Principles of Environmental Science, 6th Edition

Cover......Page 1
Title Page......Page 11
Copyright......Page 12
Contents......Page 15
Preface......Page 25
Learning Outcomes......Page 35
Case Study Saving the Reefs of Apo Island......Page 36
What is environmental science?......Page 37
What persistent challenges do we face?......Page 38
Active Learning: Finding Your Strengths in This Class (in-class activity)......Page 39
There are also many signs of hope......Page 40
1.3 Human Dimensions of Environmental Science......Page 41
Where do the rich and poor live?......Page 42
Exploring Science: How Do We Know the State of Population, Poverty, and Other Issues?......Page 43
Indigenous peoples are guardians of much of the world’s biodiversity......Page 44
Science depends on skepticism and accuracy......Page 45
The scientific method is an orderly way to examine problems......Page 46
Experimental design can reduce bias......Page 47
Active Learning: Calculating Probability......Page 48
Exploring Science: Why Do Scientists Answer Questions with a Number?......Page 49
1.5 Critical Thinking......Page 50
What do you need to think critically?......Page 51
Resource waste triggered pragmatic resource conservation (stage 1)......Page 52
Ethical and aesthetic concerns inspired the preservation movement (stage 2)......Page 53
A Closer Look: Sustainable development......Page 54
Environmental quality is tied to social progress (stage 4)......Page 56
Conclusion......Page 57
Data Analysis: Working with Graphs......Page 58
Learning Outcomes......Page 60
Case Study: Working to Rescue an Ecosystem......Page 61
Systems can be described in terms of their characteristics......Page 62
Matter is recycled but doesn’t disappear......Page 63
Electric charges keep atoms together......Page 64
Organic compounds have a carbon backbone......Page 65
2.3 Energy......Page 67
Exploring Science: A “Water Planet”......Page 68
2.4 Energy for Life......Page 69
How does photosynthesis capture energy?......Page 70
Organisms occur in populations, communities, and ecosystems......Page 71
Active Learning: Food Webs......Page 72
Exploring Science: Remote Sensing, Photosynthesis, and Material Cycles......Page 73
2.6 Biogeochemical Cycles and Life Processes......Page 74
The carbon cycle......Page 75
A Closer Look: How do energy and matter move through systems?......Page 76
The nitrogen cycle......Page 78
The sulfur cycle......Page 80
Conclusion......Page 81
Data Analysis: Examining Nutrients in a Wetland System......Page 82
Learning Outcomes......Page 84
Case Study: Darwin’s Voyage of Discovery......Page 85
All species live within limits......Page 86
The ecological niche is a species’ role and environment......Page 88
Speciation maintains species diversity......Page 89
A Closer Look: Where do species come from?......Page 90
Taxonomy describes relationships among species......Page 92
Predation affects species relationships......Page 93
Some adaptations help avoid predation......Page 94
Symbiosis: Intimate relations among species......Page 95
Keystone species: Influence all out of proportion......Page 96
Carrying capacity relates growth to its limits......Page 97
Feedback produces logistic growth......Page 98
Active Learning: Effect of K on Population Growth Rate ( rN )......Page 99
3.4 Properties of Communities Depend on Species Diversity......Page 100
What Can You Do?: Working Locally for Ecological Diversity......Page 101
Community properties emerge from diversity and structure......Page 103
Exploring Science: Species Diversity Promotes Community Recovery......Page 105
Ecological succession describes a history of community development......Page 106
Appropriate disturbances can benefit communities......Page 107
Conclusion......Page 108
Data Analysis: Species Competition......Page 109
Learning Outcomes......Page 110
Case Study: Family Planning in Thailand: A Success Story......Page 111
Human populations grew slowly until recently......Page 112
Active Learning: Population Doubling Time......Page 113
Population growth could bring benefits......Page 114
How many of us are there?......Page 115
A Closer Look: How big is your footprint?......Page 116
Fertility varies among cultures and at different times......Page 118
Life expectancy is rising worldwide......Page 119
What Do You Think?: China’s One-Child Policy......Page 120
Living longer has profound social implications......Page 121
Education and income affect the desire for children......Page 122
Economic and social conditions change mortality and births......Page 123
Two ways to complete the demographic transition......Page 124
4.6 Family Planning Gives Us Choices......Page 125
4.7 What Kind of Future Are We Creating Now?......Page 126
Conclusion......Page 127
Data Analysis: Communicating with Graphs......Page 128
Learning Outcomes......Page 130
