Environmental Science

Environmental science is defined as the

interaction of humans with the
environment.
The environment includes all conditions
that surround living organisms:
Climate
Air and water quality
Soil and landforms
Presence of other living organisms
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Environmental Science Contd

Environmental science
and the issues that it
studies are complex
and interdisciplinary.
Includes concepts and
ideas from multiple
fields of study.

Image taken from Principles of

Environmental Science,
Cunningham, 2005.

What is the Goal of Environmental

Science?
A major goal of environmental science is to
understand and solve environmental
problems.
To accomplish this goal, environmental
scientists study two main types of
interactions between humans and their
environment:
How our actions alter our environment.
The use of natural resources like water, coal, and
oil.

 Natural resources are any

natural materials that are
used by humans, such as,
water, petroleum,
minerals, forests, and
animals.
Natural resources are
classified as either a
renewable resources or a
nonrenewable resource.

 Renewable resources
can be replaced
relatively quickly by
natural process.
Nonrenewable
resources form at a
much slower rate than
they are consumed.

How is Environmental science

different than ecology?
Environmental science is an interdisciplinary
science, which means that it involves many fields of
study.
Important to the foundation of environmental
science is ecology.
Ecology is the study of interactions of living
organisms with one another and with their
environment.

Basic History of Humans and the

Environment
Hunter-Gatherers (10,000 B.C.)
Obtain food by collecting plants and hunting wild
animals.
No organized agriculture or animal raising.
Effects on the environment were limited.
Hunting of some animal species.
Picked up and spread plants/seeds to new areas.

Basic History of Humans and the

Environment
Agricultural Revolution (6000-7000 B.C.)
Humans first developed the process of breeding,
growing, and harvesting plants for food as well as
animal domestication.
Effects on the environment:
Human population grew more quickly
Natural habitats (grasslands, forests) replaced by
farmland and villages.
New breeds of animals and plants were created.

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Basic History of Humans and the

Environment
Industrial Revolution (1800s)
Shift in the source of energy to fossil fuels
Effects on the environment:

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More efficient farming

Faster human population growth
Increased burning of fossil fuels.
Introduced synthetic plastics, fertilizers, pesticides.
Higher amounts of pollution.

Spaceship Earth

The Earth is a closed system.

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The only thing that enters or leaves the Earth in

large quantities is heat.
Resources are limited, but the population
continues to increase.
Wastes do not go away.

Major Environmental Problems

Resource Depletion
Resources can be renewable (water) or
nonrenewable (petroleum).
The supply of nonrenewable resources like fossil
fuels and minerals will eventually run out.
The supply of renewable resources is often used
so quickly that it cannot be replenished.

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Major Environmental Problems

Pollution

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.

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Major Environmental Problems

Loss of Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the number of different species
present in an ecosystem.
Extinction, or the complete loss of a species, is a
natural event that can be accelerated by human
actions.
The Tasmanian tiger is the only known mammal to become
extinct in the past 200 years on the island of Tasmania.
During the same period of time, on nearby Australia,
23 birds, 4 amphibians, and 27 mammal species have become
extinct.
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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?
Which needs should be given the highest priority
in our decision making?

Different types of ethics have emerged in

human culture in modern history.
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Types of Environmental Ethics

There are five main historical stages of
environmental ethics.
Anthropocentric
Pragmatic Resource Conservation
Moral and Aesthetic Nature Preservation
Modern Environmentalism
Global Environmental Citizenship

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Anthropocentrism
Anthropocentrism literally means humancentered.
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.

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Pragmatic Resource Conservation

Advocated by President
Theodore Roosevelt.
Conservationists believe the
environment should be used in
a planned way to benefit
everyone.
The correct policy will create
the greatest good for the
greatest number, for the
longest time.
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Moral and Aesthetic Nature

Preservation

Advocated by John Muir,

first president of the
Sierra Club.
Preservationists believe
that nature deserves to
exist for its own sake
regardless of degree of
usefulness to humans.

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Ecological Principles
"The college idealists who fill the
ranks of the environmental
movement seem willing to do
absolutely anything to save the
biosphere, except take science
courses and learn something
about it."
P.J. O'Rourke

Ecological Principles

are basic assumptions ( or beliefs) about

ecosystems and how they function and are

informed by the ecological concepts
build on ecological concepts to draw key
conclusions that can guide human applications
aimed at conserving biodiversity

Principle #1
Protection of Species and species
subdivisions will conserve genetic
diversity
continued existence of species and their
adaptation to changing conditions
To retain a variety of individuals and
species permits the adaptability needed
to sustain ecosystem productivity in
changing environments

Principle #1
Protection of Species and species
subdivisions will conserve genetic
diversity
sustaining ecosystem productivity can
also beget further diversity ( and future
adaptability)

Principle #2
Maintaining habitat is fundamental
to conserving species
a species habitat is the ecosystem
conditions that support its life
requirements
can be considered at a range of spatial
and temporal scales

Principle #3
Large areas usually contain more
species than smaller areas with
similar habitat
theory of island biogeography
a system of areas conserved for
biodiversity that includes large areas can
effectively support more viable
populations

Principle #4
All things are connected but the
nature and strength of those
connections vary
ecological relationships
ecological niche

Principle #5
Disturbances shape the
characteristic of populations,
communities and ecosystems
the type, intensity, frequency and
duration of disturbances shape the
characteristics
of
populations,
communities and ecosystems including
their size, shape and spatial relationships

Principle #6
Climate influences terrestrial and
aquatic ecosystems
climate has a dominant effect on
biodiversity as it influences meteorological
variables like temperature, precipitation,
and wind with consequences for many
ecological and physical processes

Ecological Principles

aggregation of individuals ( ecosystem structure)

ecological succession ( ecosystem dynamics)

assimilative capacity ( changes in physical

environment)

biological concentration
(biomagnification/bioaccumulation)
( changes in physical environment)

carrying capacity (changes in physical environment)

competitive exclusion principle (community ecology)

Precautionary Principle ( Precautionary Strategy)
Climate Change ( Act now to reduce the risks)
Limiting Factor Principle

Think
Green
Go Green

Live
Green