esys 10 study guide part 1

Environmental Science and Sustainability

• Environmental Science: The study of how natural and human systems interact with the environment.

• Sustainability: The ability of systems to endure and function without depleting resources for future generations.

  • Three key roles for sustainability according to Miller & Spoolman (2019): Solar energy, biodiversity, and nutrient cycling.

Principles of Sustainability

• Scientific Principles:

  • Solar energy

  • Biodiversity

  • Nutrient cycling

• Nonscientific Principles:

  • Economics (full-cost pricing)

  • Political solutions (win-win strategies)

  • Ethics (responsibility to future generations)

Natural Capital

• Definition: Includes natural resources and ecosystem services that sustain life and economies.

• Dependence on Natural Capital:

  • The sun drives climate systems and supports photosynthesis, vital for economic activities.

Key Components of Sustainability

1. Natural capital.

2. Degradation of natural capital.

3. Solutions to environmental problems.

4. Trade-offs in solutions.

5. Individual responsibility and action.

Ecological Footprint

• Definition: Measures the environmental impact of an individual or population based on resource consumption and waste production.

• Per Capita Ecological Footprint: Average environmental impact per person in a population.

Population Growth

• Exponential Growth: Population increases by a fixed percentage per unit time, leading to resource depletion if unchecked.

• Affluence: Increases resource consumption and waste generation, potentially leading to environmental problems, but can also drive technological innovation.

Environmental Worldviews

1. Planetary Management: Humans control nature for benefit.

2. Stewardship: Humans should manage resources responsibly.

3. Environmental Wisdom: Humans are part of nature and must live sustainably.

Nature Deficit Disorder

• Effects include:

  • Increased stress and anxiety.

  • Reduced physical activity.

  • Impaired cognitive development in children.

  • Weakened connection to nature.

Unsustainable Lifestyle Components

• Example: High energy consumption.

  • Solutions: Use energy-efficient appliances (solar energy principle).

• Example: Plastic waste.

  • Solutions: Reduce and reuse materials (chemical cycling principle).

• Example: Excessive water use.

  • Solutions: Install water-saving fixtures (biodiversity principle).

Reliable Sources of Information

• Peer-reviewed scientific journals.

• Government agencies.

• Reputable environmental organizations.

Scientific Process

• Steps include:

  1. Observation and questioning.

  2. Hypothesis formation.

  3. Experimentation and data collection.

  4. Data analysis and conclusion.

  5. Peer review and replication.

• Scientific Theory vs. Law:

  • Theory: Explanation of natural phenomena.

  • Law: Describes consistent natural patterns.

The Keeling Curve

• Shows the rise in atmospheric CO2 since 1958, indicating seasonal fluctuations and long-term increases due to human activity.

Atoms and Ions

• Components: Atoms are made of protons, neutrons, and electrons.

• Isotopes: Versions of an element with different neutron numbers.

• Ions: Charged atoms/molecules. Acidity measured by pH, where lower values indicate higher hydrogen ion concentrations.

Ocean Acidification

• Definition: Decrease in ocean pH due to CO2 absorption, weakening marine organisms' shells and disrupting ecosystems.

Organic Compounds

• Definition: Compounds containing carbon, fundamental to life (e.g., carbohydrates, proteins).

Conservation of Matter and Energy

• Matter & energy cannot be created or destroyed; this principle governs ecosystem cycles and energy flows.

Feedback Loops

• Positive Ecological Feedback Loop: Amplifies environmental changes, leading to potential instability (e.g., melting Arctic ice).

Ecological Tipping Points

• Definition: Thresholds beyond which ecosystem changes become irreversible, leading to collapse.

Decomposition and Resource Cycles

• Decomposers recycle organic matter back into nutrients, ensuring ecosystem sustainability.

Energy Flow in Ecosystems

• Pyramid of Energy Flow: Each trophic level retains about 10% of the energy from the previous level.

• GPP vs. NPP:

  • GPP: Total energy produced by plants.

  • NPP: Energy remaining after respiration, available for consumers.

Food Chains and Webs

• Food Chain: Linear energy flow from producers to top consumers.

• Food Web: Complex network of interconnected food chains.

Biodiversity

• Importance: Supports ecosystem stability, provides resources (medicine, food), and ecosystem services.

• Factors influencing extinction risk: Low reproductive rates, specialized habitats increase vulnerability; high reproductive rates and adaptability decrease vulnerability.

Evolution and Natural Selection

• Evolution: Change in species over generations.

• Natural Selection: Favors traits enhancing survival and reproduction.

Species Interactions

• Types: Competition, predation, parasitism, mutualism, commensalism.

• Resource Partitioning: Increases biodiversity by reducing competition.

Ecological Succession

• Primary Succession: Occurs in lifeless areas.

• Secondary Succession: Occurs in areas with existing soil after disturbance.

Ecosystem Stability and Change

• Inertia: Ecosystem's ability to resist change; Resilience: Ability to recover after disturbance.

Population Dynamics

• Populations affected by birth rates, death rates, immigration, and emigration.

• Age Structure: Categorized into pre-reproductive, reproductive, and post-reproductive groups.

Limiting Factors in Aquatic Ecosystems

1. Dissolved oxygen availability.

2. Nutrient supply (nitrogen, phosphorus).

Population Growth Models

• Exponential Growth: Rapid growth without limits; Logistic Growth: Growth stabilizes at carrying capacity.

• Carrying Capacity: Maximum population an environment can sustain.

R-selected vs. K-selected Species

• r-selected: Many offspring, little care.

• K-selected: Few offspring, high care.

Survivorship Curves

1. Type I: High survival in youth; low in old age (e.g., humans).

2. Type II: Constant survival rate (e.g., birds).

3. Type III: Low survival in youth; high in adulthood (e.g., fish).

Human Population Control

• Humans face diseases, resource scarcity, and environmental disasters despite technology.

Predator-Prey Dynamics

• Predators are less abundant than prey due to energy transfer efficiency (10% rule).

Ecological Succession and Regeneration

• Severe human impacts can lead to irreversible changes in ecosystems.

Summary

• Review key concepts and apply critical thinking for exam preparation.