Visualizing Environmental Science (Second Ed.)

This book follows a unique approach by placing a greater emphasis on visual learning as a means for environmental scientists to understand and connect with the central issues of environmental science. It vividly illustrates the overarching role that humans play in our planet's environmental problems and successes. In each chapter, What a Scientist Sees features are presented to highlight a concept or phenomenon from the perspective of a professional in the field. Process diagrams are also used to depict complex processes. Environmental scientists will be able to reinforce their understanding of the field and gain new insights with this second edition. Cover Page......Page 1 Title Page......Page 5 FOREWORD......Page 7 PREFACE......Page 10 BRIEF CONTENTS......Page 22 CONTENTS......Page 24 Introduction: A World in Crisis......Page 36 Human Impacts on the Environment......Page 38 The Gap Between Rich and Poor Countries......Page 40 Population, Resources, and the Environment......Page 41 ENVIRODISCOVERY: THE FLOOD OF REFUGEES......Page 42 Sustainability and Earth’s Capacity to Support Humans......Page 46 The Goals of Environmental Science......Page 50 Science as a Process......Page 51 WHAT A SCIENTIST SEES: THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD......Page 53 How We Handle Environmental Problems......Page 54 Case Study: The New Orleans Disaster......Page 57 Introduction: The Global Commons......Page 60 Human Use of the Earth......Page 62 Sustainable Consumption......Page 63 Human Values and Environmental Problems......Page 65 Worldviews......Page 66 Environmental Justice......Page 69 An Overall Plan for Sustainable Living......Page 70 Recommendation 1: Eliminate Poverty and Stabilize the Human Population......Page 72 Recommendation 2: Protect and Restore Earth’s Resources......Page 73 Recommendation 3: Provide Adequate Food for All People......Page 74 Recommendation 4: Mitigate Climate Change......Page 75 Recommendation 5: Design Sustainable Cities......Page 76 Case Study: Jakarta, Indonesia......Page 78 Introduction: Old Growth Forest of the Pacific Northwest......Page 82 Conservation and Preservation of Resources......Page 84 Protecting Forests......Page 85 Establishing National Parks and Monuments......Page 86 Conservation in the Mid-20th Century......Page 88 The Environmental Movement......Page 89 ENVIRODISCOVERY: ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY......Page 92 Environmental Legislation......Page 93 Accomplishments of Environmental Legislation......Page 94 National Income Accounts and the Environment......Page 96 An Economist’s View of Pollution......Page 99 Economic Strategies for Pollution Control......Page 101 Case Study: Environmental Problems in Central and Eastern Europe......Page 102 Introduction: Pesticides and Children......Page 106 A Perspective on Risks......Page 108 Disease-Causing Agents in the Environment......Page 111 Environmental Changes and Emerging Diseases......Page 112 Movement and Fate of Toxicants......Page 115 Mobility in the Environment......Page 117 The Global Ban of Persistent Organic Pollutants......Page 118 How We Determine the Health Effects of Pollutants......Page 119 Cancer-Causing Substances......Page 120 ENVIRODISCOVERY: SMOKING: A SIGNIFICANT RISK......Page 122 Children and Chemical Exposure......Page 123 The Precautionary Principle......Page 124 Case Study: Endocrine Disrupters......Page 126 Introduction: Lake Victoria’s Ecological Imbalance......Page 130 What is Ecology?......Page 132 The First and Second Laws of Thermodynamics......Page 135 Producers, Consumers, and Decomposers......Page 136 The Path of Energy Flow in Ecosystems......Page 138 The Carbon Cycle......Page 140 The Hydrologic Cycle......Page 142 The Nitrogen Cycle......Page 143 The Sulfur Cycle......Page 144 The Phosphorus Cycle......Page 146 Ecological Niches......Page 147 WHAT A SCIENTIST SEES: RESOURCE PARTITIONING......Page 149 Symbiosis......Page 150 ENVIRODISCOVERY: BEE COLONIES UNDER THREAT......Page 152 Predation......Page 153 Competition......Page 154 Keystone Species......Page 155 Case Study: Global Climate Change: Is There an Imbalance in the Carbon Cycle?......Page 156 Introduction: The Florida Everglades......Page 160 Earth’s Major Biomes......Page 162 Tundra......Page 166 Boreal Forest......Page 167 Temperate Rain Forest......Page 168 Temperate Deciduous Forest......Page 169 Tropical Rain Forest......Page 170 Chaparral......Page 171 ENVIRODISCOVERY: USING GOATS TO FIGHT FIRES......Page 172 Temperate Grassland......Page 173 Savanna......Page 174 Desert......Page 175 Freshwater Ecosystems......Page 176 WHAT A SCIENTIST SEES: ZONATION IN A LARGE