Chapter 1Chapter 1
Science and the EnvironmentScience and the Environment
Understanding Our Understanding Our EnvironmentEnvironment
Environment:Environment: a complex web of a complex web of relationships that connects us with the relationships that connects us with the world we live inworld we live in
Environmental Science:Environmental Science: the study of how the study of how humans interact with the environmenthumans interact with the environment
Goals of Environmental Goals of Environmental ScienceScience
To understand and solve environmental To understand and solve environmental problemsproblems
We must be able to identify causes and We must be able to identify causes and describe solutionsdescribe solutions
Human ImpactHuman Impact
Humans live within the world’s Humans live within the world’s ecosystems and therefore change them ecosystems and therefore change them as a result of population growth, as a result of population growth, technology, and consumptiontechnology, and consumption
Problems: habitat destruction, pollution, Problems: habitat destruction, pollution, atmospheric changes, over fishing the atmospheric changes, over fishing the oceans, poaching, etc.oceans, poaching, etc.
ConsequencesConsequences
If environmental problems are not If environmental problems are not addressed, ecosystems will be addressed, ecosystems will be irreversibly damagedirreversibly damaged
Human populations NEED natural Human populations NEED natural resources in order to maintain and resources in order to maintain and improve their existenceimprove their existence
MisconceptionMisconception
News stories often focus on efforts to save News stories often focus on efforts to save threatened or endangered speciesthreatened or endangered species
There can also be problems with There can also be problems with overpopulation of species within an ecosystemoverpopulation of species within an ecosystem
Ex: zebra mussels, house sparrows, European Ex: zebra mussels, house sparrows, European starlings, fire ants, kudzu vinestarlings, fire ants, kudzu vine
Many Fields of StudyMany Fields of Study
Environmental science is an Environmental science is an interdisciplinary science (involves many interdisciplinary science (involves many fields of study)fields of study)
ECOLOGY: the study of how living things ECOLOGY: the study of how living things interact with each other and with the interact with each other and with the nonliving environmentnonliving environment
Major Fields of StudyMajor Fields of Study
Biology: study of living organismsBiology: study of living organisms
Earth Science: study of the Earth’s nonliving systems Earth Science: study of the Earth’s nonliving systems and the planet as a wholeand the planet as a whole
Physics: study of matter and energyPhysics: study of matter and energy
Chemistry: study of chemicals and their interactionChemistry: study of chemicals and their interaction
Social Science: study of human populationsSocial Science: study of human populations
Scientists as CitizensScientists as Citizens
Studying our environment is vital to Studying our environment is vital to maintaining a healthy and productive maintaining a healthy and productive societysociety
Observations by nonscientists are often Observations by nonscientists are often the first step of addressing a problemthe first step of addressing a problem
Our Environment Through TimeOur Environment Through Time
Humans have always altered the Humans have always altered the environment to suit their needs, often environment to suit their needs, often without a regard for its long-term impactswithout a regard for its long-term impacts
Early humans were hunter-gatherers Early humans were hunter-gatherers (H-G)(H-G) (they obtained food by collecting plants (they obtained food by collecting plants
and by hunting animals or scavenging and by hunting animals or scavenging their remains)their remains)
Hunter-Gatherers (H-G)Hunter-Gatherers (H-G)
Early H-G groups were small and Early H-G groups were small and migrated from place to place depending migrated from place to place depending on food abundanceon food abundance
Some H-G societies today include Some H-G societies today include aborigines and tribes in New Guineaaborigines and tribes in New Guinea
ExtinctionExtinction
Rapid climate change and over-hunting Rapid climate change and over-hunting of some species led to their extinctionof some species led to their extinction
Examples: mastodons and mammothsExamples: mastodons and mammoths
ConservationConservation
Some H-G groups were very aware of the need Some H-G groups were very aware of the need for conservationfor conservation
Native Americans did not kill what they could Native Americans did not kill what they could not usenot use
Although they hunted buffalo, it was the Although they hunted buffalo, it was the American settlers who slaughtered them nearly American settlers who slaughtered them nearly to the point of extinctionto the point of extinction
Agricultural RevolutionAgricultural Revolution
H-G began collecting seeds to plant and H-G began collecting seeds to plant and domesticating animals to raise fooddomesticating animals to raise food
Agriculture began more than 10,000 Agriculture began more than 10,000 years agoyears ago
Agricultural RevolutionAgricultural Revolution
Through agriculture, an area of land was Through agriculture, an area of land was able to support 500X as many peopleable to support 500X as many people
As populations grew, they began to As populations grew, they began to concentrate in smaller areas which concentrate in smaller areas which placed pressure on surrounding placed pressure on surrounding environments environments
Slash-and-Burn Slash-and-Burn AgricultureAgriculture
Causes many areas to become unusable Causes many areas to become unusable after a few yearsafter a few years
Common in rainforest areasCommon in rainforest areas
Industrial RevolutionIndustrial Revolution
Mid 1700’s: shift from energy sources Mid 1700’s: shift from energy sources such as animal muscle and running water such as animal muscle and running water to fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas)to fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas)
Caused major changes in society Caused major changes in society
Increased the efficiency of agriculture, Increased the efficiency of agriculture, transportation, and industrytransportation, and industry
Industrial Revolution (I-Industrial Revolution (I-R)R)
Large-scale Large-scale production of goods production of goods became commonbecame common
