1. Studying the State of Our Earth
Chapter 1
Studying the State of Our Earth

2. Ch1 Learning Targets: Studying the State of Our Earth
1-1 Define the field of environmental science and discuss its importance 1-2 Identify ways in which humans have altered and continue to alter our environment 1-3 Identify key environmental indicators and their trends over time 1-4 Define sustainability and explain how it can be measured using the ecological footprint 1-5 Explain and use the scientific method and its application to the study of environmental problems 1-6 Describe some of the unique challenges and limitations of environmental science

3. Pfiesteria Cell

4. Environmental Science.. Controversial and Related to Humans!
Neuse River Fish Killer
1991 in North Carolina 1 billion fish died.
Pfiesterisa, a free living aquatic organism identified as the cause.
Emits a ?????
24 different life stages…usually harmless.
Large influxes of ??????? to blame.
Not proven until 16yrs later!

5. Environmental Science.. Controversial and Related to Humans!
Neuse River Fish Killer
1991 in North Carolina 1 billion fish died.
Pfiesterisa, a free living aquatic organism identified as the cause.
Emits a toxin.
24 different life stages…usually harmless.
Large influxes of nutrients to blame.
Not proven until 16yrs later!

6. Our World and How We Influence It
E????????: the sum of all the conditions surrounding us that influence life.
Environmental Science: field that looks at interactions among human systems and those found in nature.
S?????: any set of interacting components that influence one another.

7. Our World and How We Influence It
Environment: the sum of all the conditions surrounding us that influence life.
Environmental Science: field that looks at interactions among human systems and those found in nature.
System: any set of interacting components that influence one another.

8. The study of environmental science uses knowledge from many disciplines.

9. Humans Alter Natural Systems
Environmental Scientist study ecosystems including both the biotic and abiotic factors.
Name this term: Non-living.
And name this term: Living.
Humans manipulate the environment more than any other species (2.5 myo).
We have had the biggest impact the last 10,000-20,000 yrs.

10. Humans Alter Natural Systems
Environmental Scientist study ecosystems including both the biotic and abiotic factors.
Abiotic: Non-living.
Biotic: Living.
Humans manipulate the environment more than any other species (2.5 myo).
We have had the biggest impact the last 10,000-20,000 yrs.

11. Los Angeles in 1880 with less than 6000 people.

12. Los Angeles in 2009 with 3.8 million people.

13. Monitoring Natural Systems
Environmental Indicators: Used to describe the health and quality of natural systems. Help us analyze the health of the planet .
Examples: human population, ecological footprint, extinction rate, water quality, habitat loss, etc.
S???????????????: Living on Earth in a way that allows us to use its resources without depriving future generations of those resources.

14. Monitoring Natural Systems
Environmental Indicators: Used to describe the health and quality of natural systems. Help us analyze the health of the planet .
Examples: human population, ecological footprint, extinction rate, water quality, habitat loss, etc.
Sustainability: Living on Earth in a way that allows us to use its resources without depriving future generations of those resources.

15. 5 Global Scale Environmental Indicators
Biodiversity- name 3 types
a. G? Diversity
b. S? Diversity
c. E? Diversity
2 million species identified.
Speciation: making a new species(?? new/yr).
Background Extinction Rate: average rate in which a species goes extinct (?????/yr).

16. 5 Global Scale Environmental Indicators
Biodiversity
a. Genetic Diversity
b. Species Diversity
c. Ecosystem Diversity
2 million species identified.
Speciation: making a new species(1-3 new/yr).
Background Extinction Rate: average rate in which a species goes extinct (1 species per million/yr).

17. Scientists estimate that more than 10,000 species are currently going extinct each year.
Human intervention has saved some species
Why is biodiversity important?
Flashcards for review/games on biodiversity

18. Link for TEDED on the threat to species diversity by invasive species

19. Name this species?

20. American Bison

21. And this one?

22. Peregrine Falcon

23. One of my favorites----??

24. Snow Leopard

25. And these gentle giants?

26. News on reclassification on hyperlink
West Indian Manatee
News on reclassification on hyperlink

27. 2. Food Production
Ability to grow food and nourish the human population.
Has decreased OR increased OR remained stable???? since the 1950s
Worldwide production of grain per person, also called per capita has leveled off.
Grain production is not keeping up with population growth.

