ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

LECTURE | SECOND SEMESTER

- The goal is to achieve all this sustainably

without compromising the future
IMPORTANCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
generation’s ability to satisfy their own
needs
- Environmental science is the study of the natural 3. To Discover Sustainable Ways of Living
world and how human activities impact it, covering - Environmental science is more concerned
topics like ecology, pollution, conservation, and with discovering ways to live more
sustainable development. sustainably. This means utilizing present
resources in a manner that conserves
- Environmental science is crucial because it helps their supplies for the future.
us understand how human activities impact the - Environmental sustainability doesn’t have
natural world, enabling us to make informed to outlaw living luxuriously, but it
decisions to protect and sustain ecosystems for advocates for creating awareness about
current and future generations. the consumption of resources and
minimizing unnecessary waste.
1. To Realize That Environmental Problems are - This includes minimizing household
Global energy consumption, using disposals to
Ozone Layer - the ozone layer protects life on dispose of waste, eating locally, recycling
Earth from strong ultraviolet radiation that comes more, growing your own food, drinking
from the sun. from the tap, conserving household water,
Depletion cause - scientific studies have and driving your car less
substantiated that the cause of ozone layer 4. To Utilize Natural Resources Efficiently
depletion is human activity, specifically, - Natural resources bring a whole lot of
human-made chemicals that contain chlorine or benefits to a country. A country’s natural
bromine. resources may not be utilized efficiently
because of low-level training and a lack of
Environmental science lets one recognize that management skills. Environmental science
environmental problems such as climate change, teaches us to use natural resources
global warming, ozone layer depletion, acid rains, efficiently by:
and impacts on biodiversity and marine life are not - Appropriately putting into practice
just national problems, but global problems as environmental conservation methods
well. So, concerted effort from across the world is 1. Using the right tools to explore resources
needed to tackle these problems 2. Adding value to our resources
3. Making sure machines are maintained
2. To Understand the Impacts of Development on appropriately
the Environment 4. Thorough training of human resources
5. Provision of effective and efficient
- It’s well documented and quantified that supervision
development results in Industrial growth, 6. Using the right techniques to minimize
urbanization, expansion of exploitation
telecommunication and transport systems, 7. To understand the behavior of organisms
hi-tech agriculture, and expansion of under natural conditions
housing. - Behavior is what organisms manifest to
- Environmental science seeks to teach the respond to, interact with, and control their
general population about the need for environment. An animal exhibits behavior
decentralization of industries to reduce as the first line of defense in response to
congestion in urban areas.- any change of environment.
- Decentralization means many people will - So, critical look at organism’s behavior
move out of urban centers to reduce can offer insightful information about
pollution resulting from overpopulation. animal’s needs, dislikes, preferences, and
internal conditions providing that your

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LECTURE | SECOND SEMESTER

evaluation of those observations firmly

hinge on knowledge of species’-natural
COMPONENTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
behavior
5. To Shed Light on Contemporary Concepts
Such as How to Conserve Biodiversity 1. Ecology
- Biodiversity is the variety of life on earth. - Ecology is the study of organisms and the
The present rate of biodiversity loss is at environment interacting with one another.
an all-time high. Environmental science Ecologists, who make up a part of
aims to teach people how to reverse this environmental scientists, try to find
trend by: relations between the status of the
1. Using sustainable wood products environment and the population of a
2. Using organic foods particular species within that environment,
3. Embracing the 3R’s, reduce, reuse, and and if there are any correlations to be
recycle drawn between the two.
4. Purchasing sustainable seafood - For example, ecologists might take the
5. Supporting conservation campaigns at populations of a particular type of bird with
local levels the status of the part of the Amazon
6. Conserving power Rainforest that the population is living in.
7. Minimizing the consumption of meat
8. Utilizing eco-friendly cleaning products 2. Geoscience
9. To understand the interrelationship - Geoscience concerns the study of
between organisms in population and geology, soil science, volcanoes, and the
communities Earth’s crust as they relate to the
environment. As an example, scientists
- Organisms and humans depend on each may study the erosion of the Earth’s
other to get by. Environmental science is surface in a particular area. Soil scientists,
important because it enables you to physicists, biologists, and
understand how these relationships work. geomorphologists would all take part in
- For example, humans breathe out carbon the study.
dioxide, which plants need for - Geomorphologists would study the
photosynthesis. Plants, on the other hand, movement of solid particles (sediments),
produce and release oxygen to the biologists would study the impacts of the
atmosphere, which humans need for study to the plants and animals of the
respiration. immediate environment, physicists would
study the light transmission changes in the
6. To Learn and Create Awareness About water causing the erosion, and the soil
Environmental Problems at Local, National scientists would make the final
and International Levels calculations on the flow of the water when
- Environmental problems at local, national, it infiltrates the soil to full capacity causing
and international levels mostly occur due the erosion in the first place.
to lack of awareness. Environmental
science aims to educate and equip 3. Atmospheric Science
learners with the necessary environmental - Atmospheric science is the study of the
skills to pass to the community in order to Earth’s atmosphere. It analyzes the
create awareness. relation of the Earth’s atmosphere to the
- Environmental awareness can be created atmospheres of other systems. This
through social media, creating a blog encompasses a wide variety of scientific
dedicated to creating awareness, studies relating to space, astrology, and
community-centered green clubs, women the Earth’s atmosphere: meteorology,
forums, and religious podiums. pollution, gas emissions, and airborne
contaminants.

