Dynamics of Human Populations

Recommended Prerequisites

Not applicable.

Teaching Methods

Expository Method; Visit to the local historical archives for vital data collection; Population data bases query available online, and fieldwork. 

Learning Outcomes

The principal aims are: i) to provide an introduction to the different approaches to the study of how human populations change over time; and ii) to elucidate the relation between human society and natural environment, which is, an open complex and enormous system formed through the interaction between human activities and nature environment. 

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

The Age of Humans: The Antropocene: Conceptual and Historical Perspectives; Relationship between early human lineages, technological innovation, and periods of strong climate variability in East Africa; History of human-environment relationship; Origin of Relationship between Human and Geography; Cultural ecology: Contemporary understanding of relationship between humans and environment.

Human Population Dynamics Basic Concepts: Mathematics of Population Growth; Determinants of Demographic Change; World Population Grow and Environment; Urbanization and Megacities; Consequences of Demographic Change; Demographic Convergence and Human Lifespan Trends;

Human Population: next half century; Concept of scale and the human dimensions of global change; Human population dynamics in biodiversity hotspots; Global Demographic Trends and future carbon emissions.

Human population’s data bases: Historical Archives; Online databases; Online Portuguese data bases: PORDATA, and INE; Research Methods.

Head Lecturer(s)

Maria Manuela Pratas Alvarez

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Other: 25.0%
Exam: 75.0%

Bibliography

Hedrick, P. W. (2005). Genetics of Populations. Jones and Bartlett Publishers (Massachusetts, USA).

Jobling, M.; Hurles, M.; Tyler-Smith, C. (2004). Human Evolutionary Genetics. Garland Publishing (New York, USA).

Strachan, T. e Read, A. P., 2004 - Human Molecular Genetics. Garland Science. (New York, USA).