LAKE......Page 177 Freshwater Wetlands......Page 179 Brackish Ecosystems: Estuaries......Page 180 Population Responses to Changing Conditions Over Time: Evolution......Page 181 Natural Selection......Page 182 Community Responses to Changing Conditions over Time: Succession......Page 184 Case Study: Wildfires......Page 188 Introduction: Slowing Population Growth in China......Page 192 Population Ecology......Page 194 Maximum Population Growth......Page 195 Environmental Resistance and Carrying Capacity......Page 196 Human Population Patterns......Page 199 Projecting Future Population Numbers......Page 200 The Demographic Transition......Page 204 Age Structure of Countries......Page 206 Culture and Fertility......Page 209 The Social and Economic Status of Women......Page 211 Family Planning Services......Page 212 WHAT A SCIENTIST SEES: EDUCATION AND FERTILITY......Page 213 Government Policies and Fertility......Page 214 Population and Urbanization......Page 215 Environmental Problems of Urban Areas......Page 216 Environmental Benefits of Urbanization......Page 217 Urbanization Trends......Page 218 Case Study: Urban Planning in Curitiba, Brazil......Page 220 Introduction: Long-Distance Transport of Air Pollution......Page 224 The Atmosphere......Page 226 Atmospheric Circulation......Page 228 Major Classes of Air Pollutants......Page 230 Sources of Outdoor Air Pollution......Page 233 Urban Air Pollution......Page 235 ENVIRODISCOVERY: AIR POLLUTION MAY AFFECT PRECIPITATION......Page 237 Urban Heat Islands and Dust Domes......Page 238 Controlling Air Pollutants......Page 240 The Clean Air Act......Page 241 Air Pollution in Developing Countries......Page 242 Indoor Air Pollution......Page 243 Radon......Page 244 Case Study: Curbing Air Pollution in Chattanooga......Page 246 Introduction: Melting Ice and Rising Sea Levels......Page 250 Solar Radiation and Climate......Page 252 Precipitation......Page 254 WHAT A SCIENTIST SEES: RAIN SHADOW......Page 255 Global Climate Change......Page 256 Causes of Global Climate Change......Page 257 Effects of Global Climate Change......Page 259 Specific Ways to Deal with Global Climate Change......Page 262 Effects of Ozone Depletion......Page 264 Helping the Ozone Layer Recover......Page 266 Acid Deposition......Page 267 Facilitating Recovery from Acid Deposition......Page 268 Case Study: International Implications of Global Climate Change......Page 271 Introduction: The Missouri River: A Battle Over Water Rights......Page 274 The Hydrologic Cycle and Our Supply of Fresh Water......Page 276 Water-Resource Problems......Page 278 Aquifer Depletion......Page 280 Overdrawing Surface Waters......Page 281 Salinization of Irrigated Soil......Page 282 Global Water Issues......Page 283 Water Management......Page 286 Dams and Reservoirs: Managing the Columbia River......Page 287 Water Conservation......Page 288 Types of Water Pollution......Page 290 WHAT A SCIENTIST SEES: OLIGOTROPHIC AND EUTROPHIC LAKES......Page 292 Sources of Water Pollution......Page 293 Groundwater Pollution......Page 295 Purification of Drinking Water......Page 296 Municipal Sewage Treatment......Page 297 Controlling Water Pollution......Page 298 Case Study: Water Pollution in the Great Lakes......Page 301 Introduction: Depleting Bluefin Tuna Stocks......Page 304 Patterns of Circulation in the Ocean......Page 306 Ocean-Atmosphere Interaction......Page 308 The Intertidal Zone: Transition Between Land and Ocean......Page 310 The Benthic Environment......Page 312 The Neritic Province: From the Shore to 200 Meters......Page 314 The Oceanic Province: Most of the Ocean......Page 315 World Fisheries......Page 316 WHAT A SCIENTIST SEES: MODERN COMMERCIAL FISHING METHODS......Page 318 Coastal Development......Page 320 WHAT A SCIENTIST SEES: OCEAN WARMING AND CORAL BLEACHING......Page 321 Climate Change, Sea Level Rise, and Warmer Temperatures......Page 322 Future Actions......Page 323 Case Study: Humans and the Antarctic Food Web......Page 325 Introduction: Copper Basin, Tennessee......Page 328 Plate Tectonics and the Rock Cycle......Page 330 Volcanoes......Page 331 Earthquakes......Page 332 The Rock Cycle......Page 333 Minerals: An Economic Perspective......Page 334 How Minerals Are Extracted and Processed......Page 336 Environmental Impacts of Refining Minerals......Page 338 ENVIRODISCOVERY: NOT-SO-PRECIOUS GOLD......Page 339 Restoration of Mining Lands......Page 340 Soil Formation and Composition......Page 341 WHAT A SCIENTIST SEES: SOIL PROFILE......Page 342 Soil Organisms......Page 343 Soil Problems and Conservation......Page 344 Soil Pollution......Page 345 Soil Conservation and Regeneration......Page 346 Case Study: Industrial Ecosystems......Page 349 