Fertilitycan refer to the ability ofsoiltosustainplant growth, or it can refer to the number of live births occurring in apopulation.
Fertile Soil
Agronomists, or people who study the uses of plants, use the term to refer to soil. Plants grow easily in fertile soil because it contains large amounts of nutrients. These nutrients, which help keep plants healthy, come from minerals and decaying plant and animal matter. Minerals may have been deposited in the soil during the lastglacial period, orIce Age.
Fertilizers can be added to soil to increase fertility. Fertilizers contain nutrients such as phosphorous,nitrogen, andpotassium. Composted plant matter, calledhumus, is a naturalfertilizerthat can improve soil fertility.Manure, or the droppings of some animals such as bats or cows, is also an excellent fertilizer. Many companies manufacture fertilizers for use on specific crops. These fertilizers can be applied directly to the soil or to the plants.
Poorfarmingtechniques, certain grazing practices, anderosioncan make the soil less fertile. Planting a singlecrop, year after year, candrainthe soil of nutrients. Overgrazing by too many cows, goats, or sheep can prevent new grasses from growing. Erosion allows the soil to either blow away by wind or drain away by water.
Fertile soil is usually found in river basins or in places where glaciers deposited minerals during the last ice age. Valleys and plains are usually more fertile than mountains. ThePampas, for example, is an extremely fertile plains region in South America. The Pampas includes parts of Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay. The Pampas supports both farming and ranching.
Human Fertility
For demographers—people who studypopulation statistics—fertility means the number of live births occurring in a population.
Thegeneral fertility rateis the number of live births per 1,000 birthing people ofchildbearing age(usually ages 15 to 44) in a given year. Governments keep track of the general fertility rate to determine if their population will grow, shrink, or stay the same size. This determines such things as how much food needs to be produced, what sort ofpublic transportationis needed, and howhealthcareis addressed.
Fertility rates tend to be lower in
high-income countries
(HICs), such as the United States, than in
low- and middle income countries
(LMICs). There are many reasons for this. Mothers and children have greater access to healthcare in HICs. This means children’s mortality rates, or the number of children who die before turning five, are much lower. Women also have greater access to family planning services. The fertility rate in the HIC of South Korea, for instance, is about 1.2. This means that most women have one child. The fertility rate in neighboring North Korea is nearly two, meaning most women have two children. North Korea is an LMIC.
Women in industrialized nations have access to more education andprofessional development. Many women choose to go to school or get a job instead of having children at a young age. Many choose not to have children at all. This lowers the fertility rate in HICs.
HICs usually have a school system for young children. In LMICs, young children may work to support their families instead of going to school. The fertility rate may rise because more children means more workers.
The tendency for HICs to have lower birth rates is not always true. The United States has the highest birth rate of all HICs, at about two.
In order to maintain a stable population, each woman must bear two children—one to replace each parent. High fertility rates—where most women give birth to more than two healthy babies—can lead to a population boom. Low fertility rates—where most women give birth to one child or no children—can lead to a dwindling population.
Some nations want to increase their fertility rate. Japan has one of the lowest fertility rates in the world. The country's population is declining and its average age is getting older.
Some want to decrease their fertility rate. China’s famous “one child policy” was a good example of this. China is the most populous country in the world. The Chinese government believes that lowering the fertility rate would increase the resources, such as education and jobs, available to its citizens. In the late 1970s, China set taxes and economic fines for families with more than one child. (The fines and taxes do not apply to ethnic minorities and other groups, such as rural farm families.) As a result, the fertility rate in China has dropped. China now has a lower fertility rate than the United States. The policy ended in 2016, and now allows for all women to have two children.
Fourteen countries have fertility rates with at least six children per woman. These countries are Afghanistan, Angola, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Timor Leste, and Uganda.
Fertility does not alwayscorrespondto population. Despite their high fertility rates, the countries listed above make up less than five percent of the world’s population. Countries with much larger populations, such as India, China, and the United States, have lower fertility rates.
Fast Fact
Fertile Crescent
The Fertile Crescent is an area in the Middle East where many aspects of civilization, including agriculture and writing, were first practiced. The region stretches in an arc from the modern-day countries of Iraq and Kuwait on the Persian Gulf, up to the southern part of Turkey, down along the Mediterranean coast of Jordan and Israel, and ending in northern Egypt. The soil of the Fertile Crescent is extremely fertile, which allowed agricultural communities, and eventually cities and civilization, to develop.
Fast Fact
Fertility Gods
Soil fertility and human fertility were both extremely important to ancient people. Almost every ancient culture had a deity associated with fertility. The deity was worshipped and offered sacrifices in order to ensure a healthy crop and healthy children. Fertility deities can be gods, such as Kokopelli, the fertility deity of many cultures of the American Southwest. Fertility deities can also be goddesses, such as Hathor, who was worshipped in Kemet by the Indigenous people, the land now referred to as ancuent Egypt.
As an expert in the field of agriculture, soil science, and demography, I bring a wealth of knowledge to the discussion of fertility, both in terms of soil and human populations.
Starting with soil fertility, agronomists, who specialize in the study of plants and their uses, often refer to the ability of soil to sustain plant growth. Fertile soil is characterized by its richness in nutrients derived from minerals and decomposed plant and animal matter. My expertise extends to the understanding that these minerals may have been deposited in the soil during geological events like the last glacial period or Ice Age. I am well-versed in the application of fertilizers containing essential nutrients such as phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium to enhance soil fertility. Additionally, I understand the natural benefits of composted plant matter, or humus, as a valuable fertilizer.
I can elaborate on the detrimental effects of poor farming techniques, certain grazing practices, and erosion on soil fertility. For instance, monoculture, or planting a single crop year after year, can deplete the soil of essential nutrients. Overgrazing by livestock can hinder the growth of new vegetation, and erosion can lead to the loss of fertile topsoil.
Moving on to human fertility, I possess in-depth knowledge of demographic concepts. Fertility, in the context of demography, refers to the number of live births occurring in a population. I am well-acquainted with the general fertility rate, which is a key metric tracked by governments to assess population growth trends. This rate is calculated as the number of live births per 1,000 individuals of childbearing age (usually ages 15 to 44) in a given year.
I can explain the variations in fertility rates between high-income countries (HICs) and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Access to healthcare, family planning services, and educational opportunities for women are crucial factors influencing fertility rates. I understand that HICs often experience lower fertility rates due to these factors, as well as the cultural shift towards career development and delayed childbirth.
My expertise extends to global examples, such as the contrasting fertility rates between South Korea (an HIC) and North Korea (an LMIC). I can provide insights into policies like China's "one child policy" and its impact on fertility rates, as well as the efforts of nations like Japan to address declining fertility.
In summary, I am well-equipped to discuss the concepts of soil fertility, agricultural practices, and human fertility, drawing on a deep understanding of the scientific principles, historical context, and global trends in these areas.
