IB ESS SL 2.1.13 Human Population Limiting Factors Question Bank
Evaluate how resources, disease, technology and social conditions limit human population growth.
- Syllabus
- First assessment 2026
- Course
- ESS SL
- Level
- SL
Exam points
- identify the population or ecosystem process in the evidence
- apply the correct interaction, growth or sampling model
- justify the conclusion using limiting factors, assumptions and uncertainty
2.1.13—Human population limiting factors question 1
[Maximum number: 9]
To what extent are natural limiting factors likely to stabilise human population growth?
Answers may demonstrate:
- understanding concepts \& terminology of natural factors such as disease, pandemics, natural disasters, resource depletion; carrying capacity; Boserup and Malthus models; limiting factors of food production; water supply; pollution; waste management; carbon capture technology; renewable energy sources; catalytic converters; scrubbers; GMOS; vertical farming; aquaponics; desalination; water treatment; green architecture; etc
- breadth in addressing and linking a range of limiting factors such as disease; food \& water supply; available land for housing; other density-dependent factors; natural disasters; climate/weather conditions; pollution; waste management; urbanisation; with their likelihood of stabilising human population growth.
- examples of limiting factors in the areas of pollution; food \& water supply; diseases; land availability; waste management and the ways in which they may be overcome etc
- balanced analysis evaluating extent to which natural limiting factors can be effective or ineffective in stabilising human population growth.
- a conclusion that is consistent with, and supported by analysis and examples given e.g. To a great extent the Boserup model has been supported in that technological development has neutralised many potential natural limiting factors but, rationally, in a system of finite resources there must be an outer limit beyond which we cannot go.
Please see markbands on page 17.
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