Lect02_LIfeHierarchy&Science1_S25

Course Goal

• Examine Earth’s diverse ecosystems and how people are changing them.

• Relevant fields:

  • Geology

  • Biology

  • Ecology

  • Hydrology

  • Climatology

  • Fish and Wildlife

  • Bio-Chemistry

  • Crop Science

  • Politics

  • Energy studies

  • Earth History

  • Conservation

  • Sustainability

Foundations: Defining Life

• Concept of "Emergent Properties"

  • What characteristics define something as living?

Defining Life (Emergent Properties)

Order

• Living organisms show organization.

Reproduction

• Living things can independently reproduce.

Growth and Development

• Living things grow and develop over time.

Response to Environment

• Living organisms respond to their environment and require energy inputs.

Adaptation

• Populations can adapt over time to become better suited to their environment.

  • Example: AMSE (adaptive mechanisms in specific environments).

Hierarchy of Life

• Life is structured in levels from molecules to the biosphere:

  • Atomic level (e.g., oxygen)

  • Molecular level (e.g., DNA)

  • Cellular level (e.g., smooth muscle cell)

  • Organelle level (e.g., cell nucleus)

  • Tissue level (e.g., smooth muscle tissue)

  • Organ level (e.g., stomach)

  • Organ system level (e.g., digestive system)

  • Organism level

  • Population level

  • Community level

  • Ecosystem level

  • Biome level

  • Biosphere level

Focus of Environmental Scientists

• Study upper levels of organization:

  • Organism

  • Population

  • Community

  • Ecosystem

  • Biomes

  • Biosphere

Population Growth and Resource Demand

• Lecture on impact of increasing population:

  • Increased demand for energy, water, food, and space.

  • Example: Upsala Glacier (Argentina) comparison from 1928 to 2004.

Contentious Environmental Issues

• Discussion on environmental debates:

  • Letter critique on perceptions of wolves and masculinity through metaphors.

Argument Construction

• Guidance on formulating arguments:

  • Use first person for clarity.

Temperature Anomalies and Climate Science

• Exploration of temperature anomalies and their implications for climate science.

  • Historical graph data from NASA and NOAA showing temperature changes over time from 1880-2020.

Global Warming Evidence

• 2020 recorded as the hottest year.

• Increased CO2 emissions linked to human activity.

• Majority of scientists advocate for CO2 reductions.

• Scientific evidence for warming is unequivocal.

Terminology in Science

Definitions:

• Truth: Real facts about something.

• Fact: A reality that truly exists.

• Reality: Quality of having existence.

Common Phrase:

• "The proof is in the pudding": Quality assessed after testing.

Scientific Method

• Step-by-step approach:

  • Observations lead to questions about natural phenomena.

  • Questions create hypotheses with testable predictions.

  • Data collection leads to results that support or reject hypotheses.

Identifying Scientific Questions

• Examples of scientific questions:

  • Is the earth warming?

  • How will climate change affect resources and energy?

Difference Between Science and Logic

• Science describes/explains but does not prescribe actions or ethical judgments.

Alternative Perspectives

• Other belief systems include logic and tradition, exemplified by Aristotle's authority on physics.

Scientific Challenges to Authority

• Galileo's tests challenged Aristotle's ideas about gravity.

Test Implementation in Science

• Example of controlled tests from Apollo 15 mission shows scientific validation.

Historical Observations

• Erratic boulders as evidence of ancient glaciers moving through landscapes.

Logical Argument Construction

• Using hypotheses and predictions to construct scientific claims.

Evidence from Historical Findings

• Fossils found proving past climates supported existence of arctic plant species.

• Discovery of ancient tools in the North Sea substantiates human civilization studies.

Scientific Process

• Detailed process involving observations, questions, testing, and peer review.

Scientific Publication

• Importance of publishing results and data in scientific journals.

Evaluating Scientific Claims

• Baloney detection to assess validity of scientific claims:

  1. Use of primary journals and peer review

  2. Presentation of data

  3. Repeated observations

  4. Considering alternate hypotheses

  5. Funding source impact

  6. Identifying biases/hidden agendas.