Table Of ContentENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
Foundations and Applications
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ENVIRONMENTAL
SCIENCE
Foundations and Applications
Andrew Friedland
Dartmouth College
Rick Relyea
University of Pittsburgh
David Courard-Hauri
Drake University
(With Ross Jones and Susan Weisberg)
W. H. Freeman and Company
Publisher: Peter Marshall
Senior Acquisitions Editor: Jerry Correa
Executive Marketing Manager: Debbie Clare
Developmental Editor: Rebecca Kohn
Art Development: Lee Wilcox
Project Manager: Karen Misler
Media Editor: Patrick Shriner
Supplements Editor: Amanda Nietzel
Assistant Editor: Marni Rolfes
Photo Editor: Ted Szczepanski
Photo Researcher: Debbie Goodsite
Cover Designer: Diana Blume
Text Designer: Lissi Sigillo
Senior Project Editor: Mary Louise Byrd
Illustrations: Precision Graphics
Illustration Coordinator: Bill Page
Production Coordinator: Julia DeRosa
Composition: Sheridan Sellers
Printing and Binding: QuadGraphics
Photo Credits for Opening Pages for Science Applied Essays
solar cells Andreas Weber/iStockphoto.com
faucet Jozsef Szasz-Fabian/Dreamstime.com
people Phil Degginger/Alamy
polar bear Jan Will/iStockphoto.com
farmer’s market Dan Moore/iStockphoto.com
Library of Congress Control Number: 2010940423
ISBN-13: 978-1-4292-4029-1
ISBN-10: 0-4292-4029-6
©2012 by W. H. Freeman and Company
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
First printing
W. H. Freeman and Company
41 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10010
Houndmills, Basingstoke RG21 6XS, England
www.whfreeman.com
To Katie, Jared, and Ethan for their interest and enthusiasm
—AJF
To Christine, Isabelle, and Wyatt for their patience and inspiration
—RAR
v
Brief Contents
Chapter 11 Agriculture: Feeding the World 282
Foundations
science applied
How Do We Define Organic
Chapter 1 Environmental Science: Studying
Food? 310
the State of Our Earth 1
Chapter 12 Nonrenewable Energy: Coal, Oil, Natural
Chapter 2 Environmental Systems: Matter, Gas, and Nuclear Fuels 314
Energy, and Change 26
Chapter 13 Renewable Energy: Innovative Uses of
science applied
Were We Successful in Halting the Earth, Sun, Wind, and Water 342
Growth of the Ozone Hole? 52
science applied
Should Corn Become Fuel? 376
Chapter 3 Ecosystem Ecology: Interactions
Between the Living and Nonliving Chapter 14 Water Pollution: Causes and
World 56 Effects 380
Chapter 4 Global Climates and Biomes: Geographic Chapter 15 Air Pollution: Causes, Effects, and
Variations in Temperature and Stratospheric Ozone Depletion 408
Precipitation 86
Chapter 16 Waste: Solid Waste Generation and
Chapter 5 Evolution and Biodiversity: Origin Disposal 436
and Diversification of Organisms 118
Chapter 17 Human Health and Toxicology:
science applied
How Should We Prioritize the
Environmental Sources of Health
Protection of Species Diversity? 144 Risk 462
Chapter 6 Population and Community Ecology: science applied
Is Recycling Always Good for the
Distribution and Abundance of
Environment? 490
Species 148
Chapter 18 Conservation of Biodiversity: Protection
Chapter 7 Human Populations: Patterns of Earth’s Species and Ecosystems 494
and Processes of Human Population
Growth 178 Chapter 19 Global Change: Climate Alteration and
Global Warming 516
science applied
How Can We Manage Overabundant
Animal Populations? 202 Chapter 20 Working Toward Sustainability:
Environmental Economics, Equity, and
Policy 548
Applications
science applied
Can We Solve the Carbon Crisis
Chapter 8 Earth’s Resources: Geologic Processes, Using Cap-and-Trade? 572
Soil, and Minerals 206
Appendix: Fundamentals of Graphing APP-1
Chapter 9 Water Resources: Supply, Distribution,
Bibliography BIB-1
and Use 234
Glossary GL-1
science applied
Is There a Way to Resolve the Photo Credits PC-1
California Water Wars? 256
Index I-1
Chapter 10 Land: Public and Private 260 Engage Your Environment Activities EYE-1
vi ■ BRIEF CONTENTS
Contents
About the Authors xiii CRUNCH THE NUMBERS The Mystery of
the Missing Salt 44
Preface xv
Natural systems change across space and
over time 46
Foundations
WORKING TOWARD SUSTAINABILITY
Chapter 1 Environmental Science: Studying Managing Environmental Systems in the