Case Study: Predators Help Restore Biodiversity in Yellowstone......Page 131
5.1 Terrestrial Biomes......Page 132
Tropical moist forests are warm and wet year-round......Page 134
Active Learning: Comparing Biome Climates......Page 135
Temperate grasslands have rich soils......Page 136
Temperate forests can be evergreen or deciduous......Page 137
Tundra can freeze in any month......Page 138
5.2 Marine Environments......Page 139
Active Learning: Examining Climate Graphs......Page 140
Lakes have extensive open water......Page 142
Wetlands are shallow and productive......Page 143
Biodiversity hot spots are rich and threatened......Page 144
Biodiversity provides food and medicines......Page 145
5.6 What Threatens Biodiversity?......Page 146
Habitat destruction is usually the main threat......Page 147
A Closer Look: What is biodiversity worth?......Page 148
Invasive species are a growing threat......Page 150
Exploring Science: Using Telemetry to Monitor Wildlife......Page 151
What Can You Do?: You Can Help Preserve Biodiversity......Page 153
Overharvesting depletes or eliminates species......Page 154
Hunting and fishing laws protect useful species......Page 156
Recovery plans aim to rebuild populations......Page 157
Many countries have species protection laws......Page 158
Habitat protection may be better than species protection......Page 159
Conclusion......Page 160
Data Analysis: Confidence Limits in the Breeding Bird Survey......Page 161
Learning Outcomes......Page 162
Case Study: Saving the Great Bear Rainforest......Page 163
Boreal and tropical forests are most abundant......Page 164
Active Learning: Calculating Forest Area......Page 165
Tropical forests are being cleared rapidly......Page 166
Temperate forests also are at risk......Page 168
A Closer Look: Save a tree, save a climate?......Page 170
What Do You Think?: Northern Spotted Owls......Page 172
What Can You Do?: Lowering Your Forest Impacts......Page 173
Grazing can be sustainable or damaging......Page 174
Overgrazing threatens many rangelands......Page 175
6.3 Parks and Preserves......Page 176
Exploring Science: Using GIS to Protect Central African Forests......Page 177
Many countries have created nature preserves......Page 178
Not all preserves are preserved......Page 179
Exploring Science: Finding Common Ground on the Range......Page 180
Conservation and economic development can work together......Page 182
What Can You Do?: Being a Responsible Ecotourist......Page 183
Species survival can depend on preserve size and shape......Page 184
Conclusion......Page 185
Data Analysis: Detecting Edge Effects......Page 186
Learning Outcomes......Page 187
Case Study: Farming the Cerrado......Page 188
Food security is unevenly distributed......Page 189
Active Learning: Mapping Poverty and Plenty......Page 191
Overeating is a growing world problem......Page 192
7.3 What Do We Eat?......Page 193
Rising meat production is a sign of wealth......Page 194
Seafood is both wild and farmed, but nearly all depends on wild-source inputs......Page 195
Active Learning: Where in the World Did You Eat Today?......Page 196
Healthy soil fauna can determine soil fertility......Page 197
Your food comes mostly from the A horizon......Page 198
Soil degradation reduces crop yields......Page 199
Wind and water move soil......Page 200
Irrigation is often needed for high yields......Page 201
Pesticides save crops but have health risks......Page 202
What Can You Do?: Reducing the Pesticides in Your Food......Page 203
A Closer Look: How can we feed the world?......Page 204
Genetic engineering could have benefits and costs......Page 206
Most GMOs are engineered for pesticide production or pesticide tolerance......Page 207
Soil conservation is essential......Page 208
Reduced tillage cuts erosion......Page 209
What Do You Think?: Shade-Grown Coffee and Cocoa......Page 210
7.9 Consumers Help Shape Farming......Page 211
Conclusion......Page 212
Data Analysis: Mapping Your Food Supply......Page 213
Learning Outcomes......Page 214
Case Study: Defeating the Fiery Serpent......Page 215
Global disease burden is changing......Page 216
Emergent and infectious diseases still kill millions of people......Page 217
Conservation medicine combines ecology and health care......Page 219
Resistance to antibiotics and pesticides is increasing......Page 220
What Can You Do?: Tips for Staying Healthy......Page 222
Endocrine hormone disrupters are of special concern......Page 223
A Closer Look: What toxins and hazards are present in your home?......Page 224
Solubility and mobility determine when and where chemicals move......Page 226
Bioaccumulation and biomagnification increase chemical concentrations......Page 227
Persistence makes some materials a greater threat......Page 228
Metabolic degradation and excretion eliminate toxics......Page 229
