ENV100 - The Environment

Environmental Science - A pursuit of knowledge about the natural world and it focuses on - How the natural world works How natural resources and processes support life How human activities affect the environment With all of this, scientists try to remain objective. How to Define the Environment Biotic (living things) - Animals, plants, forests, soils. Abiotic (non living things) - Continents, rocks, oceans, clouds, icecaps Our Built Environment - Roads, buildings, dams, factories. Social Rela

What is Environment? Environment is more than just water, land, and air; it is everything around us, which we interact with. Environment includes: Biotic: Living things (Ex. Animals, plants, trees, forests, soil etc.) Abiotic: Non-living things (Ex. Clouds, rocks, oceans etc.) Our Built Environment Roads, buildings, schools etc. Social Relationships and Institutions Government, religion, political, economical, culture Environment dates from 1600s From an old French verb “environer” which means “

ENV100 is a Life-Style Not a Course - A LIFE STYLE The difference of environmental science and environmentalism is important: There is 2 profs, they have HUGE brains Nature has transformed through industry Recycling yards Mines Quarries We are both consciously and unconsciously aware that the world is suffering for our successes Dialogue between attraction and repulsion Dependence on nature to provide materials for our consumption What is our relationship with the natural environment? The 'Envi

How science operates: "thinking like a scientist" How language and worldview influence our understanding of the environment Sustainability as an approach to environmental problems Defining the Environment The environment is a legal entity The environmental policies/practices need to be defined by various organizations You can sue on behalf of the environment, or for environmental damages Culturally and philosophically how do we think about the environment? In many places, the environment is a l

Law of Conservation of Matter Matter cannot be created or destroyed Can be transformed from one substance to another Matter- All the material in the universe that has mass and occupies space, whether solid, liquid, or gaseous All matter is composed of elements Element - A fundamental type of matter, a chemical substance with a given set of properties, that cant be be broken down into substances with other properties. Composed of atoms, the smallest components that maintain the chemical prope

What is Science and how does it work? A systematic process for learning about the world and testing our understanding of it The accumulated body of knowledge that arises from this dynamic process The Scientific Method What is it? Testing ideas through observation, questioning and experimentation Assumptions: Idea that the universe works according to natural law Events arise from causes, and cause other events We use logic, systematic testing, and our senses to understand natural law Key Element

System Is a network of relationships among parts, elements, or components that interact with and influence one another through the exchange of energy, matter, or information. Systems receive inputs of energy, matter, or information, process these inputs and produce outputs Closed System - Matter doesn’t arrive or leave Open System - Matter arrives and leaves Feedback Loops Negative Feedback Loop - Output that results from a system moving in one direction acts as input that moves the system in o

Perception of Environmental Problems People differ in their perception Interdisciplinary communication is difficult Communications about environmental issues is further complicated by differences in language and worldview Perception is Influenced by World-Views Policy/Legal/Government vs. Scientific Academic vs. Applied Profane/Secular vs. Religious/Sacred Affluence vs. Poverty Industrialized vs. Developing Nations Anthropocentric vs. Ecocentric Ecosphere vs. Technosphere Economy vs. Ecology E

Introduction Description of Binary Search Trees Binarry search trees are. const i = 10; This is a test. This is a change

Ecosystem Ecology Study of interactions among organisms and their physical environment as an integrated system What Is an Ecosystem? A way of looking at organisms and their interactions with the environment as an integrated system Focused on functions, processes, flux(energy,nutrients)biochemical cycle etc Systems Thinking in Ecology  Ecosystems are nested and hierarchical: there is little cycles going on in bigger cycles  Ecosystem are dynamic : they change over very short and long time sca

Hypothesis - A provisional statement (temporary statement) that proposes a possible explanation for a particular observed explanation Example Cigarette smoking increases the probability of developing certain types of lung cancer Null Hypothesis - A statement of "no effect" Experimental results are analyzed to see whether they support the (alternate) hypothesis or the null. Example Cigarette smoking has no effect on the probability of developing certain types of lung cancer which means that c

Biotechnology and Food Resources Food security is a huge issue today in our world today Almost 1 billion people don’t get enough to eat on a regular basis On the other hand, we have 1 billion people who get too much to eat, leading to overweight or obese Too Little and Too Much Food is Both Problematic From a Global Perspective Malnutrition: unbalanced diet (shortage of required nutrients OR excess). People may get enough calories; however, these may be poor quality calories which do not provid

Genetic change in population of organisms across generations Genetic change often leads to modifications in appearances, functioning, or behaviour of organism through time Mechanism of evolution Mutation Migration Random drift Natural selection: traits that enhance survival and reproduction are passed on more frequently to future generations than those that do not Charles Darwin Proposed the concept of natural selection Descent with Modification - Traits are passed on from parents to children