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- An example of atmospheric science is What is the difference between biomes and habitats?
where physicists study the atmospheric - a habitat refers to the local environment, while a
circulation of a part of the atmosphere, biome refers to a larger global ecosystem.
chemists would study the chemicals
existent in this part and their relationships What defines a biome?
with the environment, meteorologists - A biome is an area classified according to the
study the dynamics of the atmosphere, species that live in that location. Temperature
and biologists study how the plants and range, soil type, and the amount of light and
animals have affected and their water are unique to a particular place and form
relationship with the environment the niches for specific species allowing scientists
4. Environmental Chemistry to define the biome.
- Environmental Chemistry is the study of the
changes chemicals make in the environment, Other terms for biomes
such as contamination of the soil, pollution of the 1. Ecosystem.
water, degradation of chemicals, and the transport 2. Habitat.
of chemicals upon the plants and animals of the 3. Biosphere.
immediate environment. 4. Ecosphere.
- An example of environmental chemistry would be 5. Environment.
the introduction of a chemical object into an 6. coniferous forest.
environment, in which chemists would then study 7. deciduous forest.
the chemical bonding to the soil or sand of the 8. desert.
environment. Biologists would then study the now
chemically induced soil to see its relationship with Types of biomes
the plants and animals of the environment. 1. Tropical Rainforest.
- Environmental science is an active and growing 2. Temperate Forest.
part of the scientific world accelerated by the need 3. Desert.
to address problems with the Earth’s environment. 4. Tundra.
It encompasses multiple scientific fields and 5. Taiga (Boreal Forest)
sciences to see how all interchange and relate 6. Grassland.
with one another in any of the above four 7. Savanna
components.
1. Grassland - The grassland biome is made up of
large open areas of grasses. They are maintained
by grazing animals and frequent fires.
BIOMES
2. Tropical rainforest - forest occurring in tropical
areas of heavy rainfall.
- It is abundant with many species of wildlife and
vegetation.
3. Temperate forest - A temperate forest is a forest
found between the tropical and boreal regions,
located in the temperate zone.
4. Desert - are extremely dry environments that are
home to well-adapted plants and animals. The
main types of deserts include hot and dry deserts,
semi-arid deserts, coastal deserts, and cold
deserts.
5. Savanna - vegetation type that grows under hot,
seasonally dry climatic conditions and is
characterized by an open tree canopy (i.e.,
What is a biome?
scattered trees) above a continuous tall grass
- a large naturally occurring community of flora and
understory
fauna occupying a major habitat

