Population
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
- For the use of the word population in statistics, see statistical population.
Populations are studied in a wide variety of disciplines. In population dynamics size, age and sex structure, mortality, reproductive behaviour and growth of a population are studied. Demography is the study of the human population dynamics. Other aspects are studied in sociology, economics and geography. Plant or animal populations are studied in biology and in particular, population biology, a branch of ecology, and population genetics. In evolutionary biology and population genetics a population denotes a breeding group, whose members breed solely among themselves, for instance through physical isolation, though biologically they could breed with all members of the species or subspecies.
Population density measures the number of people or organisms per unit of area. Variants may express the population per unit of habitable, inhabited, productive (or potentially productive) or cultivated area. A particular geographic area of land is said to have a carrying capacity, representing the maximum population which it can support. Some observers of human societies believe that the concept of carrying capacity also applies to human population, and that unchecked population growth can result in a Malthusian catastrophe. Others oppose this view.
Population may also mean the process of populating a geographic area, as by procreation or immigration.
External links
- Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. United Nations.
- "Population of World". PopulationWorld.com.