We usually test toxic effects on lab animals......Page 230
Active Learning: Assessing Toxins......Page 231
Low doses can have variable effects......Page 232
Exploring Science: The Epigenome......Page 233
Our perception of risks isn’t always rational......Page 234
How much risk is acceptable?......Page 235
Active Learning: Calculating Probabilities......Page 236
Conclusion......Page 237
Data Analysis: Graphing Multiple Variables......Page 238
Learning Outcomes......Page 239
Case Study: When Wedges Do More than Silver Bullets......Page 240
9.1 What Is the Atmosphere?......Page 241
The atmosphere captures energy selectively......Page 242
Evaporated water stores and redistributes heat......Page 243
Ocean currents also redistribute heat......Page 244
What causes natural climatic swings?......Page 245
El Niño/Southern Oscillation has far-reaching effects......Page 246
Active Learning: The IPCC’s Fourth Assessment Report (AR4)......Page 247
The main greenhouse gases are CO[sub(2)], CH[sub(4)], and N[sub(2)]O......Page 248
A Closer Look: Climate change in a nutshell: How does it work?......Page 250
Controlling emissions is cheap compared to climate change......Page 252
Exploring Science: How Do We Know That Climate Change Is Human-caused?......Page 254
Why are there disputes over climate evidence?......Page 255
A wedge approach could fix the problem......Page 257
Local initiatives are everywhere......Page 258
What Can You Do?: Reducing Individual CO 2 Emissions......Page 259
Active Learning: Calculate Your Carbon Reductions......Page 260
We describe pollutants according to sources......Page 261
Conventional pollutants are common and serious......Page 262
Air pollutants can travel far......Page 263
Ozone in the stratosphere is harmed by CFCs......Page 264
Polluted air damages lungs and tissues......Page 265
Smog and haze reduce visibility......Page 266
SO[sub(4)] and NO[sub(x)] produce acid deposition......Page 267
The best strategy is reducing production......Page 268
Clean air legislation is controversial......Page 269
Many places have improved greatly......Page 270
Conclusion......Page 271
Data Analysis: Examining the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report (AR4)......Page 272
Learning Outcomes......Page 273
Case Study: When Will Lake Mead Go Dry?......Page 274
The hydrologic cycle constantly redistributes water......Page 275
Groundwater stores large resources......Page 276
Active Learning: Mapping the Water-Rich and Water-Poor Countries......Page 278
Agriculture is our greatest water user......Page 279
Many people lack access to clean water......Page 280
Diversion projects redistribute water......Page 281
What Do You Think?: China’s South-to-North Water Diversion......Page 282
Would you fight for water?......Page 283
Everyone can help conserve water......Page 284
What Can You Do?: Saving Water and Preventing Pollution......Page 285
Biological pollution includes pathogens and waste......Page 286
Inorganic pollutants include metals, salts, and acids......Page 288
Exploring Science: Studying the Gulf Dead Zone......Page 289
Is bottled water safer?......Page 290
The 1972 Clean Water Act protects our water......Page 291
Developing countries often have serious water pollution......Page 293
Groundwater is especially hard to clean up......Page 294
Ocean pollution has few controls......Page 295
Nonpoint sources are often harder to control than point sources......Page 296
Municipal treatment has three levels of quality......Page 297
Remediation can involve containment, extraction, or biological treatment......Page 298
Conclusion......Page 299
A Closer Look: Could natural systems treat our wastewater?......Page 300
Data Analysis: Graphing Global Water Stress and Scarcity......Page 303
Learning Outcomes......Page 304
Case Study: Earthquake!......Page 305
Tectonic processes reshape continents and cause earthquakes......Page 306
The rock cycle creates and recycles rocks......Page 308
Weathering and sedimentation......Page 309
Nonmetal mineral resources include gravel, clay, glass, and salts......Page 310
Exploring Science: Rare Earth Metals: The New Strategic Materials......Page 312
Active Learning: What Geologic Resources Are You Using Right Now?......Page 313
Recycling saves energy as well as materials......Page 315
Earthquakes are frequent and deadly hazards......Page 316
Volcanoes eject deadly gases and ash......Page 317
A Closer Look: Where does your cell phone come from?......Page 318
Floods are part of a river’s land-shaping processes......Page 320
Erosion destroys fields and undermines buildings......Page 322
Conclusion......Page 323
Data Analysis: Exploring Recent Earthquakes......Page 324
Learning Outcomes......Page 325
Case Study: Renewable Energy in China......Page 326
Fossil fuels supply most of our energy......Page 327
