GEE 11- Environmental Science

Simplified Material 1-B

Chapter 1- Part 2
Introduction to Environmental Science

Department of Environmental Science

Learning Objectives:
At the end of the topics, the students must have;
▪Defined environmental science and ecology;
▪Explained the relationship of environmental science with
ecology and other fields of discipline;
▪Defined environmentalism and enumerate the various
environmental worldviews;
▪Discussed the concept of systems approach in solving
environmental problems; and
▪Valued the role of critical thinking skills in the analysis of
environmental issues and problems.
Environment
• from French “environner”: to encircle or surround
• refers to all the physical factors (temperature, solar radiation, moisture,
soil, nutrients and others) and biological conditions that affect the growth
and development of an organism.
• Circumstances and conditions that surround an organism or group of
organisms
• The environment is the life-support system of all organisms including man.
• All materials and energy required to sustain life are taken from it.
• The social and cultural conditions that affect an individual or community
Two worlds in understanding the environment;

1. Natural world – plants, animals, soils,

air, and water
2. Social institutions and artifacts –
people create using science,
technology, and political organizations
Where earlier people had
limited ability to alter
their surroundings, we
now have power to
extract and consume
resources, produce
wastes, and modify our
world in ways that
threaten both our
continued existence and
that of many organisms
with which we share the
planet.
•To ensure a sustainable future for ourselves
and future generations, we need to
understand something about how our world
works, what we are doing to it, and what we
can do to protect and improve it.
Environmental Science ( A review..)

•“a discipline that attempts to understand and explain

environmental issues and tries to find solutions to problems
caused by the interaction of human society with the natural
world”
•it is a composite science that draws knowledge from the
natural sciences and the social sciences such as
economics, political science and sociology.
Relationship of Environmental Science with Ecology

•Ecology is the science studying the relationships of organisms

with their environment and with one another (Odum, 1971).
• The term oekologie was coined in 1866 by the German biologist
Ernst Haeckel; the word is derived from the Greek oikos
("household") and logos ("study"); therefore "ecology" means the
"study of the household [of nature]".
Relationship of Environmental Science with Ecology

What is Ecology?
origin of word: oikos = the family household
logy = the study of
• interesting parallel to economy = management of the
household many principles in common – resources
allocation, cost-benefit ratios
Relationship of Environmental Science with Ecology

Definition (Krebs, 1972):

• “Ecology is the scientific study of the processes regulating the
distribution and abundance of organisms and the interactions
among them, and the study of how these organisms in turn
mediate the transport and transformation of energy and matter in
the biosphere (i.e., the study of the design of ecosystem structure and function).”
• The goal of ecology is to understand the principles of operation
of natural systems and to predict their responses to change.
Relationship of Environmental Science with Ecology

• Ecology is a multidisciplinary science

It makes use of knowledge from:
✔Physics
✔Chemistry
✔Geology
✔Geography
✔Mathematics
✔Climatology and Meteorology
Relationship of Environmental Science with Ecology

•Ecology forms the central core of environmental science with

man treated not only as a biological organism but also as a
social entity.
•Environmental science involves the application of ecological
principles in studying the effects of human activities on the
environment.
 What is an Ecosystem?
“An ecosystem can be defined as a relatively self-contained system that contains
plants, animals (including humans), micro-organisms and non-living
components of the environment as well as the interactions between them.”
SPC
(2010)

• Ecosystems – can be of different sizes and can be marine, aquatic, or

terrestrial: Broad categories of terrestrial ecosystems are called biomes
• In ecosystems, both matter and energy are conserved. Energy flows through the
system (usually from light to heat) while matter is recycled.
• Ecosystems with higher biodiversity tend to be more stable with
greater resistance and resilience in the face of disturbances, disruptive events.
Relationship of Environmental Science with Ecology

What is Ecosystems Ecology?

• the study of the interactions among organisms and their
environment as an integrated system (Chapin et al. 2002)
• the study of the movement of energy and materials, including
water, chemicals, nutrients, and pollutants, into, out of, and
within ecosystems (Aber & Melillo 2001)
Relationship of Environmental Science with Ecology

What is Ecosystems Ecology?

• Ecosystem ecology is the integrated study of biotic and abiotic
components of ecosystems and their interactions within an
ecosystem framework.
• The major unit of ecology is the ecosystem!
• A major focus of ecosystem ecology is on functional processes
which are ecological mechanisms that maintain the structure
and services produced by ecosystems.
Relationship of Environmental Science with Ecology

• The application of ecological thought to societal problems is one of the

important directions in ecology today.
• It makes people aware of the problems of pollution, overpopulation and
environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, global warming, ozone
depletion and etc.