28. 2. Food Production
Ability to grow food and nourish the human population.
Has increased since the 1950s due to genetic engineering, fertilization, and expanded irrigation.
Worldwide production of grain per person, also called per capita has leveled off.
Grain production is not keeping up with population growth.

29. 2. Food Production
Ability to grow food and nourish the human population.
Has increased since the 1950s due what 3 things??????????????hmmmmmm
Worldwide production of grain per person, also called per capita has leveled off.
Grain production is not keeping up with population growth.

30. Try This: calculate the approximate percent change in world grain production per person between 1950 and 2000.

31. 20%

32. 3. Average Global Surface Temps and Carbon Dioxide Concentrations
The greenhouse gas (????) helps to maintain a constant temp on Earth.
Over the last 2 centuries the concentration of--- has increased.
Increase is anthropogenic- derived from human activities.

33. 3. Average Global Surface Temps and Carbon Dioxide Concentrations
The greenhouse gas (CO2) helps to maintain a constant temp on Earth.
Over the last 2 centuries the concentration of CO2 has increased.
Increase is anthropogenic- derived from human activities.

36. 4. Human Population Currently ?? billion and growing.
Places demands on the natural environment.
Over ????? additional people every five days!

37. 4. Human Population Currently 7.2 billion and growing.
Places demands on the natural environment.
Over 1 million additional people every five days!

38. Kolkata, India

39. 5. Resource Depletion Resources are becoming depleted.
Extracting resources negatively effect the environment.
N???? resources include coal, oil, and uranium (finite).
Al and Cu are finite but can be recycled.
Consumption is directly related to development.
??% of the global pop lives in developed nations but uses most of the worlds resources.

40. 5. Resource Depletion Resources are becoming depleted.
Extracting resources negatively effect the environment.
Non-renewable resources include coal, oil, and uranium (finite).
Al and Cu are finite but can be recycled.
Consumption is directly related to development.
20% of the global pop lives in developed nations but uses most of the worlds resources.

41. GUESS the LEGEND

43. Humans Need Sustainable Practices
E????? Island- lets learn from it!!
In order to live sustainably :
Environmental systems must not be damaged beyond control.
Renewable resources must not be depleted faster than they can regenerate.
Nonrenewable resources must be used sparingly.

44. Humans Need Sustainable Practices
Easter Island- lets learn from it!!
In order to live sustainably :
Environmental systems must not be damaged beyond control.
Renewable resources must not be depleted faster than they can regenerate.
Nonrenewable resources must be used sparingly.

47. ????
Name this key term is a measure of how much that a person consumes, expressed in area of land. The total amount of land required to support a person’s lifestyle.

48. Ecological Footprint
Ecological footprint is a measure of how much that a person consumes, expressed in area of land. The total amount of land required to support a person’s lifestyle.
Determine yours- choose 2
Site 1: Global Footprint Network
Site 2: Earth Day Network
Site 3: WWF
Site 4: Center for Sustainable Economy
Site 5: Islandwood Ecological Footprint Calculator

50. https://www. youtube. com/watch

51. Science as a Process
Scientific Method (controlled & natural experiments)
What are 5 general steps?
a. Name this term : repeatedly tested and accepted process.
b. Name this term: no known exceptions, withstood rigorous testing.

53. Natural Experiment: Mount St. Helens pre-eruption forest area.

54. The same location post-eruption in 1982.

55. The same location in 2009 showing forest re-growth.

56. Environmental Science and Unique Challenges
Lack of B???? Data: no “control planet”.
S????: Our choices involve personal opinions and value judgments.
Interactions: Results of one system may not work for another.
Human Well Being: When basic needs are not being met, natural environment is less of a concern.

57. Environmental Science and Unique Challenges
Lack of Baseline Data: no “control planet”.
Subjectivity: Our choices involve personal opinions and value judgments.
Interactions: Results of one system may not work for another.
Human Well Being: When basic needs are not being met, natural environment is less of a concern.

