Chapter 1 Science and the Environment. Understanding Our Environment Environment: a complex web of relationships that connects us with the world we.

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?