing age in the US has
enough mercury in her blood to harm a developing fetus. – The greatest risk from
exposure to low levels of methyl mercury is brain damage in fetuses and young
children. – Methyl mercury may also harm the heart, kidneys, and immune system of
adults. – EPA advised nursing mothers, pregnant women, and women who may
become pregnant not to eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish and to limit
their consumption of albacore tuna. – In 2003, the UN Environment Programme
recommended phasing out coal-burning power plants and waste incinerators
throughout the world as rapidly as
possible.
POTENTIALLY HARMFUL CHEMICALS FOUND IN MANY HOMES

HOW DO WE PERCEIVE RISKS AND HOW CAN WE AVOID THE WORST OF

THEM?

The greatest health risks come from poverty, gender, and lifestyle choices.
• The best ways to reduce one’s risk of premature death and serious health problems
are to:
– avoid smoking and exposure to smoke
– lose excess weight
– reduce consumption of foods containing cholesterol and saturated fats
– eat a variety of fruits and vegetables
– exercise regularly
– drink little or no alcohol
– avoid excess sunlight
– practice safe sex.

LEARNING ACTIVITY I
Instructions: Read and understand the following questions comprehensively.
1. What are the benefits of reducing safety risks? Site two examples. (30pts.)
2. Differentiate the variance between types of environmental safety hazards. (20pts.)

LEARNING ACTIVITY II
Instructions: Read and understand the following questions comprehensively.
1. What does Environmental Health encompass? (20pts)
2. What is Environmental Health targeted towards? (20pts)
3.How can we ensure the conditions of human health and provide healthy
environments for people to live, work, and play? (20pts)

TEACHER INTERVENTION
NOTE TO STUDENTS: If you have questions and clarifications regarding the topics
discussed in this module, please feel free to send me a message in my e-mail address
([email protected]). I’ll try to address your concerns the soonest
possible time.

PRACTICE TASK/ ASSESSMENT

Answer the following statements/questions comprehensively.
1. What is the relationship between the environment and human health? (15pts.)
2. Why is it that a healthy environment is necessary for all human rights? (15pts.)
3. Explain how nitrogen oxides are produced and their environmental impact.
(15pts.)
4. Make a table and explain the 3P principle. (30pts.)
5. A. Site a place that shows a high active cases of the following diseases:
 TUBERCULOSIS
 MALARIA
 HIV EPIDEMIC
  COVID-19 PANDEMIC
B. Make a graph of the following diseases and explain how does it differ from each
other. (50pts)

ASSIGNMENT
Make a short poem that describes the health situation of your community. (50pts)

FEEDBACK TO ASSESSMENT
ANSWERS MAY VARY

Sources:
G. Tyler Miller & S. Spoolman, 16th Edition, 2019. Environmental Science. Cengage
Learning, Inc.
R. T. Wright. 9th Edition. 2005. Environmental Science Toward a Sustainable Future.
Pearson Education, Inc. New Jersey.
G. Tyler Miller Jr. 10th Edition. 2004. Environmental Science. Thomson Learning Inc.
Canada

Internet:
ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS AND HUMAN HEALTH | 71813 (omicsonline.org)
https://www.bing.com/search?
q=human+health+and+environmental+health+EXAMS&qs=n&sp=-
1&pq=human+health+and+environmental+health+exams&sc=0-
43&sk=&cvid=3C03E05A94CC4ACBBC30598AA9229B9F&first=21&FORM=PERE1
https://quizlet.com/300378549/environmental-health-flash-cards/
https://slidetodoc.com/environmental-hazards-and-human-health-chapter-14-section/