Visualizing Environmental Science

Foreword Preface1 The Environmental Challenges We Face Introduction: A World in Crisis Human Impacts on the Environment The Gap Between Rich and Poor Countries Populations, Resources, and the Environment Envirodiscovery: The Flood of Refugees Sustainability and Earth's Capacity to Support Humans Environmental Sciences The Goals of Environmental Science Science as a Process What a Scientist Sees: The Scientific Method How We Handle Environmental Problems Envirodiscovery: NIMBY and NIMTOO Case Study: Tropical Rainforests Versus Agricultural Land 2 Environmental Sustainability and Human Values Introduction: Environmental Sustainability and the Global Commons Human Use of the Earth Sustainable Consumption Human Values and Environmental Problems Worldviews Voluntary Simplicity Environmental Justice Environmental Justice and Ethical Issues An Overall Plan for Sustainable Living Control Population Growth and Improve the Quality of Human Life Respect and Care for Earth's Biological Diversity Work on Development and Conservation a the Local, National, and Global Levels Envirodiscovery: Religion and the Environment What Kind of World Do You Want? Case Study: The 2002 World Summit 3 Environmental History, Politics, and Economics Introduction: Old Growth Forest of the Pacific Northwest Conservation and Preservation Environmental History Protecting Forests Establishing National Parks and Monuments Conservation in the Mid-20th Century The Environmental Movement Envisodiscovery: Environmental Literacy Environmental Legislation Environmental Regulations Accomplishments of Environmental Legislation Environmental Economics National Income Accounts and the Environment An Economist's View of Pollution Economic Strategies for Pollution Control Case Study: Environmental Problems in Central and Eastern Europe4 Risk Analysis and Environmental Hazards Introduction: Pesticides and Children A Perspective on Risks Environmental Health Hazards Disease-Causing Agents in the Environment Environmental Changes and Emerging Diseases Movement and Fats of Toxicants Mobility in the Environment The Global Ban of Persistent Organic Pollutants How We Determine the Health Effects of Pollutants Cancer-Causing Pollutants Risk Assessment of Chemical Mixtures Children and Chemical Exposure Envirodiscovery: Smoking: A Significant Risk The Precautionary Principle Case Study: Endocrine Disrupters5 How Ecosystems Work Introduction: Lake Victoria's Ecological Imbalance What is Ecology? The Flow of Energy through Ecosystems The First and Second Laws of Thermodynamics Producers, Consumers, and Decomposers The Path of Energy Flow in Ecosystems The Cycling of Matter in Ecosystems The Hydrologic Cycle The Carbon Cycle The Nitrogen Cycle The Phosphorus Cycle Ecological Niches What a Scientist Sees: Resource Partitioning Interactions among Organisms Symbiosis Predation Competition Keystone Species Case Study: Global Warming: Is there an Imbalance in the Carbon Cycle?6 Ecosystems and Evolution Introduction: the Florida Everglades Earth's Major Biomes Tundra Boreal Forest Temperate Rain Forest Temperate Deciduous Forest Tropical Rain Forest Chaparral Temperate Grassland Savanna Desert Aquatic Ecosystems Freshwater Ecosystems Freshwater Wetlands Brackish Ecosystems Marine Ecosystems Population Responses to Changing Conditions over Time: Evolution Natural Selection The Domains and Kingdoms of Life Community Responses to Changing Conditions over Time: Succession Case Study: Wildfires 7 Human Population Change and the Environment Introduction: Slowing Population Growth in China Population Ecology How Do Populations Change in Size? Maximum Population Growth Environmental Resistance and Carrying Capacity Human Population Patterns Projecting Future Population Numbers Demographics of Countries The Demographic Transition Age Structure of Countries Stabilizing World Populations Culture and Fertility The Social and Economic Status of Women Family Planning Services What a Scientist Sees Government Policies and Fertility Population and Urbanization Environmental Problems of Urban Areas Environmental benefits of Urbanization Urbanization Trends8 Air and Air Pollution Introduction: Long-Distance Transport of Air Pollution The Atmosphere Atmospheric Circulation Types and Sources of Air Pollution Major Causes of Air Pollutants Sources of Outdoor Air Pollution Effects of Air Pollution Air Pollution and Human Health Urban Air Pollution How Weather And Topography Affect Air Pollution Urban Heat Islands and Dust Domes Controlling Air Pollution Clean Air Act Air Pollution in Developing Countries Indoor Air Pollution Radon Case Study: Curbing Air Pollution in Chattanooga9 Global Atmospheric Changes Introduction: Melting Ice and Rising Sea Levels The Atmosphere and Climate Solar Radiation and Climate Precipitation Global Warming Causes of Global Warming Effects of Global Warming Specific Ways to Deal with Global Warming Ozone Depletion in the Stratosphere Causes of Ozone Depletion Effects of Ozone Depletion Helping the Ozone Layer Recover Acid Deposition How Acid Deposition Develops Effects Acid Deposition Develops The Politics of Acid Deposition Facilitating Recovery from Acid Deposition Case Study: International Implication of Global Warming10 Freshwater Resources and Water Pollution Introduction: