Study of how the natural world works, how our environment affects us, and how we affect our environment Environmental science informs practical applications and can be motivated by them. Addressing environmental problems is complex and requires many inputs from different discipline, therefore environmental science is an interdisciplinary field of study Includes both natural and social sciences, addressing environmental problems also involves weighing values and understanding human behaviour Environmental science is not environmentalism {social movement dedicated to protecting the natural world} 5 critical factors that affect survival of civilization {climate change, hostile neighbours, trade partners, environmental problems, society’s response to environmental problems} Resource management- the strategic decision making and planning aimed at balancing the use of a resource with its protection and preservation Carrying capacity- measure of the ability of a system to support life Tragedy of the commons- each individual withdraw whatever benefit are available from the common property as quickly as possible until the resource becomes overused and depleted Demographics has a huge effect on how you perceive your environment, how you react to change, and what the impacts has on your life Ecological footprint- expresses the environmental impact of an induvial or a population in terms of that area of land and water required to provide the raw materials they consume and waste management plus direct and indirect impacts Biocapacity- the capacity of terrestrial or aquatic to be biologically productive and absorb waste especially carbon dioxide Sustainable development- meets the need of the present without sacrificing the needs of the future Biodiversity- the cumulative number and diversity living things Scientific method- technique for testing ideas by making observations and by gathering evidence Observations-> questions->hypothesis->prediction-> test->results
CH 2. Matter, energy, the systems approach to environmental science
Earths most abundant chemical elements Earth’s crust-> oxygen 49.5% silicon 25.7% aluminum 7.4% Ocean-> oxygen 85.8% hydrogen 10.8% chlorine 1.9% Air-> nitrogen 78.1% oxygen 21% argon 0.9% Organisms-> oxygen 65% carbon 18.5% hydrogen 9.5% Matter – all things in the universe that has mass and occupies space (solid, liquid, gas) Matter may be transformed from one substance to another but it cannot be created or destroyed aka law of conservation of matter All matter is composed of elements, a fundamental type of matter, a chemical substance with a given set of properties which cannot be broken down into substances that have other properties Elements are comprised of atoms, the smallest components that maintain the chemical properties of that element Each element has a nucleus consisting of protons (+ charged) and neutrons (no electric charge) electrons (negatively charged) surround the atom which balance the positive charge Atoms of the same element (same number of protons) with differing numbers of neutrons are called isotopes Some isotopes are radioactive and can decay spontaneously, changing their chemical identity as they shed subatomic particles and emit high-energy radiation Atoms that gain or lose electrons from their outer shell, by doing this they become ions Ions that form when and atom loses an electron and carry a positive charge are called cations Ions that form when an atom gains an electron are called anions which are negatively charged Atoms link chemically to form molecules, combinations of two or more atoms. Molecules may contain one or more elements A molecule composed of two or more different elements are called a compound Organic compounds-> consist of carbon atoms joined by covalent bonds carbon-carbon bonds Inorganic compounds-> fundamentally important in the support of life (water) some may contain carbon but they are not organic because they lack the carbon-carbon bond Proteins-> consist of long chains of organic molecules called amino acids Nucleic acids direct the productions of proteins (DNA and RNA) Matter is building material, but energy is the driver of earths environmental process, energy is the capacity to change the position, physical composition, or temperature of matter. Aka a force that can accomplish work Potential energy-> energy of position Kinetic energy-> energy of motion Glucose + oxygen carbon dioxide + water + heat (potential energy kinetic energy) In every transfer of energy some energy is lost, converted into a less useable form Organisms that produce their own food energy are called autotrophs including plants algae and cyanobacteria photosynthesis 6CO2+12H2O+ SOLAR ENERGYC6H12O6(GLUCOSE) + 6H2O Autotrophs- organisms that produce their own energy (photosynthesis) Heterotrophs- organisms that gain their energy by consuming other organisms Gravitational pull of the moon causes ocean tides Energy that comes from within the earth’s core is called geothermal energy Earth’s layers core (iron, hot, radioactive) mantle (rock) lithosphere (contains the mantle and the crust) Divergent plate boundaries- plates move away from one another, diverge, magma rises to the surface forming new crust as it cools at the surface Fault- a fracture in the earth’s crust grind horizontally with one another they meet. When two faults grind with one another they are transform plate boundaries (san andreas fault) Convergent plate boundaries- occur where plates converge causing huge earthquakes
CH 3. Earth’s systems and ecosystems