How do we use energy?......Page 328
Coal resources are vast......Page 329
Have we passed peak oil?......Page 330
Domestic oil supplies are limited......Page 331
Active Learning: Driving Down Gas Costs......Page 332
12.3 Nuclear Power......Page 333
How do nuclear reactors work?......Page 334
We lack safe storage for radioactive waste......Page 335
What Can You Do?: Steps to Save Energy and Money......Page 336
12.5 Energy from Biomass......Page 337
Ethanol and biodiesel can contribute to fuel supplies......Page 338
Exploring Science: Can Biofuels Be Sustainable?......Page 339
Effects on food and environment are uncertain......Page 340
Wind is our fastest growing energy source......Page 341
A Closer Look: How realistic is alternative energy?......Page 342
Passive solar absorbs heat; active solar pumps heated fluids......Page 345
Photovoltaic cells generate electricity directly......Page 346
12.7 Water Power......Page 347
Unconventional hydropower comes from tides and waves......Page 348
12.8 Fuel Cells......Page 349
12.9 What’s Our Energy Future?......Page 350
Conclusion......Page 351
Data Analysis: Personal Energy Use......Page 352
Learning Outcomes......Page 353
Case Study: The New Alchemy: Creating Gold from Garbage......Page 354
The waste stream is everything we throw away......Page 355
Ocean dumping is mostly uncontrolled......Page 356
Landfills receive most of our waste......Page 357
Active Learning: Life Cycle Analysis......Page 358
Incineration produces energy from trash......Page 359
What Do You Think?: Environmental Justice......Page 360
13.3 Shrinking the Waste Stream......Page 361
Reuse is even better than recycling......Page 363
A Closer Look: Garbage: Liability or resource?......Page 364
What Can You Do?: Reducing Waste......Page 366
Active Learning: A Personal Hazardous Waste Inventory......Page 367
Federal legislation regulates hazardouswaste......Page 368
Superfund sites are listed for federal cleanup......Page 369
Hazardous waste must be processed or stored permanently......Page 370
Exploring Science: Bioremediation......Page 371
Conclusion......Page 372
Data Analysis: How Much Waste Do You Produce, and How Much Do You Know How to Manage?......Page 373
Learning Outcomes......Page 374
Case Study: Vauban: A Car-free Suburb......Page 375
14.1 Cities Are Places of Crisis and Opportunity......Page 376
Large cities are expanding rapidly......Page 377
Congestion, pollution, and water shortages plague many cities......Page 378
What Do You Think?: People for Community Recovery......Page 379
Transportation is crucial in city development......Page 381
We can make our cities more livable......Page 382
New urbanism incorporates smart growth......Page 383
A Closer Look: What makes a city green?......Page 384
14.3 Economics and Sustainable Development......Page 386
Our definitions of resources shape how we use them......Page 387
Ecological economics incorporates principles of ecology......Page 388
Scarcity can lead to innovation......Page 389
Communal property resources are a classic problem in economics......Page 390
Active Learning: Costs and Benefits......Page 391
New approaches measure real progress......Page 392
What Can You Do?: Personally Responsible Consumerism......Page 393
Exploring Science: What Do You Think?......Page 394
Active Learning: Try Your Hand at Microlending......Page 395
Green design is good for business and the environment......Page 396
Conclusion......Page 397
Data Analysis: Using a Logarithmic Scale......Page 399
Learning Outcomes......Page 400
Case Study: The Clean Water Act......Page 401
What drives policy making?......Page 402
Cost-benefit analysis can aid priority setting......Page 403
Active Learning: Environment, Science, and Policy in Your Community......Page 404
The Superfund Act (1980) lists hazardous sites......Page 405
A Closer Look: How does the Clean Water Act benefit you?......Page 406
The legislative branch establishes statutes (laws)......Page 408
Major International Agreements......Page 410
Enforcement often depends on national pride......Page 412
15.5 What Can Individuals Do?......Page 413
How much is enough?......Page 414
Exploring Science: The Christmas Bird Count......Page 415
Student action has lasting effects......Page 416
What Can You Do?: Reducing Your Impact......Page 417
New players bring energy to environmental policy......Page 418
International nongovernmental organizations......Page 419
Equity is needed for sustainability......Page 420
Millennium assessments set development goals......Page 421
Conclusion......Page 422
Data Analysis: Examine Your Environmental Laws......Page 423
Appendix 1 Vegetation Map......Page 426
Appendix 2 World Population Density Map......Page 427
Appendix 3 Temperature Regions and Ocean Currents Map......Page 428
Glossary......Page 429
Credits......Page 439
Index......Page 441