The Great Extinction: Human Impact on Pleistocene Mammals
Chapter 6: The Great Extinction
A Strong Sex or Both Sexes Strong?
The Dilemma of Man vs. Woman Hunter-Gatherers
When comparing the human life cycle and ages of life with those of our closest living relatives, there are significant differences. Female chimpanzees are virtually fertile until the day they die.
Scientists think that menopause occurred so mothers could help their daughters raise their grandchildren; this is called the “Grandmother Hypothesis.” On the other hand, the Grandmother Hypothesis
Read MoreUnderstanding Global Conflicts: Causes and Examples
A World in Conflict
All over the world, between states, the road to peace is fraught with complications, making it difficult to achieve. States exist in a permanent condition of international tension, engaging not only in trade relations but also displays of force.
Causes of Conflict
Geographical analysis reveals numerous causes of conflict, often related to disputes over territory. These causes include:
- Landlocked status
- Conflicts over geographical features
- Conflicts with neighboring countries due to
Spanish Landscapes: Relief, Rivers, Vegetation, and Wildlife
Spanish Natural Landscapes
Lakes
Volcanic Crater Lakes: Laguna de Fuentillejo (Ciudad Real)
Glacial Lakes: Lago de Sanabria (Zamora), formed in eroded areas by glacial activity.
Karstic Lakes: Lagunas de Ruidera (Between Albacete and Ciudad Real)
Vegetation
- Maritime: Deciduous forests (beeches, oaks)
- Mediterranean: Mediterranean forests (oaks and bushes)
- Coastal: Cork oaks, holm oaks
- Inland: Holm oaks
- Sub-tropical (Canary Islands):
- Arid areas: Bushes with prickly leaves
- Higher, wetter areas: Laurisilva forests
- Alpine:
Spain’s Democracy, Economy, and Society Since 1975
Consolidation of Democracy in Spain
Economic Measures
Economic policies have addressed several key issues:
- The 1975 Economic Crisis: Industrial restructuring was initially postponed due to the urgency of political measures after Franco’s death. Felipe González later addressed this by closing obsolete industries and introducing modern technology. This led to increased unemployment but facilitated economic recovery.
- Adoption of the Euro: A group of countries launched the euro, which replaced the Spanish
EU Policies: Agriculture, Industry, Services & Spain
Objectives of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)
The EU’s agricultural policy aims to achieve self-sufficiency in consumption within the EU. This has resulted in large increases in crop production and livestock. However, this increased production has been so considerable that it exceeds the consumption capacity of Europeans.
To solve the problem of overproduction, the EU is proposing:
- Reducing the area devoted to crops.
- Converting cropland to forest area.
- Reducing guaranteed prices paid by the EU to
Natural and Human Factors: An In-Depth Analysis
Natural Factors
Natural factors include a number of components, such as: location, size, topography, soil, coasts, climate, hydrography, flora, and fauna. This enumeration, adopting a principle of order, is not arbitrary. The approach is based on the degree of difficulty for modifying the natural elements. The surface area and geographical location are unchanged, but there are possibilities of transformation. Thus, we cannot move mountains, but it is technically possible to trace tunnels through