the State of Our Earth 1 Florida Everglades 47
Check Your Understanding 49
Chapter Opener: The Mysterious Neuse
Apply the Concepts 51
River Fish Killer 1
Measure Your Impact: Bottled Water versus
Environmental science offers important insights Tap Water 51
into our world and how we influence it 2
Engage Your Environment 51
Humans alter natural systems 3 science applied
Were We Successful in Halting
Environmental scientists monitor natural systems
the Growth of the Ozone Hole? 52
for signs of stress 4
CRUNCH THE NUMBERS Converting to Hectares 7
Chapter 3 Ecosystem Ecology:
CRUNCH THE NUMBERS Rates of Forest Clearing 11
Interactions Between the Living and
Human well-being depends on sustainable
Nonliving World 56
practices 12
Science is a process 15 Chapter Opener: Reversing the
Environmental science presents unique Deforestation of Haiti 57
challenges 19
Ecosystem ecology examines interactions
WORKING TOWARD SUSTAINABILITY between the living and nonliving world 58
Using Environmental Indicators to Make Energy flows through ecosystems 60
a Better City 21
Matter cycles through the biosphere 65
Check Your Understanding 23
Ecosystems respond to disturbance 73
Apply the Concepts 24
Ecosystems provide valuable services 77
Measure Your Impact: Exploring Your Footprint 25
CRUNCH THE NUMBERS Raising Mangoes 78
Engage Your Environment 25
WORKING TOWARD SUSTAINABILITY
Can We Make Golf Greens Greener? 80
Chapter 2 Environmental Systems: Matter,
Check Your Understanding 82
Energy, and Change 26
Apply the Concepts 84
Chapter Opener: A Lake of Salt Water, Dust
Measure Your Impact: Atmospheric
Storms, and Endangered Species 27 Carbon Dioxide 84
Earth is a single interconnected system 28 Engage Your Environment 85
All environmental systems consist of
matter 29 Chapter 4 Global Climates and Biomes:
Energy is a fundamental component of Geographic Variations in Temperature and
environmental systems 36
Precipitation 86
CRUNCH THE NUMBERS Calculating Energy Use 38
Chapter Opener: Floods, Droughts,
Energy conversions underlie all ecological
processes 42 and Famines 87
Systems analysis shows how matter and energy Global processes determine weather and
flow in the environment 43 climate 88
CONTENTS vii
Variations in climate determine the Community ecologists study species
dominant plant growth forms of terrestrial interactions 161
biomes 99
The composition of a community changes
Aquatic biomes are categorized by salinity, over time 168
depth, and water flow 108
The species richness of a community is
WORKING TOWARD SUSTAINABILITY influenced by many factors 171
Is Your Coffee Made in the Shade? 113 WORKING TOWARD SUSTAINABILITY
Check Your Understanding 115 Bringing Back the Black-Footed Ferret 172
Apply the Concepts 116 Check Your Understanding 174
Measure Your Impact: How Much Paper Do Apply the Concepts 176
You Use? 116 Measure Your Impact: The Living Planet Index 177
Engage Your Environment 117 Engage Your Environment 177
Chapter 5 Evolution and Biodiversity: Chapter 7 Human Populations:
Origin and Diversification of Organisms 118 Patterns and Processes of Human
Population Growth 178
Chapter Opener: The Dung of the Devil 119
Earth is home to a tremendous diversity of Chapter Opener: The Environmental
species 120 Implications of China’s Growing
Population 179
CRUNCH THE NUMBERS Estimating Diversity 122
Evolution is the mechanism underlying Scientists disagree on Earth’s carrying
biodiversity 124 capacity 180
Speciation and extinction determine Many factors drive human population
biodiversity 130 growth 181
Evolution shapes ecological niches and CRUNCH THE NUMBERS Calculating Population
determines species distributions 134 Growth 187
WORKING TOWARD SUSTAINABILITY Many nations go through a demographic
Buying the Oceans? 139 transition 188
Check Your Understanding 141 Population size and consumption interact to
Apply the Concepts 142 influence the environment 191
Sustainable development is a common, if
Measure Your Impact: The True Cost of a
Green Lawn 143 elusive, goal 196
Engage Your Environment 143 WORKING TOWARD SUSTAINABILITY
science applied Gender Equity and Population Control
How Should We Prioritize the
