Week 1-3 Environmental Science Topics PDF

GE 15 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE Topic Outline: 1. Introduction to Environmental Science 2. Principles of Sustainability 3. Science, Matter, and Energy 4. Ecosystem 5. Biomes WEEK 1-3 1 “ In every deliberation, we must consider our impact on the...

GE 15 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE Topic Outline: 1. Introduction to Environmental Science 2. Principles of Sustainability 3. Science, Matter, and Energy 4. Ecosystem 5. Biomes WEEK 1-3 1 “ In every deliberation, we must consider our impact on the next seven generations. - The Iroqouis Confederacy 2  Lesson 1: Environmental Science Environmental science is the study of the interaction of humans with the natural environment. Climate The environment includes Air and water quality all conditions that Soil and landforms surround living organisms: Presence of other living organisms 3 Environmental Science Environmental science and the issues that it studies are complex and interdisciplinary. ○ Includes concepts and ideas from multiple fields of study. ○ Decisions have impacts in all these fields of study. 4 Kinds of knowledge contribute to solution in Environmental Science 1. Ecology. How foes energy 2. Chemistry. How Goal: Clean can we make better Energy Future production affects batteries? populations? 5. Political 3. Urban Planning. Science. Which What urban designs 4. Sociology. How do people adopt policies lead to can reduce energy new ideas? sustainable use? solutions? 7. Economics. 6. Engineering. What are the Can we design benefits and costs of better vehicles? energy sources? 5 - A community decides to use coal for electricity, as it is the cheapest source available. (Economics) -The coal must be mined from under the soil. (Geology) -The coal must be transported to the population center by road or rail. (Engineering) -When it is burned at a power plant, air pollution is released. Some of that pollution is converted to acid in the atmosphere. (Chemistry) -This falls as acid rain somewhere downwind. (Meteorology) -The acid stresses plants by affecting their nutrient absorption. (Ecology) -Laws are passed requiring the plant to install pollution scrubbers. (Politics) 6 Environmentalism encompasses environmental health and protection and depicted as an ideology, philosophy, and social movement, including all aspects covering the changing environment of the Earth HISTORY OF ENVIRONMENTALISM International Union London Smog Coal Smoke for Conservation of Episode (Great Britain’s Alkali Acts Abatement Society The Clean Air Act (1863) Nature (IUCN) Smog of London) 1956 (1898) (1948) (1952) Environmental Movement; World Green Revolution in Wildlife Fund Agriculture (1966) NEPA (1969) US EPA (1970) Greenpeace (1971) (WWF) (1960-1970) United Nations Conference on the Environmental Millennium Justice Movement Montreal protocol Kyoto protocol Development Goals Human (1987) (1997) (1980) (MDGs) 2000 Environment (1972) Stockholm World Summit on Convention on Sustainable Persistent Organic Development Pollutants in 2001 (2002) 8 Major Environmental Problems Resource Depletion ○ A great deal of resources are needed to support the human population (~7 billion). ○ Renewable resources can be replenished within a human lifetime. Timber, water. ○ The supply of nonrenewable resources is replenished extremely slowly, if at all. These can be used up. Coal, oil, minerals. 9  Coal is a nonrenewable resource. Over time, it will become more difficult and expensive to extract. This graph represents world coal reserves as of 2008. It is estimated we have about 250 years of the resource remaining at current rates of use. 10 Major Environmental Problems Pollution ○ Pollution is a degradation or an undesired change in air, water, or soil that affects the health of living things. ○ Biodegradable pollution will break down naturally over time. ○ Nondegradable pollution does not break down. 11  Pollution, whether in air or water, can move and affect ecosystems far away from the source. This map shows the areas with the highest concentrations of air pollution. 12 Major Environmental Problems Loss of Biodiversity ○ The number of species on the Earth is unknown, but estimated to be in the tens of millions. ○ Biodiversity is the number of different species present in one specific ecosystem. ○ Extinction, or the complete loss of a species, is a natural event that can be accelerated by human actions. 13  Loss of Biodiversity There are five known major extinction events in Earth’s history. 14 Loss of Biodiversity Assuming no catastrophic events occur, extinctions normally occur at a pretty slow rate, called the background rate. ○ Normal background extinction rate for mammals is 1 every 200 The short-tailed hopping mouse, now extinct in years. Australia. 15 Environmentalism is constantly developing and dealing with new environmental concerns including plastic pollution, genetic engineering, global warming, overpopulation 16 How we treat other people, animals, or things, can also depend on whether we believe they have inherent value—(an intrinsic right to exist), or instrumental value (they have value because they are useful to someone who matters). 