61. Video Lectures on Entire Chapter
Christopher Parisi
Ssahabi
Melanie Kerr
DocMcPherson
Miranda Partin

62. Learning Check- Multiple Choice
Modern Understandings of sustainable development hold that sustainability occurs when
Taking into account the triple bottom line goals of recycling
External costs are factored into the value of all converted ecosystems
Development meets the demands of present generation without compromising future generations
Environmental goals overlap with social and economic goals
All economic costs of altering, developing, and maintaining converted ecosystems are taken into consideration

63. Learning Check- Multiple Choice
Modern Understandings of sustainable development hold that sustainability occurs when
Taking into account the triple bottom line goals of recycling
External costs are factored into the value of all converted ecosystems
Development meets the demands of present generation without compromising future generations
Environmental goals overlap with social and economic goals
All economic costs of altering, developing, and maintaining converted ecosystems are taken into consideration

64. Learning Check- Multiple Choice
In terms of ecosystem services, the sustainably managed ecosystems would
Provide enhanced and restored services over unaltered natural ecosystems
Provide somewhat diminished or damaged services
Provide more and more valuable services than converted ecosystems
Have services that re different from but of equal value to those of converted systems
Restore the original biodiversity of ecosystems

65. Learning Check- Multiple Choice
In terms of ecosystem services, the sustainably managed ecosystems would
Provide enhanced and restored services over unaltered natural ecosystems
Provide somewhat diminished or damaged services
Provide more and more valuable services than converted ecosystems
Have services that re different from but of equal value to those of converted systems
Restore the original biodiversity of ecosystems

66. Learning Check- Multiple Choice
A controlled scientific experiment
Often involves manipulating as many variables as possible in order to determine the factual basis of the relationship studied
Preferably involves collection of quantitative data over qualitative data
Is always designed to generate new scientific hypotheses an advance science
Is an activity designed to test the validity of a hypothesis
Involves manipulating only the dependent variable and measuring the independent variable

67. Learning Check- Multiple Choice
A controlled scientific experiment
Often involves manipulating as many variables as possible in order to determine the factual basis of the relationship studied
Preferably involves collection of quantitative data over qualitative data
Is always designed to generate new scientific hypotheses an advance science
Is an activity designed to test the validity of a hypothesis
Involves manipulating only the dependent variable and measuring the independent variable

68. Learning Check- Multiple Choice
A well-designed and well-controlled experiment includes
A testable hypothesis, one independent variable, replicates and a quantifiable dependent variable
A testable hypothesis, several independent variables, one replicate and a quantifiable dependent variable
A testable hypothesis, one independent variable, replicates, and several quantifiable dependent variables
A testable hypothesis, a quantifiable independent variable, one replicate, and a qualitative dependent variable
A testable hypothesis, one independent variable, a control, and a dependent variable that the scientist manipulates

69. Learning Check- Multiple Choice
An ecological footprint is best described as showing
A)The major components of an average ecologist’s footprint
B) The impact of climate change on the planet
C) The amount of carbon emitted on average by industrialized countries
D) The total biologically productive land and water area required to sustain a person or population
E) The total land area contaminated by the human population

70. Learning Check- Multiple Choice
An ecological footprint is best described as showing
A)The major components of an average ecologist’s footprint
B) The impact of climate change on the planet
C) The amount of carbon emitted on average by industrialized countries
D) The total biologically productive land and water area required to sustain a person or population
E) The total land area contaminated by the human population

71. Learning Check- Multiple Choice
Specific examples of potentially renewable natural resources are
water, soil, air, and oil
Timber, water, and mineral resources
Agricultural crops, soils, and natural gas
Tidal energy, water, and mineral ores
Forests, water, and soil

72. Learning Check- Multiple Choice
Specific examples of potentially renewable natural resources are
water, soil, air, and oil
Timber, water, and mineral resources
Agricultural crops, soils, and natural gas
Tidal energy, water, and mineral ores
Forests, water, and soil