The Missouri River: A Battle Over Water Rights The Importance of Water Properties of Water The Hydrologic Cycle and Our Supply of Fresh Water Water-Resource Problems Aquifer Depletion Overdrawing Surface Waters Salinization of Irrigated Soil Global Water Issues Water Management Dams and Reservoirs: Managing the Columbia River Water Conservation Water Pollution Types of Water Pollution What a Scientist Sees Sources of Water Pollution Groundwater Pollution Improving Water Quality Purification of Drinking Water Municipal Sewage Treatment Controlling Water Pollution Case Study: Water Pollution in the Great Lakes11 The Ocean and Fisheries Introduction: Closing the Georges Bank Fishery The Global Ocean Patterns of Circulation in the Ocean Ocean-Atmosphere Interaction Major Ocean Life Zones The Intertidal Zone: Transition between Land and Ocean The Benthic Environment The Neritic Province: Shallow Waters Close to Shore The Oceanic Province: Most of the Ocean Human Impacts on the Ocean World Fisheries Aquaculture: Fish Farming Marine Pollution and Deteriorating Habitat Climate Change, Sea Level, Rise, and Warmer Temperatures Addressing Ocean Problems Future Actions Case Study: Humans and the Antarctic Food Web12 Mineral and Soil Resources Introduction: Copper Basin, Tennessee Plate Tectonics and Shifting Continents Volcanoes Earthquakes Economic Geology: Useful Minerals How Minerals Are Extracted and Processed Environmental Implications of Mineral Use Mining and the Environment Environmental Impacts of Refining Minerals Restoration of Mining Lands Soil Properties and Processes Soil Formation and Composition What a Scientist Sees Soil Organisms Soil Problems and Conservation Soil Erosion Soil Pollution Soil Conservation and Regeneration Case Study: Industrial Ecosystems13 Land Resources Introduction: Korup National Park Land Use in the Untied States Forests Forest Management What a Scientist Sees Deforestation Forests in the United States Rangelands Rangeland Degradation and Desertification Rangeland Trends in the United States National Parks and Wilderness Areas National Parks Wilderness Areas Management of Federal Lands Conservation of Land Resources Case Study: The Tongas Debate Over Clearcutting14 Agriculture and Food Resources Introduction: Maintaining Grain Stockpiles for Food Security World Food Problems Population and World Hunger Poverty and Food The Principle Types of Agriculture Challenges of Agriculture Loss of Agricultural Land Global Decline in Domesticated Plant and Animal Varieties Increasing Crop Yields Increasing Livestock Yields Environmental Impacts of Agricultural Solutions to Agriculture Problems Moving to Sustainable Agriculture Genetic Engineering: A Solution or a Problem? Controlling Agricultural Pests Benefits of Pesticides Problems with Pesticides What a Scientist Sees Alternatives to Pesticides Case Study: DDT and the American Bald Eagle15 Biological Resources Introduction: Disappearing Frogs Species Richness and Biological Diversity How Many Species Are There? Why We Need Biological Resources Importance of Genetic Diversity Endangered and Extinct Species Endangered and Threatened Species Where Is Declining Biological Diversity the Greatest Problem? Earth's Biodiversity Hotspots What a Scientist Sees Human Causes of Species Endangerment Conservation Biology Protecting Habitats Restoring Damaged of Destroyed Habitats Zoos, Aquaria, Botanical Gardens, and Seed Banks Conservation Organizations Conservation Policies and Laws The Endangered Species Act International Conservation Policies and Laws Case Study: Reintroducing Wolves to Yellowstone16 Solid and Hazardous Waste Introduction: Reusing and Recycling Old Automobiles Disposal of Solid Waste Types of Solid Waste Disposal of Solid Waste What a Scientist Sees Reducing Solid Waste Source Reduction Reusing Products Recycling Materials Integrated Waste Management Types of Hazardous Waste Types of Hazardous Waste Managing Hazardous Waste Chemical Accidents Public Policy and Toxic Waste Cleanup Managing Toxic Waste Production Case Study: Hanford Nuclear Reservation17 Nonrenewable Energy Resources Introduction: Oil Prices and the World Oil Market Energy Consumption Coal Environmental Impacts if Mining and Burning Coal Making Coal a Cleaner Fuel Oil and Natural Gas Reserves of Oil and Natural Gas Environmental Impacts of Oil and Natural Gas Nuclear Energy Conventional Nuclear Fission Is Nuclear Energy Cleaner Than Coal? Can Nuclear Energy Decrease Our Reliance on Foreign Oil? Safety and Accidents Nuclear Power Plants The Link Between Nuclear Energy and Nuclear Weapons Radioactive Wastes What a Scientist Sees Decommissioning Nuclear Power Plants Case Study: The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge18 Renewable Energy Resources Introduction: Cleaner Cars, Cleaner Fuels Direct Solar Energy Heating Buildings and Water Solar Thermal Electric Generation Photovoltaic Solar Cells What a Scientist Sees Solar-Generated Hydrogen Indirect Solar Energy Biomass Energy Wind Energy Hydropower Other Renewable Energy Sources Geothermal Energy Tidal Energy Energy Solution: Conservation and Efficiency Energy Consumption Trends and Economics Energy-Efficient Technology Electric Power Companies and Energy Efficiency Energy Conservation at Home Case Study: Green ArchitectureGlossary Index