Who is known for pioneering the study of population growth and its limits?

The study of population growth and its limits is notably associated with Thomas Robert Malthus, an English economist and demographer. Malthus is best known for his work "An Essay on the Principle of Population," published in 1798, where he argued that populations grow exponentially while food production increases arithmetically. This theory suggests that populations tend to outgrow the resources available to sustain them, leading to a struggle for existence, famine, and conflict. His insights laid the foundation for understanding the dynamics of population growth and its potential consequences on ecological and social systems.

Malthus's ideas significantly influenced later theories in biology and economics, especially regarding sustainable development, resource management, and environmental science. His pioneering work highlights the important relationship between population size and resource availability, emphasizing the potential limits on growth that can arise from environmental constraints.