17 Two main categories of ethics have emerged in human culture in modern history. 18 Anthropocentrism literally means “human-centered”. This set of ethics protects and promotes of human interests or well- being at the expense of all other factors. ○ Often places an emphasis on short-term benefits while disregarding long-term consequences. 19 Ecocentrism believe that nature deserves to exist for its own sake regardless of degree of usefulness to humans. The preservation of ecosystems or other living things takes priority over human needs. 20 Hetch Hetchy The debate about whether to build a Debate dam in the Hetch Hetchy valley was one of the first big debates between these two philosophies. Ecocentrists Anthropocentrists argued that this argued that San violated the very Francisco needed purpose of the the water, and this Federal Parks were was by far the most to be preserved viable option. ecosystems – untouched by human hands. 21 The dam was eventually constructed. ü The justification for building it was best stated by Gifford Pinochet, the first man in charge of the U.S. Forest Service. "Where conflicting interests must be reconciled, the question shall always be answered from the standpoint of the greatest good of the greatest number in the long run.“ This philosophy, called resource conservationism, was also advocated by Teddy Roosevelt. 22 Before and After 23 Resource Conservationists The focus of the resource conservationists was to protect open land. The National Parks system, and the National Forest system were both created during this time. 24 Modern Environmentalism This began a public awakening to threats of pollution and toxic chemicals to humans as well as other species. This movement is called Modern Environmentalism. 25 Global Environmentalism Increased travel and communication enables people to know about daily events in places unknown in previous generations. ○ Global environmentalism explores issues and problems over the entire world, not just within the local community. Live streaming footage of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010 was watched worldwide. 26  Environmental Ethics Environmental ethics is the discipline that studies the moral relationship of human beings to the environment. ○ What is the value of the environment? ○ What moral responsibility do we have in dealing with the major environmental problems that result from our resource consumption? ○ Which needs should be given the highest priority in our decision making? 27  It studies the ethical basis of environment or discussion of the ethical basis of environmental protection. It also deals with the moral relationship of human beings to and the value and moral status of the environment and its nonhuman content. 28 Environmental Ethics and Principle: 1. Profound respect for nature 2. Maintain a harmonious relationship with other species 3. Take responsibility for the impact on nature 4. Local and indigenous environmental knowledge should be respected 5. Plan for the long term 29  Lesson 2: Principles of Sustainability Sustainability as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” It acknowledges the finite nature of many resources and addresses how organizations can impact them 30  Principles of Sustainability The idea of sustainability is founded on three specific principles: our society, the environment, and the economy - Environmental Sustainability - Social Sustainability - Economic Sustainability 31 Environmental Sustainability Focuses in the idea of: ○ Taking better care of the environment by engaging in behaviors that will help sustain our natural resources, and not exhaust the resources. 32 Social Sustainability Focuses in the idea of: ○ People are not subject to structural obstacles to health, influence, competence, impartiality and meaning- making ○ Quality of life, equality, diversity, democracy, and social cohesion 33 Economic Sustainability Focuses in the idea of: ○ People must respect the economic principles scarcity, efficiency, and sovereignty. 34 Economics and the Environment Economics has a huge influence in environmental decision- making. One of the most basic principles of economics is supply and demand. ○ The greater the demand for a limited resource, the higher the price. 35  Another important economic idea is the cost/benefit analysis. This questions whether the benefit of doing something justifies the economic cost. ○ Waukegan Harbor cleanup efforts, starting in 2010, will cost over $30 million. Monitoring of fish, water, and sediment. Dredging the bottom to remove accumulated pollution. 36 Case Study: Bhopal Pesticide Plant In December of 1984, a pesticide factory located near the town of Bhopal, India leaked a large amount of toxic chemicals into the air. The chemicals resulted in an immediate death toll of about 3,000 people, with 8,000 more dying of long-term health ailments. ○ A total of 558,125 injuries were reported to the Indian government. ○ A settlement of $470 million was reached by Union Carbide and the Indian government. 