Introduction: Korup National Park......Page 352 Land Use in the Untied States......Page 354 Forests......Page 356 Forest Management......Page 357 WHAT A SCIENTIST SEES: HARVESTING TREES......Page 359 Deforestation......Page 360 Forests in the United States......Page 364 Rangeland Degradation and Desertification......Page 365 Rangeland Trends in the United States......Page 367 National Parks......Page 368 Wilderness Areas......Page 370 Management of Federal Lands......Page 372 Conservation of Land Resources......Page 373 Case Study: The Tongas Debate Over Clear-Cutting......Page 376 Introduction: Maintaining Grain Stockpiles for Food Security......Page 380 Population and World Hunger......Page 382 Poverty and Food......Page 384 The Principle Types of Agriculture......Page 385 Loss of Agricultural Land......Page 387 Increasing Crop Yields......Page 388 Environmental Impacts......Page 390 Moving to Sustainable Agriculture......Page 392 ENVIRODISCOVERY: A NEW WEAPON FOR LOCUST SWARMS......Page 393 Genetic Engineering: A Solution or a Problem?......Page 394 Benefits of Pesticides......Page 396 Problems with Pesticides......Page 397 WHAT A SCIENTIST SEES: PESTICIDE USE AND NEW PEST SPECIES......Page 398 Alternatives to Pesticides......Page 399 Integrated Pest Management......Page 400 Case Study: DDT and the American Bald Eagle......Page 401 Introduction: Disappearing Frogs......Page 404 How Many Species Are There?......Page 406 Why We Need Biodiversity......Page 407 Importance of Genetic Diversity......Page 409 Endangered and Threatened Species......Page 410 ENVIRODISCOVERY: IS YOUR COFFEE BIRD FREINDLY®?......Page 412 WHAT A SCIENTIST SEES: WHERE IS DECLINING BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY THE MOST SERIOUS?......Page 413 Human Causes of Species Endangerment......Page 414 Conservation Biology......Page 418 Protecting Habitats......Page 419 Conserving Species......Page 420 The Endangered Species Act......Page 422 International Conservation Policies and Laws......Page 424 Case Study: Reintroducing the California Condor......Page 425 Introduction: Reusing and Recycling Old Automobiles......Page 428 Types of Solid Waste......Page 430 Disposal of Solid Waste......Page 431 WHAT A SCIENTIST SEES: SANITARY LANDFILL......Page 433 Reducing Solid Waste......Page 436 Recycling Materials......Page 437 Integrated Waste Management......Page 440 Hazardous Waste......Page 441 ENVIRODISCOVERY: HANDLING NANOTECHNOLOGY SAFELY......Page 442 Public Policy and Toxic Waste Cleanup......Page 444 Managing Toxic Waste Production......Page 445 Case Study: High-Tech Waste......Page 447 Introduction: Addiction to Oil......Page 450 Energy Consumption......Page 452 Coal Mining......Page 453 Environmental Impacts of Coal......Page 454 Making Coal Cleaner......Page 455 Oil and Natural Gas......Page 456 Reserves of Oil and Natural Gas......Page 457 Environmental Impacts of Oil and Natural Gas......Page 460 Nuclear Energy......Page 462 Conventional Nuclear Fission......Page 463 Is Nuclear Energy Cleaner Than Coal?......Page 464 Safety and Accidents in Nuclear Power Plants......Page 466 The Link Between Nuclear Energy and Nuclear Weapons......Page 467 Radioactive Wastes......Page 468 WHAT A SCIENTIST SEES: YUCCA MOUNTAIN......Page 469 Decommissioning Nuclear Power Plants......Page 470 Case Study: The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge......Page 471 Introduction: Cleaner Cars, Cleaner Fuels......Page 474 Heating Buildings and Water......Page 476 WHAT A SCIENTISTSEES: PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS......Page 478 Solar-Generated Hydrogen......Page 480 Biomass Energy......Page 482 Wind Energy......Page 484 Hydropower......Page 486 Geothermal Energy......Page 488 Tidal Energy......Page 489 Energy Consumption Trends and Economics......Page 490 Energy-Efficient Technologies......Page 491 Electric Power Companies and Energy Efficiency......Page 493 Energy Conservation at Home......Page 494 Case Study: Green Architecture......Page 495 Glossary......Page 499 Credits......Page 507 Index......Page 511

The new third edition provides environmental scientists with an approach that focuses on visuals rather than excessive content. The streamlined coverage discusses the basic science so students walk away with a strong understanding of the facts. New Think Critically and Data Interpretation features encourage them to analyse visuals and graphs to place information in context. The illustrations have been improved and additional opportunities to conduct real data analysis have been added. The What a Scientist Sees feature also gives environment scientists a real-world perspective of how a concept or phenomenon is applied in the field.