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6. Tundra - For most of the year, the tundra biome is - Put simply, reduced biodiversity means millions of
a cold, frozen landscape. This biome has a short people face a future where food supplies are more
growing season, followed by harsh conditions that vulnerable to pests and disease, and where fresh
the plants and animals in the region need special water is in irregular or short supply.
adaptations to survive. Tundra form in two distinct
cold and dry region. HUMAN IMPACT ON BIODIVERSITY
7. Taiga - generally referred to in North America as a
boreal forest or snow forest, is a biome - major threat to the planet's biodiversity because of
characterized by coniferous forests consisting population growth
mostly of pines, spruces, and larches. The taiga or - Populations may grow exponentially for some
boreal forest has been called the world's largest period, but they ultimately reach a carrying
land biome capacity when they become limited by resource
availability. Humans, however, have continued to
work around carrying capacity as they develop
new technologies to help support the ever-growing
HUMANS AND BIODIVERSITY CRISIS
population.
- This threatens biodiversity because the more
BIODIVERSITY humans there are, the more this displaces other
- The term biodiversity (from “biological diversity”) species and reduces species richness.
refers to the variety of life on Earth at all its
levels, from genes to ecosystems, and can HUMAN-MEDIATED CAUSES OF BIODIVERSITY LOSS
encompass the evolutionary, ecological, and
cultural processes that sustain life. Deforestation for resource mining or urbanization can
- Biological diversity is the resource upon which displace native organisms.
families, communities, nations and future
generations depend. It is the link between all LAND-USE CHANGE:
organisms on earth, binding each into an
interdependant ecosystem, in which all species - Humans may destroy natural landscapes as they
have their role. mine resources and urbanize areas. This is
- It is the WEB OF LIFE! detrimental, as it displaces residing species,
reducing available habitats and food sources.
BIODIVERSITY CRISIS
POLLUTION:
- i.e. the rapid loss of species and the rapid
degradation of ecosystems -- is probably a - Pollution can occur from the runoff or disposal of
greater threat than global climate change to the chemical substances, or from energy sources
stability and prosperous future of humankind on (noise and light pollution).
Earth
INTRODUCED SPECIES:
- The Earth’s natural assets are made up of plants,
animals, land, water, the atmosphere AND - Humans may unintentionally, or intentionally,
humans! Together we all form part of the planet’s introduce a non-native species into an ecosystem.
ecosystems, which means if there is a biodiversity This can negatively effect an ecosystem because
crisis, our health and livelihoods are at risk too. the introduced species may outcompete native
- But we are currently using 25% more natural organisms and displace them.
resources than the planet can sustain As a result
species, habitats and local communities are under RESOURCE EXPLOITATION:
pressure or direct threats (for example from loss of - Humans consume large amounts of resources for
access to fresh water). their own needs. Some examples include the
- Biodiversity underpins the health of the planet mining of natural resources like coal, the hunting
and has a direct impact on all our lives.

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and fishing of animals for food, and the clearing of

forests for urbanization and wood use.
- Extensive overuse of nonrenewable resources,
like fossil fuels, can cause great harm to the
environment. Recycling products made from
nonrenewable resources (such as plastic, which is
made from oil) is one way to reduce the negative
impacts of this resource exploitation. In addition,
the development and use of renewable
resources, like solar or wind energy, can help
decrease the harmful effects of resource
exploitation.

A LOT OF THINGS THAT HUMANS DO.

1. The biggest driver is habitat destruction: humans

Transforming habitats for their own purposes.
Resource-extractive industry practices, like
clear-cutting trees, drilling for oil and gas, and
mining, destroy habitats. Real-estate development
in places that have been off limits before is also
causing populations to drop.
2. The second driver is what scientists call
overutilization: humans exploiting natural
resources for mass consumption, faster than the
earth can replenish them. That includes
overharvesting plants for industrial agriculture, and
overfishing.
3. For example, humans sustainably caught fish for
millennia without exceeding the ocean’s seafood
supply; but with the advent of industrial fishing,
humans started extracting more fish than the sea
could provide, causing fish populations to crash.
4. The third driver is chemical pollution. This in
particular is causing insect populations to collapse,
which are critical for most of the ecosystem
services on which we depend.

In the midst of all this, climate change is an ascending

factor that is worsening the effects of all these drivers. As
the planet warms, habitats become inhospitable — too hot,
too dry. A species either needs to move habitat, which it
may not be able to do (because the ground between their
current home and the next livable place is being developed
by humans), or it dies out.

CURRENT HUMAN-CAUSED BIODIVERSITY LOSS IS

THE RESULT ACTIVITIES SUCH AS;
- habitat destruction
- the introduction of exotic invasive species
- and the over-harvesting of species.