37 Ethics and Economics The settlement was not sufficient to treat all of the long-term health issues stemming from the disaster. ○ The site itself was also not remediated. In 1999, Union Carbide was purchased by Dow Chemical. To properly compensate and treat all individuals affected by this disaster, Dow Chemical would have to pay billions of dollars in settlements. Dow Chemical has a yearly profit of over $2 billion, with total assets worth nearly $70 billion. 38 Developed and Developing Countries Developing countries have lower incomes, shorter life spans, and rapid population growth. Developing countries, overpopulated and desperate for economic gain, tend to have less regulations on their industries and fewer environmental protections. 39  Developed countries on average have higher incomes, longer life spans, and slower growth rate. These countries are more economically stable, educated, and have more environmental protections. 40 Population and Consumption Developed countries, while smaller in size and growth, consume resources at a greater rate. About 20% of the world’s population uses 75% of its resources. 41 The Demographic Divide U.S. Japan Mexico Indonesia Life Expectancy 77 81 71.5 68 Population Growth Rate 0.8% 0.2% 1.7% 1.8% Gross National Product Per $29,240 $32,350 $3,840 $640 Person Energy Use Per Person 351 168 59 18 (Millions of BTUs) Carbon Dioxide Produced 20.4 9.3 3.5 2.2 Annually Per Person Garbage Produced Annually 720 400 300 43 Per Person Source: Holt Environmental Science, Arms, 2007 42 Ecological Footprint An ecological footprint is one measurement of a person’s resource use. ○ Includes the amount of space needed to support each person in a nation, including forests, farms, cities, etc. Developed countries have a much larger footprint, reflecting a much larger use of resources. 43 The Goal: A Sustainable World Sustainability is when human needs are met so that the population can survive indefinitely. ○ “Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Brundtland Commission, 1987 44 The Spaceship Earth Worldview The Earth is a closed system, meaning nothing enters or leaves the Earth in large quantities is heat. ○ Resources are limited, but the population continues to increase. ○ Wastes do not go away. “We travel together, passengers on a little ship, dependent on its vulnerable reserves of air and soil.” - Adlai Stevenson 45  Lesson 3: Science, Matter, and Energy Matter. It is anything that can occupy space and has a mass. States of Matter: Solid, liquid, gas, plasma, and Bose-Einstein Condensate 46  Lesson 3: Science, Matter, and Energy Law of Conservation of Matter Matter cannot be created nor destroyed, recycled nor transformed 47 Thermodynamics and Energy Transfers The study of thermodynamics deals with how energy is transferred in natural processes. 48  First law of thermodynamics states that energy is conserved; that is, it neither created nor destroyed under normal conditions. Energy may be transformed, for example, from the energy in a chemical bond to heat energy, but the total amount does not change. 49  Second law of thermodynamics states that, with each successive energy transfer or transformation in a system, less energy is available. That is, energy is degraded to lower-quality forms, or it dissipates and is lost, as it is used. 50  Ecological Organization Biosphere ○ Ecosystem (interaction of populations in a community and nonliving (physical) surroundings) Community (collection of interacting populations ) Population (group of organisms of one species) ○ Species (organisms of the same kind that are genetically similar) 51 Energy Flow through Ecosystems How Organisms Obtain Energy? 52  Species Role in Energy Flow: Energy flow – flow of energy from the sun energy into the various consumers to its final dissipation. Series of energy transfer called food chain. Food Chains: Food Web: simple model to show energy flow several interconnected food in an ecosystem; one possible chains route shows that an organism occupies more than one trophic level Expresses more possible feeding relationships at each trophic level More realistic than a food chain 54  Species Role in Energy Flow: Trophic levels: various members of food web ○ First trophic level: autotrophs ○ Second trophic level: herbivores or omnivores ○ Third trophic level: carnivores or omnivores Energy and Trophic Levels Energy Pyramid 56 Rule of 10 Percent 57 Energy Pyramids a graphical representation of the flow of energy through the different trophic levels of an ecosystem. It shows the relative amount of energy available at each trophic level and how that energy decreases as you move up the food chain. 58 Energy Pyramids Pyramid of Numbers ○ Count the number of organisms at each level ○ Numbers decrease as move up the pyramid ○ Not always reveals true relationship as one tree (producer) could support 50,000 insects (herbivore) 59 Energy Pyramids Pyramid of Biomass ○ Total living biomass or organic matter present at the different levels in the ecosystem. ○ Use dry weight of organisms at each level 60  Energy Pyramids Pyramid of Numbers Pyramid of Biomass 61 62 Biomes What is a biome? A BIOME is a community of plants and animals adapted to a range of temperature and moisture  What is a biome? A biome is a group of land ecosystems with similar climates and organisms  How are biomes formed? Climate ( Temperatures and Precipitation ) Climate is determined by : * Latitude * Closeness to large body of water * Elevation An area’s biome is determined mostly by its climate (temperature and precipitation) How many biomes are there? How many biomes are there? Tropical Rainforest Tropical Savanna Desert Chaparral Grassland Temperate Deciduous Forest Temperate Boreal Forest Tundra  RAIN FORESTS There are 2 main types of rain forests: Temperate Rain Forests and Tropical Rain Forests.  