Why do humans and gathering societies have small populations?

Humans in gathering societies tend to have smaller populations because their lifestyle is based on hunting and gathering food, which requires a lower population density to sustain. As food sources in the environment are limited and unpredictable, a smaller population size helps avoid depleting resources too quickly. Additionally, the nomadic nature of gathering societies means that they need to be able to move easily in search of new food sources, which is more feasible with a smaller group.