Food Production Diverted to Biofuel Production Fuel derived from recently-dead biological material Wood fuels, crop waste, energy-from-waste, etc. Usually from crops high in sugar or oils (e.g., corn or sugarcane for ethanol) “Food-or-fuel” controversy When we use land that is traditionally used to grow food and use it for biofuel, generally the poor people who live on those lands are not the major consumers of the biofuel, which is why using these lands for biofuel results to consequences for t

Earth History Time Scale Age of sun & solar system ~ 4.57 Ga (Billions of years) Based on models of stellar evolution and dating of primitive solar system objects Example Carbonaceous chondrites (meteorites) Age of earth ~ 4.54 Ga Based on ages of terrestrial rocks + age of solar system + models of solar system formation Example Acasta Gneiss The Nebular Hypothesis AKA the Nebular Theory of Solar Nebula Model explains the origin of the solar system Interstellar cloud inherits elements from

Age of the sun and solar system ~4.57 Billion years old (Giga Annums) Based on models of stellar evolution and dating of primitive solar system objects Age of earth: ~4.54 Ga Based on ages of terrestrial rocks + age of solar system + models of solar system formation Nebular Hypothesis Explains the Origin of the Solar System Interstellar cloud of gas and dust Rotating gently One part of the cloud began to get denser and began a gravitational collapse Solar nebula is formed We now have a nebula w

Agriculture, Food & Technology Pesticides are positive as they provide both intensive and extensive uses of lands However, there are problems associated with pesticides as they are toxic to people and the environment. Ex. Defects in a born child with no hands (as shown in slides) Pests can evolve resistance to pesticides later on once they are exposed. As years go on, resistence continues to increase for these pests to pesticides We are using different types of pesticides, which results to wide

Early earth was a magma oceans We had an atmosphere, but because earth was too hot, the atmosphere just floated away. Earth is still degassing a lot of it is water vapours, many water vapours are coming out of volcano's. ATMOSPHERE hydrosphere and geosphere interacted dynamically Surface cooled enough to sustain liquid water Oceans began to accumulate (4.4 Ga) Still hot, water precipitated and re-evaporated Water + atmospheric gases = acids Cyclical chemical and physical interactions Hydrospher

Water on Earth Water molecules have chemical characteristics that support life They are polar which facilitates bonding with other chemicals "universal solvent" Liquid over a wide range of temperatures Stabilizes systems against change Water ­based processes occur in a variety of conditions Strong cohesion Facilitates the transport of chemicals High heat capacity Transparent to light Photosynthesis is possible Solid less dense than liquid Floating ice insulates water Earth's Early Atmosphere

Soil is a Complex Material Soil consists of mineral matter, organic matter, water, air, and other gases Dead and living microorganisms and decaying material Bacteria, algae, earthworms, insects, mammals, amphibians, reptiles Soil can support the growth of a plant Soil Formation Starts with Bedrock Parent material - base geologic material of soil Bedrock: continuous mass of solid rock and is part of the Earth’s crust). This bedrock gives birth to soil by being broken up into pieces (due to volcan

Geological Cycles Provide the physical foundation to support life on Earth Rock cycle Heating, melting, cooling, breaking, reassembling of rocks and minerals Dominated by surface processes Internal and external Tectonic cycle Processes related to the movement of large fragments of lithosphere Dominated by internal processes Advantages of Geological cycles Determine soil chemistry and replenish nutrients Drive formation of mineral resources and fossil fuels Influence development of landscapes a

Soil Complex plant supporting system that consists of disintegrated rock, organic matter, water, gases, nutrients, and microorganisms. Fundamental to the support of life and provision of food for the human population. Renewable if managed carefully, but easily degraded and is currently at risk in many locations. Complex Dynamic Mixture Consists of half solids, mostly mineral matter with varying proportions of organic matter, and the rest is space taken up by air, water, and other gases. Organic

Life As a Central Role in the Evolution of the Solar System Early life forms Early life used up some but not enough There had to be another mechanism to remove the Organic matter deposited as sediment Formation of limestone Long term storage (sequestration) of carbon dioxide in sediments and sedimentary rocks Carbon cycle reached steady state ~3.8 Without life, Earth would have a - rich atmosphere What is Unique About Earth? Special chemical composition of our atmosphere Nitrogen and

Direct study of rocks Surface rocks Drill holes Lava Xenoliths - rocks taken from mantle through magma, and carried to the surface Earthquakes Earthquakes occur as a result of built up strained energy in blocks of rock subjected to tectonic forces Earthquakes are therefore shaking ground accompanied from the sudden release of energy Caused by fracturing rocks, due to the strain energy that builds up as a result of plate motion Fault - rock fracture along which relative movement occurs Focus - i