in Kerala 197
Protection of Species Diversity? 144
Check Your Understanding 199
Apply the Concepts 200
Chapter 6 Population and Community
Measure Your Impact: National Footprints 201
Ecology: Distribution and Abundance of
Engage Your Environment 201
Species 148
science applied
How Can We Manage
Chapter Opener: New England Forests Come
Overabundant Animal Populations? 202
Full Circle 149
Nature exists at several levels of complexity 150
Applications
Population ecologists study the factors that
regulate population abundance and
distribution 151 Chapter 8 Earth’s Resources: Geologic
Processes, Soil, and Minerals 206
Growth models help ecologists understand
population changes 154 Chapter Opener: Are Hybrid Electric
CRUNCH THE NUMBERS Calculating Exponential Vehicles as Environmentally Friendly as
Growth 156 We Think? 207
viii ■ CONTENTS
The availability of Earth’s resources was Residential land use is expanding 273
determined when the planet was formed 208 WORKING TOWARD SUSTAINABILITY
Earth is dynamic and constantly changing 209 The Dudley Street Neighborhood 278
CRUNCH THE NUMBERS Plate Movement 216 Check Your Understanding 279
The rock cycle recycles scarce minerals Apply the Concepts 281
and elements 217
Measure Your Impact: The Costs of
Soil links the rock cycle and the biosphere 221 Commuting 281
The uneven distribution of mineral Engage Your Environment 281
resources has social and environmental
consequences 226 Chapter 11 Agriculture: Feeding the
WORKING TOWARD SUSTAINABILITY World 282
Mine Reclamation and Biodiversity 229
Chapter Opener: A Farm Where Animals
Check Your Understanding 231
Do Most of the Work 283
Apply the Concepts 232
Human nutritional requirements are not
Measure Your Impact: What Is the Impact of Your
always satisfied 284
Diet on Soil Dynamics? 233
The Green Revolution and industrial farming
Engage Your Environment 233
methods have transformed agriculture 287
CRUNCH THE NUMBERS Land Needed for Food 288
Chapter 9 Water Resources: Supply,
Genetic engineering is revolutionizing
Distribution, and Use 234
agriculture 293
Chapter Opener: Dams and Salmon on
Alternatives to industrial farming methods
the Klamath River 235 are gaining more attention 295
Water is abundant, but usable water is rare 236 Modern agribusiness includes the farming
Humans can alter the availability of water 242 of meat and fish 300
Water is used by humans for agriculture, WORKING TOWARD SUSTAINABILITY
industry, and household needs 246 Wes Jackson and the Land Institute 304
The future of water availability depends on Check Your Understanding 306
many factors 250
Apply the Concepts 308
CRUNCH THE NUMBERS Selecting the Most Cost-
Measure Your Impact: The Ecological Footprint
Efficient Washing Machine 251
of Food Consumption 309
WORKING TOWARD SUSTAINABILITY
Engage Your Environment 309
Is the Water in Your Toilet Too Clean? 252
science applied
Check Your Understanding 254 (cid:3)How Do We Define Organic
Food? 310
Apply the Concepts 255
Measure Your Impact: Saving Water 255
Engage Your Environment 255 Chapter 12 Nonrenewable Energy: Coal, Oil,
science applied Natural Gas, and Nuclear Fuels 314
(cid:44)(cid:86)(cid:3)(cid:55)(cid:75)(cid:72)(cid:85)(cid:72)(cid:3)(cid:68)(cid:3)(cid:58)(cid:68)(cid:92)(cid:3)(cid:87)(cid:82)(cid:3)(cid:53)(cid:72)(cid:86)(cid:82)(cid:79)(cid:89)(cid:72)(cid:3)(cid:87)(cid:75)(cid:72)(cid:3)
(cid:38)(cid:68)(cid:79)(cid:76)(cid:73)(cid:82)(cid:85)(cid:81)(cid:76)(cid:68)(cid:3)(cid:58)(cid:68)(cid:87)(cid:72)(cid:85)(cid:3)(cid:58)(cid:68)(cid:85)(cid:86)(cid:34)(cid:3) 256 Chapter Opener: All Energy Use Has
Consequences 315
Chapter 10 Land: Public and Private 260 Nonrenewable energy accounts for most of our
energy use 316
Chapter Opener: Who Owns a Tree?
Julia Butterfly Hill versus Maxxam 261 CRUNCH THE NUMBERS Efficiency of Travel 321
Human land use affects the environment Electricity is a convenient form of energy 322
in many ways 262 CRUNCH THE NUMBERS Calculating Electricity
Public lands are classified according to Supply 324
their use 265 Fossil fuels provide most of the world’s
energy 325
Land management practices vary according
to their use 268 Fossil fuels are a finite resource 330
CONTENTS ■ ix