TEMPERATE RAIN FORESTS “Temperate”= having moderate temperatures. Northwestern coast of U.S. is a temperate rain forest. Receives more than 300 cm of rain per year. Huge trees: Cedars, Redwoods, Douglas Firs.  TROPICAL RAIN FORESTS Found in regions close to the equator Warm and humid all year long. Lots of precipitation. Diverse plant growth.  Trees in the rain forest form several layers… 1. Emergent Layer 2. Canopy: A leafy roof formed by the tallest trees. 3. Understory: A second layer of shorter trees and vines. 4. Forest Floor Understory plants grow well in the shade formed by the canopy, but the forest floor is nearly dark and only a few plants live there.  DESERTS An area that receives less than 25 cm of rain per year. Some deserts receive NO precipitation at all during one year. The scorching Namib The Gobi desert in desert in Africa cools central Asia is cooler rapidly after the sun and even experiences goes down. freezing temperatures in the winter.  Organisms that live in the desert must be adapted to the lack of rain and extreme temperatures. Saguaro Cactus: Stem expands to store water. Gila monster spends weeks in its cool, underground burrows. Many other organisms are only active at night when it is cooler.  GRASSLANDS Grassland (prairie)= An area that is populated mostly by grasses and other non-woody plants. Receive 25 to 75 cm of rain per year. Fires and droughts are common.  Grassland * Too Dry For Trees 50 to 90 cm rainfall per year Summer temps up to 38 oC, Winter temps as low as –40 oC  Grasslands are home to many of the largest animals on Earth. Examples: Grazing by these large herbivores helps to maintain these grasslands. Prairie… Not just grass  Tropical Savanna Grasslands with some trees wet season and dry season Hot temps 50cm to 127 cm rain / yr More species of grazing mammals than any other biome Savanna: Grassland that is located closer to the equator than prairies. In addition to grass, scattered shrubs and small trees can grow in the savanna.  Temperate Deciduous Forest 4 seasons. Trees lose leaves in the winter Temps –30oC to 30oC 75 to 150 cm of precipitation  DECIDUOUS FOREST Deciduous trees= Trees that shed their leaves and grow new ones each year (Oaks, Maples…) Receive enough rain to support the growth of trees and other plants (at least 50 cm per year). Growing season is 5 to 6 months long.  Temperate Boreal Forest Also called the Taiga Or the Northern Coniferous Forest 45o to 60o North latitude Cold climate. Very few reptiles Snow is primary form of precipitation (40 – 100 cm annually)  BOREAL FOREST (taiga) ○ Mostly contains coniferous trees (trees that produce their seeds in cones and have leaves shaped like needles). Ex. Fir, Spruce, Hemlock… ○ Very cold winters (a lot of snow). ○ Warm and rainy summers.  Tundra Means treeless or marshy plain Permafrost – permanently frozen soil severely limits plant growth Winter temperatures average –34oC while summer temperatures usually average below 10oC Low precipitation (15–25 cm per year) but ground is usually wet because of low evaporation  FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS Freshwater ecosystems include streams, rivers, ponds and lakes.  Rivers and Streams Animals adapt to the stream/river’s current (hooks and suckers to cling to rocks, streamline bodies). Few -plants or algae can grow because of the strong currents. Animals rely on seeds and leaves to fall in the water as food. River/Stream Organisms  Ponds and Lakes ○ Bodies of standing or still freshwater. ○ Lakes are larger and deeper than ponds. ○ Ponds: Shallow enough for sunlight to hit bottom (allowing plants to grow there). ○ Lakes (and large ponds): Too deep for plants to grow on the bottom, so algae grows and floats on top of water. Pond/Lake Organisms  MARINE ECOSYSTEMS Marine ecosystems include estuaries, intertidal zones, neritic zones, and the open ocean. Estuary: Where freshwater of a river meets saltwater of the ocean. Intertidal Zone: The area between the highest high tide line and the lowest low tide line. Organisms here must be able to survive the pounding waves, water level changes, and temperature changes Ex. (barnacles, starfish, snails, clams….) Neritic Zone: The area below the low tide line which extends over the continental shelf. Sunlight passes through this zone, so photosynthesis can occur (plants can grow). Many living things. Coral reefs may form in water is warm. Open Ocean: Separated into two zones: Surface Zone: The first few hundred meters deep of the ocean (where light penetrates). Deep Zone: Below the surface zone (totally dark and home to many BIZZARE organisms). SURFACE DEEP