Ecology: Study of How Humans Impact the Environment Introduction

Our Environment  The sum or total of our surroundings  Includes biotic and abiotic factors  Ecology – study of how living things interact with each other and their environment  Environmental Science – Study of how humans interact and impact the environment, and how our environment affects us  GOAL: 1.) Understand and solve environmental problems 2.) Understand how our interactions alter our environment

History/Humans and Environment and Change  Environmental change going on since time began  1.) Hunter-Gathers (majority of human history)  2.) Agricultural Revolution (growing food-crops, domestication of animals, human population grew at a faster rate)  3.) Industrial Revolution (switch in energy source of animal “muscle” to fossil fuels, improved quality of life like medicines, machines, etc., has negative impact = pollution, habitat loss, and artificial substances)

Ecological Footprint  Expresses the environmental impact of an individual or population and the amount of land and water required to support that individual or population  The amount of Earth’s surface that is “used”  We are depleting our resources about 30% faster than they are being replenished or replaced  Our Main Environmental Problems:  1.) Resource depletion  2.) Pollution  3.) Loss of Biodiversity  4.) Energy

Nature of Environmental Science  People vary in their perception of environmental problems  A person’s age, gender, class, race, nationality, ethics-(both personal and environmental), employment, and background (personal and educational) can have an affect on their view of an environmental problem  Goal for the Future:  Sustainability – living within our resources or the planets means so that the Earth’s resources can sustain us in the future

Things That Affect The Environment  A.) Actions of Humans (clearing forests for farming, overuse of land and animals)  B.) Population Growth (can exceed supply of resources causing habitat loss, extinction, starvation, disease, death)  C.) Unequal Distribution of Wealth and Resources (developed countries use more resources and create more waste and pollution vs developing and underdeveloped countries)

Environmental Science  Is an interdisciplinary science involving many fields including:  Ecology  Biology  Physics  Chemistry  Earth Science  Social Sciences