Tectonic Environments Intra-plate Middle of the plate Plate Boundaries: Divergent plates moving apart Convergent plates moving together Transform plates moving horizontally past Divergent Plate Boundaries New crust is generated Oceanic Example Mid­-Atlantic Ridge Continental Example East African Rift Convergent Plate Boundaries Crust is consumed or compressed Ocean­-ocean subduction zone Example Japan Ocean­-continent subduction zone Example Andes Continent­-continent collision z

The Race to Feed the World Agriculture – The practice of raising crops and livestock for human use and consumption We obtain most food, fibre, and biofuels from cropland – the land used to raise plants, and rangeland – the land used for grazing livestock Agriculture First Appeared 10000 Years Ago After glaciation, people in some cultures began to cultivate (raise plants from seeds) and domesticate animals as a source of food and labour Agriculture is a form of intensification – A way to increa

Chapter Outline Systems, cycles, reservoirs and fluxes The nature of environmental systems and cycles Feedback loops How environmental scientists use and portray these concepts using models Systems A portion of the universe that can be separated from the rest, for the purpose of studying changes that occur within it, under changing conditions.   Earth's Categories of Systems Major Earth spheres Geosphere Atmosphere Hydrosphere Biosphere Boundaries overlap, systems and subsystems interact   Ty

Our planet of life Biodiversity - The total number of organisms in a given area Including – Diversity, genes, populations and communities of the species Biodiversity’s Levels Species Diversity Species - Specific type of organism that share the same characteristics and can breed and reproduce Species Diversity - The number and variety of species in a given area Two components of species diversity Species Richness - The number of species in a particular area Relative Abundance - The extent to

Intraplate Middle of the plate Plate boundaries Divergent (plates moving apart) Convergent (plates moving together) Transform (plates moving horizontally past) There Are Several Different Tectonic Environments Intraplate - not on a plate boundary Geologically quiet, with some exceptions of some stress occurring rarely Hot spots e.g. hawaii, middle of pacific plate, formed from hot spots coming from the mantle, punching through the pacific plate. The plate carries the volcano away from the hot s

Biodiversity Provides Goods and Services and is Very Important Provides food, shelter, fuel Purifies air and water, detoxifies wastes- this refers to unharmed ecosystems which do this. Generates and renews soil fertility Pollinates plants, controls pests and disease Maintains genetic resources- we need to have genetic resources to have shifts in environmental resources. Provides cultural and aesthetic benefits Allows us to adapt to change Organisms Provide Drugs and Medicines Plants: in response

System's Basic Properties Dynamic equilibrium Systems are constantly changing, interacting, balancing Homeostasis maintain or turn to stable condition Many systems tend to maintain stable internal conditions (resistance) Resilience will be affected but will come back Some systems (not all) recover easily from disturbances Emergent properties System characteristics not evident in individual components on their own Interconnected Reservoirs of Systems and Cycles A cycle is a system of two or m

In Order to Grow a Forest Temperature- some trees are cold adapted and some are not Air (carbon hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen)- the need of clean air is required for trees Light (photosynthesis) Water Soil Forests Create, Store and Mobilize Nutrients and Water They are living just like humans Photosynthesis Mycorrhizal associations Soil interactions Nutrients Transpiration stream Photosynthesis In the presence of light and energy, we have a carbon capture which is converted into glucose, which is

ENV Takes a Systems Approach Environmental entities are complex systems that interact with each other Network of relations among components that interact with and influence one another To solve environmental problems, all appropriate systems must be considered Many other disciplines also use a systems approach and general systems theory Many other programs also use this approach System - portion of the universe that can be separated from the rest, for the purpose of studying changes that occur w

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The Forest and the Trees Forests cover 31% of Earth’s surface Basic Requirements of Trees Autotrophs – Create food using photosynthesis Air, light, soil and water are needed Macronutrients - Nutrients required in large amounts: nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, sulphur, carbon Micronutrients - Required in small amounts: iron, zinc, manganese Major Groups of Forest Biomes Forest - Land area with significant tree cover, covering is really think so light doesn’t usually reach t

Classifying Resources Perpetual (inexhaustible) resources Non-renewable resources “Wasting” or non-regenerative Recyclable resources Classified on the basis of waste management Renewable resources Earth resources and living resources Classified on the basis of origin Earth resources are separate from living resources Critical flow resources Effectively non-renewable because of mismanagement Common property resources Classified on the basis of ownership Other Human resources, ecological kno

Cell phones and high tech products contain mining material called coltan Coltan is used to make tantalum capacitors Coltan= columbite + tantalum During Congo at war, soldiers control mining operations and profits from coltan sales financed the war, which result to conflict materials Conflict materials include: Gold, Diamond, etc. Mining for conflict materials is usually done through illegal means. Conflict materials tend to be found in places where there is conflict such as war, slavery etc Dur

