Environmental Science Chapter 1 An Introduction Section 1 Goals: Discuss the importance of environmental science. Analyze the importance of environmental science from a social and economic context. Investigate how humans impact on the environment has changed over the course of history.

Goals Define environmental science Define environmental science List the five major fields that contribute to environmental science List the five major fields that contribute to environmental science Discuss how human’s impact on the environment has changed over history Discuss how human’s impact on the environment has changed over history Classify environmental problems Classify environmental problems

Environmental Science Devoted to studying the impacts humans have on the environment Devoted to studying the impacts humans have on the environment NYC Today and 400 yrs ago

What is Environmental Science? Environment: circumstances or conditions that surround an organism or group of organisms Environment: circumstances or conditions that surround an organism or group of organisms Environmental Science: systematic study of our environment and our proper place in it Environmental Science: systematic study of our environment and our proper place in it

Goal of environment science To understand and solve environmental problems Ecosystem functions Air Pollution Water Pollution Toxic Chemicals Climate Change Resource usage Newer field of study

Environmentalism Is a social movement dedicated to protecting the natural world. Is a social movement dedicated to protecting the natural world.

Foundation of Environmental Science Ecology: the study of how living organisms interact with each other and the nonliving environment.

Biology

Chemistry

Physics

Earth Science

Human’s Impact Over History Wherever humans have hunted, grown food, or settled we have changed the environment. How have those changes impacted the environment over human history? How have those changes impacted the environment over human history?

Hunter-Gatherers Most of human history Most of human history People who obtain food by moving around collecting plants and hunting wild animals. People who obtain food by moving around collecting plants and hunting wild animals. What are ways you think they had an impact on the environment? Why didn’t they have a large impact on the environment? What kind of life did they lead?

Agricultural Revolution Plants and animals were domesticated and population grew. Plants and animals were domesticated and population grew. 10,000 years ago 10,000 years ago Life got easier Life got easier Population grew Population grew Towns began forming Towns began forming Impact on environment grew Impact on environment grew More land used More land used

Industrial Revolution Caused a shift to fossil fuels as an energy source. Caused a shift to fossil fuels as an energy source. 1800s 1800s Life got easier Life got easier Advances in technology Advances in technology People lived longer People lived longer People moved to cities away from farms People moved to cities away from farms Increased environmental impact WHY??? Increased environmental impact WHY???

Spaceship Earth Earth is essentially a “closed system” Earth is essentially a “closed system” Island Earth Island Earth Energy from sun comes in and leaves as heat Energy from sun comes in and leaves as heat What we have IS IT… no more… One Earth, One Chance What we have IS IT… no more… One Earth, One Chance Became evident during missions to moon 1969 Became evident during missions to moon 1969

Homework:

What are our main environmental problems?

What are Our Main Environmental Problems: Resource Depletion Resource depletion: using up resources before they can be replenished Resource depletion: using up resources before they can be replenished Example: Renewable resources like trees cut faster than they formed Example: Renewable resources like trees cut faster than they formed What are some other example of renewable resources? What are some other example of renewable resources? What are examples of resource depletion? What are examples of resource depletion?

What are our main environmental problems: Pollution Pollution: an undesirable change in the air, water or soil that affects humans or other organisms. Pollution: an undesirable change in the air, water or soil that affects humans or other organisms. Biodegradable Biodegradable Air pollution Air pollution Water pollution Water pollution Land pollution Land pollution Can you give examples? Can you give examples?

What are Our Main Environmental Problems: Resource Depletion Nonrenewable resource forms more slowly than it is used up Nonrenewable resource forms more slowly than it is used up Examples: minerals like aluminum and fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas. Examples: minerals like aluminum and fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas. Resource is said to be depleted when almost used up Resource is said to be depleted when almost used up

Who uses most resources? Developed Countries like the U.S. (high personal wealth) have high consumption rates Developed Countries like the U.S. (high personal wealth) have high consumption rates What are the “developed” countries of the world? What are the “developed” countries of the world? Developing Countries: have high population growth, poverty and lower resource consumption Developing Countries: have high population growth, poverty and lower resource consumption List several List several

Ecological Footprint The productive area of land needed to support a persons life The productive area of land needed to support a persons life Food, cloths, coal, oil, plastics, forest, etc. all needed to support your lifestyle Food, cloths, coal, oil, plastics, forest, etc. all needed to support your lifestyle

What are our main environmental problems: Loss of Biodiversity Biodiversity: the number and variety of species that live in an area. Biodiversity: the number and variety of species that live in an area. Earth has been home to 100s of millions of species Earth has been home to 100s of millions of species Only a few exist today Only a few exist today Mass Extinctions Mass Extinctions

The Vanishing Frogs Frog populations are diminishing and some are showing signs of mutations Frog populations are diminishing and some are showing signs of mutations Hypotheses include chemical contamination, UV radiation, habitat destruction, acid rain global climate change and parasite infection Hypotheses include chemical contamination, UV radiation, habitat destruction, acid rain global climate change and parasite infection >1/3 believed to be threatened ; >120 suspected to be extinct since the 1980s >1/3 believed to be threatened ; >120 suspected to be extinct since the 1980s Indicator Species: act as a warning system Indicator Species: act as a warning system

4. Frogs As Bio-indicators 1) double life--amphibious 2) permeable skin 3) absorb and concentrate toxins-- biomagnification measures the wellbeing or abundance of Anorganism, which is then used to describe the quality of the ecosystem;

4. Frogs As Bio-indicators Biomagnification: a process in which retained substances become more concentrated with each link in the food chain

Malformed Amphibians

External Malformations extra or missing limbs extra or missing limbs branching limbs branching limbs spikes or protuberances spikes or protuberances missing eyes missing eyes abnormal webbing abnormal webbing

Malformed Frog Pictures

Dr. David Hoppe, University of Minnesota-Morris

Causes of Malformations genetic origins genetic origins parasite disruption of limb formation parasite disruption of limb formation chemical contamination chemical contamination viruses viruses ultraviolet radiation ultraviolet radiation physical trauma (predation, physical trauma (predation, people) people)

Possible Chemical Contaminants agrochemicals agrochemicals heavy metals heavy metals acid rain acid rain chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

Where have all the frogs gone? Global Anuran Decline a concern during the past decade a concern during the past decade frog declines widespread and well- documented frog declines widespread and well- documented possible causes include habitat destruction, increased UV radiation, and chemical contamination possible causes include habitat destruction, increased UV radiation, and chemical contamination

Global Population Declines Loss of habitat Loss of habitat from filling in wetlands to create more farmland for crops, and to build more houses and roads from filling in wetlands to create more farmland for crops, and to build more houses and roads (Case of the Vanishing Frogs, T. Halliday and W. R. Heyer).

Global Population Declines Increasing ultraviolet radiation Increasing ultraviolet radiation Pollution by chemicals Pollution by chemicals Acid rain Acid rain Pathogens Pathogens Parasites Parasites Introduction of non-native species Introduction of non-native species

Sustainability Condition in which human needs are met without harming future generations. Condition in which human needs are met without harming future generations. Are we living sustainable today? Are we living sustainable today? What would need to change? What would need to change?

Sustainable Development “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” We can’t deplete resources or create waste faster than nature can recycle We can’t deplete resources or create waste faster than nature can recycle Indigenous People often live sustainable lives Indigenous People often live sustainable lives

Solutions  Current Emphasis (Reactive)  Sustainability Emphasis (Proactive)  Current Emphasis (Reactive)  Sustainability Emphasis (Proactive) Fig. 1-16, p. 18