Farm machinery Farm machinery decreased the decreased the amount of human amount of human workers neededworkers needed
Cotton picked by Cotton picked by slaves vs. cotton ginslaves vs. cotton gin
Environmental ConsequencesEnvironmental Consequences
Transportation rapidly Transportation rapidly developed allowing developed allowing products to be products to be distributed over greater distributed over greater distancesdistances
As people experienced a As people experienced a new standard of living, new standard of living, the environment suffered the environment suffered at our expenseat our expense
Salt and Pepper MothSalt and Pepper Moth((Biston betulariaBiston betularia))
H.G. Kettlewell’s study: both white and black H.G. Kettlewell’s study: both white and black moths exist moths exist
BEFOREBEFORE I-R, white moths were more common I-R, white moths were more common (camouflaged on white tree bark with lichens)(camouflaged on white tree bark with lichens)
AFTERAFTER I-R, black moths were more common I-R, black moths were more common (camouflaged on soot covered tree bark)(camouflaged on soot covered tree bark)
Improving Quality of LifeImproving Quality of Life
I-R introduced many changes that I-R introduced many changes that improved human lives such as indoor improved human lives such as indoor plumbing, nutrition, and medical careplumbing, nutrition, and medical care
As human populations grow, As human populations grow, environmental problems increaseenvironmental problems increase
Rachel CarsonRachel Carson
By the 1900’s, pesticides were widely By the 1900’s, pesticides were widely used and caused many health problems used and caused many health problems that were ignoredthat were ignored
Rachel Carson wrote Rachel Carson wrote Silent SpringSilent Spring (1962) which called attention to the (1962) which called attention to the misuse of pesticides and began the misuse of pesticides and began the environmental movementenvironmental movement
Spaceship EarthSpaceship Earth
Earth is compared to a ship traveling Earth is compared to a ship traveling through space that cannot dispose of through space that cannot dispose of waste or take on new supplieswaste or take on new supplies
Closed system: the only thing that enters Closed system: the only thing that enters is solar energy and the only thing that is solar energy and the only thing that leaves is heatleaves is heat
Closed SystemClosed System
Resources Resources cancan be used up! be used up!
Wastes are produced faster than we can Wastes are produced faster than we can dispose of themdispose of them
Environmental ProblemsEnvironmental Problems
Exist on three different scales: local, Exist on three different scales: local, regional, and globalregional, and global
LOCAL: Columbiana CountyLOCAL: Columbiana County REGIONAL: Northeast OhioREGIONAL: Northeast Ohio GLOBAL: Affects the world GLOBAL: Affects the world
Main Environmental ProblemsMain Environmental Problems
Resource depletionResource depletion
PollutionPollution
ExtinctionExtinction
Resource DepletionResource Depletion
Natural resources: any natural substance that Natural resources: any natural substance that living things can useliving things can use
Examples: air, water, sunlight, soil, minerals, Examples: air, water, sunlight, soil, minerals, plants, animals, forests, and fossil fuelsplants, animals, forests, and fossil fuels
When a resource is used up faster than it can When a resource is used up faster than it can be replaced, it will become depleted!be replaced, it will become depleted!
Renewable ResourcesRenewable Resources
Resources that are Resources that are continually being continually being replacedreplaced
Examples: solar energy, Examples: solar energy, water, soil, air, crops, water, soil, air, crops, livestock, treeslivestock, trees
Can still be depleted if Can still be depleted if not managed properlynot managed properly
Nonrenewable ResourcesNonrenewable Resources
Resources that cannot be replaced…Resources that cannot be replaced…once depleted, they are gone FOREVER!once depleted, they are gone FOREVER!
Examples: metals such as iron, copper, Examples: metals such as iron, copper, and aluminum, minerals such as salt, and aluminum, minerals such as salt, sand, and clay, fossil fuelssand, and clay, fossil fuels
PollutionPollution
Contamination of our air, water, or soil that Contamination of our air, water, or soil that affects the health, survival, or activities of affects the health, survival, or activities of humans or other organismshumans or other organisms
Human byproducts are the main causes of Human byproducts are the main causes of pollutionpollution
Examples: pesticides, radiation, petroleum Examples: pesticides, radiation, petroleum products, PCB’s, mercury, COproducts, PCB’s, mercury, CO22
Biodegradable PollutantsBiodegradable Pollutants
Pollutants that can be broken down by Pollutants that can be broken down by natural processesnatural processes
Example: human sewage Example: human sewage
Nondegradable Nondegradable PollutantsPollutants
Pollutants that do not break down easilyPollutants that do not break down easily
Accumulate in the environment at Accumulate in the environment at dangerous levelsdangerous levels
Examples: pesticides, mercury, lead, Examples: pesticides, mercury, lead, PCB’s PCB’s
Loss of BiodiversityLoss of Biodiversity
Biodiversity: the number and variety of Biodiversity: the number and variety of species that live in an areaspecies that live in an area
Many species become extinct due to Many species become extinct due to habitat destruction or polluted habitat destruction or polluted ecosystemsecosystems
ExtinctionExtinction
Every last individual of a species has Every last individual of a species has died and the species is gone foreverdied and the species is gone forever
Examples: dodo, passenger pigeon, Examples: dodo, passenger pigeon, great aukgreat auk
Animals and plants are natural resources Animals and plants are natural resources that we depend on to existthat we depend on to exist
BiosphereBiosphere
All life on Earth AND the physical environment All life on Earth AND the physical environment that supports it that supports it
Damage to any part of an ecosystem can have Damage to any part of an ecosystem can have a ripple effect that can negatively impact the a ripple effect that can negatively impact the entire biosphereentire biosphere
What can YOU do to help protect the world?What can YOU do to help protect the world?
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