System- a network of relationships among elements, or components that interact with and influence one another through the exchange of energy, matter or information Open systems- systems that receive inputs of both energy and matter and produce outputs of energy and matter Closed systems- system that receive inputs but only produces output energy When a systems output can serve as an input to that same system it is called a feedback loop Negative feedback loop- stabilizing a system, enhances sustainability in the long run (example with fox and rabbit) Positive feedback loop- opposite effect of negative feedback loop they drive further to an extreme or another (erosion), rare in nature but common in natural systems that have been affected by humans Homeostasis- tendency of a system to maintain constant or stable internal conditions Resistance- the strength of the system’s tendency to remain constant Resilience- the measure of how readily the system will return to its original state once it has been disturbed Emergent properties- characteristics that are not evident in the individual components on their own (tree is a habitat for squirrels) Geosphere- the rock and sediment of the solid earth Atmosphere- thin envelop of gasses along with some water droplets Hydrosphere- all water that resides on the surface on earth Biosphere- planets living organisms Anthroposphere- the systems on earth that have been modifies by humans or created for human use Ecosystem- consist of all organisms and non-living entities that occur and interact in a particular area at the same time Biomass- organic material which living organisms are formed Conversion of solar energy to the energy of chemical bonds in sugar in autotrophs is called gross primary product (GPP) The energy that remains after respiration that is used to generate biomass is called net primary product. That amount of biomass that is readily available for heterotrophs consumption Material move through ecosystems in nutrient cycles, aka biogeochemical cycles Nutrients and other materials move from one pool called reservoirs to another remaining for various amount of time the movement of materials among reservoirs is called a flux reservoirs that release more nutrient than they accept are called sinks hydrologic cycle- ow water flows through our environment; the ocean is the largest reservoir holding 97% of all fresh water. Water moves from oceans, lakes and rivers into the atmosphere by evaporation and also transpiration (water from pants). Water returns to earth via precipitation and flows as runoffs into ocean, rivers, and lakes. Some precipitation soaks down into the ground and replenishes underground reservoirs called aquifers. Underneath layers of soils, groundwater can be found will take long period of time to recharge. Carbon cycle- ingredient in carbohydrates, fats and proteins. All organisms use carbon for structural growth. Plants are a major reservoir for carbon because they take so much carbon in for photosynthesis. Sedimentary rock is the largest reservoir in the carbon cycle and the ocean is the second largest. By removing carbon from fossil fuels, we are releasing carbon into the atmosphere. Nitrogen cycle- makes up 78% of the atmosphere by mass and the sixth most abundant element on earth. It’s essential ingredient in the proteins that build out bodies and essential for plant growth. Nitrogen cannot cycle out of the atmosphere and into living organism without the support of lightning, specialized bacteria, or human intervention. By lightning or bacteria natural nitrogen fixation occurs, which is the process of fixing nitrogen with hydrogen to form ammonia. Nitrification is when a change occurs and plants can accept nitrogen. Denitrification is converting ground nitrogen into gas nitrogen. Humans can fix nitrogen on industrial scale by process called haber-bosch process. Fertilizer run offs lead to algae. Phosphorus cycle has not atmospheric component most is contained in rocks. Humans impact this by mining rocks containing phosphorus for use in fertilizers. Waste water discharge tends to be rich in phosphorus and can run off into bodies of water leading to merker water. Also important ingredient in detergent.
CH 11. Water systems and water resources
Fresh water- 2.5% Ocean water 97.5% Globally- we spend 70% of global fresh water on agriculture Industry- accounts for 20% Residential- 10% Water is subject to periods of scarcity and abundance world’s water circulates in closed system not getting anymore from other places quantity of water on earth will not dimish on shorter than geological time scale changes in water availability reflect changes in the hydrological cycle key components evaporationtranspirationprecipitationinfiltrationrun- offgroundwater evaporation- water changing from a liquid to gas or vapour. Primarily moving from oceans, lakes, and rivers in the atmosphere. Main driver of hydrological cycle, account for 90% of all water in the atmosphere. Evaporation is roughly equal to precipitation transpiration- water released out from plant leaves into the atmosphere. accounts for 10% of water in the atmosphere. Via plant stomata precipitation- process where water vapor in the air is changed into liquid water via condensation. First condensed into cloud form, then falls back to earth as rain snow. Occurs higher in the atmosphere where temps are cooler and air condenses infiltration- process of precipitation that reaches the land surface, entering a soil. Eventually will recharge ground water stores. Depends on several factors including the amount of precipitation, as well as soil texture run-off- the portion of perception that appears in uncontrolled surface streams, rivers, or drains. Precipitation that does not infiltrate the ground, or through soils. The total discharge of water overland. Pavement and soil compaction change the amount of infiltration and run-off groundwater- precipitation and surface water that soaks down through soil and rocks. Into underground reservoirs called aquifers. Hold water for very long periods of time takes decades to recharge inputs- precipitation, maybe groundwater, maybe runoff output- evapotranspiration, runoff, maybe groundwater storage- groundwater, soil moisture, lakes and reservoirs, rivers, and streams shifts occurring within hydrological cycle- climate change impacts rates of evaporation transpiration, precipitation. human consumption and pollution impact on groundwater extraction and recharge, infiltration; impacts on water quality water scarcity- all of these factors leading to unequal distribution/ scarcity. More common water shortages. Environmental and socio-economic concerns bottled water- Canadians use most bottled water only less than us freshwater pollution- humans need disease- free and non-toxic. Half the worlds rivers are deeply polluted and depleted can pollute groundwater pollution- the release of matter or energy into the environment that causes undesirable impacts on the health and well-being of humans and other organisms, nutrient pollution, pathogens/waterborne disease, toxic chemicals, sediments, thermal pollution point source water pollution- specific location of pollution nonpoint source water pollution- pollution from multiple cumulative inputs over a large area (farms, cities, streets, heighborhoods)