Water on Earth Water is an important part of the environment Earth is a blue planet, because on earth there is proof that water exists Water shapes the surface of the earth, it allows for life Makes earth different from all other planets Water exists in 3 states: Solid Liquid Gas Exists in the atmosphere, on the surface, and under the ground Water in Atmosphere Water is an important component as it moves heat from equator to poles through processes such as evaporation, where water enters the

Reservoirs - Physical boundaries or holding tanks (the ocean is a reservoir) A reservoir is also thought of by the mass of material in it, (the ozone, the fish in the ocean) You must be the one that defines a reservoir when doing your study, (the pesticides in a hawk is a reservoir) Cycles Can Be Portrayed Visually, Graphically, or Mathematically When we construct a portrayal of the characteristics and functioning of a cycle or any characteristics of a cycle or any other environmental process,

Freshwater Systems and Water Resources Water is important part of the environment Earth is a blue planet, because on Earth there is proof that water exists Water shapes the surface of the earth It allows for life It makes Earth different from all other planets Water exists in all 3 states: solid, liquid, gas It exits in the atmosphere, on the surface, and under the ground It makes up the atmosphere and is a important component of the major cycles Water in Atmosphere Water is an important compone

What is Ecosystem Ecology? Study of interactions among organisms and their physical environment as an integrated system Ecosystems are a layer in the sandwich Ecosystems are a way of looking at things, it is not a thing Ecosystems as a Science Did Not Start Until the 21st Century We cannot separate them [organisms] from their special environment with which they form one physical system...The systems are the basic units of nature What is an Ecosystem? Way of looking at organisms and their interac

Oceans for us are difficult to explore for humans (deep water ecosystems) We know very little about deep water ecosystems; their productivity etc. We tend to know more about space than we know about the deepest parts of the ocean Ocean Water; Not Just H20 Ions of dissolved salts in the ocean Oceans also have dissolved gas such as oxygen (photosynthesis, bacterial metabolism, atmospheris diffusion) Oceans are major reservoir for carbon dioxide Gases in ocean are vertically stratified (arranged)-

Oceans for us are difficult to explore for humans (deep water ecosystems) We know very little about deep water ecosystems; their productivity etc. we tend to know more about space than we know about the deepest part of the ocean Ocean Water Not just H2O Ions of dissolved salts in the ocean Oceans also have dissolved gas such as oxygen Oceans are major reservoir for CO2 Gases in the ocean are vertically stratified (arranged) – Warmer water on the top layers of the ocean and colder at the bottom

The Atmosphere and Weather Atmosphere - Thin layer of gases that surrounds a planet or moon Retained by gravity Earth’s atmosphere - 78% N, 21% O, 1% other Earth’s Atmosphere Absorbs radiation and moderates climate Transports/recycles water, heat, pollutants, nutrients Vertical differences in temperature, density, and composition Human activity is changing the composition of the atmosphere The Atmosphere is Layered The atmosphere consists of four layers, they all have differences in properti

Atmosphere Atmosphere is a thin layer of gases that surround a planet or moon Atmosphere retained (held) by gravity Earth’s atmosphere: 78% Nitrogen, 21% Oxygen, 1% other (Ex. Argon) Most variable: Water Vapour 2nd most-variable: aerosols from a variety of sources These gases are affected by human activity These variable gases are greenhouse gases Earth’s Atmosphere The atmosphere absorbs solar radiation and moderates climate It transports/recycles water, heat, pollutants, nutrients Vertical di

NPP Is a rate, it is per time unit (average net primary production per gram per m2 per yr). Even though the ocean appears to have low NPP, it is massive so it actually has a huge NPP. Places of high annual total precipitation have high NPP, no surprise. When we have climate change, patterns of NPP will change heavily as places will have more/less rain and more/less heat. Coastlines are more productive than open ocean since there is less depth there is more sunlight and sediments with nutrients

Carbon mobilization Burning fossil fuels geosphere - atmosphere The geosphere is where carbon has been stored for millions and millions of years as long term storage which is then being released into our atmosphere Deforestation burning of biomass biosphere - atmosphere Cattle and rice production biosphere - atmosphere Livestock produce 18% of greenhouse gasses more than transportation 1.5 billion cattle world wide impact of intensive livestock farming on the environment is massive Atmospheric

The Climate System The geography of net radiation and heat flow: fuelling the weather engine Radiation controls: the spectrum and various trace gases Beyond control: about all those absorbers and the greenhouse effect What is Global Change? Global change refers to the impacts that are global in extent. Cumulative or synergistic effects of local/regional actions. These impacts are long-lasting or potentially permanent Atmospheric change: Stratospheric ozone depletion Global climatic change due to