Human Consumption & Increasing Demand (HL IB ESS OLD COURSE - IGNORE)

Revision Note

Human Consumption & Increasing Demand

  • Humans consume a variety of organisms (flora and fauna) from both freshwater and marine environments

  • These organisms provide essential nutrients and form a significant part of many cultures' diets

  • Consumption patterns vary locally and globally

    • This reflects availability, tradition and sustainability concerns

Examples of aquatic food resources

Local and Global Examples of Aquatic Flora and Fauna Consumed by Humans

Organism

Type of organism

Type of aquatic environment

How widely consumed

Description

Watercress

Flora

Freshwater

Local

Leafy green plant

Popular in the UK

Grown in shallow, flowing water beds fed by natural springs or streams

Used in salads and soups

Spirulina

Flora

Freshwater

Global

Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria)

Consumed worldwide

Grown in freshwater ponds and lakes

Harvested by filtering the water and then drying the algae

Used as a dietary supplement

Dulse

Flora

Marine

Local

Type of red seaweed

Traditionally eaten in Ireland

Hand-harvested from rocks during low tide along the coastline

Dried in the sun or indoors

Consumed dried or cooked

Nori

Flora

Marine

Global

Type of red seaweed

Popular globally, especially in Japan

Farmed in coastal waters on nets suspended from bamboo poles or floating rafts

Harvested, then dried and processed into sheets

Used in sushi and snacks

Trout

Fauna

Freshwater

Local

Freshwater fish

Commonly consumed in the UK

Raised in freshwater ponds or tanks with controlled water quality

Harvested by netting when they reach market size

Tilapia

Fauna

Freshwater

Global

Freshwater fish

Consumed worldwide

Raised in freshwater ponds or recirculating aquaculture systems

Harvested by draining the ponds or using nets

Orkney Scallops

Fauna

Marine

Local

Type of shellfish

A delicacy in Scotland, UK

Collected by divers from the seabed around the Orkney Islands (ensures minimal environmental impact)

Shrimp

Fauna

Marine

Global

Small crustacean

Found in oceans worldwide and consumed globally

Raised in coastal ponds or tanks

Harvested by draining the ponds and collecting the shrimp with nets

Demand for aquatic food resources

Stacked area chart showing fish production by continent between 1961 and 2019 in million tonnes. Asia leads, followed by Europe, Americas, Africa, and Oceania.
Global aquatic food consumption
  • The demand for aquatic food resources has significantly increased in over the last 50–100 years

    • This is due to the combined effects of a growing human population and dietary changes

  • As populations expand and economies develop, there is a higher demand for seafood products to meet nutritional needs and culinary preferences

  • The main factors behind the increase in demand for aquatic food resources are:

  1. Growing human population

    • The global population has rapidly increased, resulting in a larger consumer base for aquatic food resources

  2. Changing dietary patterns

    • As countries undergo economic growth, there is often a shift in dietary patterns towards increased consumption of protein-rich foods, including seafood

  3. Nutritional benefits of seafood

    • Seafood is recognised as a valuable source of essential nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals

    • These all contribute to human health and well-being

  4. Urbanisation and the rising middle class

    • Urbanisation and the emergence of a middle class in many regions have led to changes in dietary preferences

    • This has increased demand for diverse and higher-value food options, including seafood

  5. Global trade and supply chains

    • Advances in transportation and the expansion of global trade networks have made it easier to import and export seafood products

    • This has increased their availability to communities

  6. Aquaculture production

    • Aquaculture, the farming of aquatic organisms, has experienced significant growth to meet the rising demand for seafood

Bar chart showing aquatic food consumption (1970-2020) in million tonnes. Green bars represent captive fisheries, pink bars represent aquaculture. Captive fisheries decline, aquaculture rises.
The relative contribution of aquaculture and capture fisheries

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