For Example:
• How will changing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere affect species
composition of vegetation directly or by global warming, how will animal
populations be affected by vegetation, and what ramifying effects will
these changes have on ecosystems and human lives?
Relationship of Environmental Science with Ecology

• Simply put, anyone cannot appreciate or arrive at an informed

opinion or even decision on such highly politicized
environmental issues such as deforestation, biodiversity loss,
clean air and water, climate change, and other myriad other
issues without a solid grounding on ecological concepts and
principles.
Reasons for environmental Ignorance:
•Science, technology and economics failed to integrate
the knowledge on environmental Aspects in the curriculum
•The decision-makers do not process the environmental Angle of
decision making
•Consideration of economic growth, poverty eradication
has led to environmental degradation
•Only a few developmental activities are made considering
the environmental aspects.
one key concept in environmental science is
INTERDISCIPLINARITY
•The integration of contributions from various sciences.
Environmentalism and Environmental Worldviews
•Environmentalism is a social movement dedicated to protecting
the earth’s life support systems for us and other species (Miller,
2005).

• Members of the
environmental community
include ecologists,
environmental scientists,
conservation biologists,
conservationists,
preservationists,
restorationists, and
environmentalists.
Environmentalism and Environmental Worldviews
• Environmental Worldview is how you think the world works,
what you think your role in the world should be, and what
you believe is right and wrong environmental behaviour
(environmental ethics).

Environmental Worldviews differ over what is more important –

human needs and wants, or the overall health of ecosystems and
the biosphere; different worldviews include varying mixes of both
priorities.
Environmentalism and Environmental Worldviews
It is categorized into the following:
A. Planetary Management Worldview
B. Stewardship Worldview
C. Environmental Wisdom Worldview
Worldviews: Planetary Management Worldview
This is such an anthropocentric worldview:
• As the planet’s most important species, we are in
charge of Earth’s natural resources (Humans apart from
Nature)
• Manage nature to meet our needs and wants
• Technology will keep us from running out of resources
• Economic growth potential essentially unlimited
• Manage earth and life for our benefit
Worldviews: Planetary Management Worldview

The Aral Sea was an endorheic lake lying between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan
which began shrinking in the 1960s and had largely dried up by the 2010s.
Worldviews: Stewardship Worldview
This viewpoint adds more of an ethical perspective to dealing with
the environment:
• Ethical responsibility to be stewards
• Probably won’t run out of resources, but don’t waste them
• Encourage environmentally beneficial economic growth
• Success depends on managing earth’s systems for our
benefit and the rest of nature
Worldviews: Stewardship Worldview
Worldviews: Environmental Wisdom Worldview
This is an earth-centered viewpoint and believed that:
• We are part of nature
• Nature exists for all species
• Resources are limited and shouldn’t be wasted
• Encourage earth-sustaining economic growth
• Success depends on learning about nature and
integrating ourselves into nature
Worldviews: Environmental Wisdom Worldview

e.g. This building concept is

an example of
biomimicry-taking concepts
from nature and using them
as new technology
Environmental Worldviews
Environmental worldviews lie
on a scale running from more
self- and human-centered
(center) to life-, biosphere- or
earth-centered (outer rings). Also,
as we move out from the center,
from human-centered to more
earth-centered worldviews, we
tend to value other life forms
more for their right to exist than
for the products and services they
can provide for us.
The Systems Approach of Solving Environmental
Problems
• A SYSTEM consists of interdependent parts that make up a
whole.
• Each part has a specific function, yet the expression of the role of
the whole system is dependent upon the proper functioning of all
other parts.
• A whole system will fail to function unless it receives an input from
the outside on which the system can act to produce a specific
output. The components plus their interactions and with the
necessary input deliver the specific output which each part cannot
do on its own.
The whole is greater than
the sum of each part
The Systems Approach of Solving Environmental
Problems
• In Ecology and Environmental Science, the SYSTEMS or HOLISTIC
APPROACH is used in addressing environmental problems.
• We look at the different natural systems, what their component
parts are and how they interact with one another in order to
produce the outputs.
• This approach complements to the interdisciplinary characteristic
of environmental science.
• Compare impacts of natural versus anthropogenic risks to
environmental security.
The Role of Critical Thinking Skills
in Resolving Environmental Issues
• Instead of linear thinking, CRITICAL THINKING skills should
be enhanced to rationally analyse environmental issues and
problems to be able to arrive at an informed decisions

• Critical thinking involves the capacity of a person to distinguish

between beliefs (what we think is true) and knowledge (facts
supported by observation and valid experimentation)

• Economic, Political, Historical and Scientific

Steps Essential for Critical Thinking
A. Gather all Information
▪Dig deeper
▪Learn all you can before you decide
▪Don’t mistake ignorance for perspective

B. Understand all Terms

▪Define all terms you use
▪Be sure you understand terms and concepts other use
Steps Essential for Critical Thinking
C. Question how information/facts were derived
▪Were they derived from scientific studies?
▪Were the studies well-conceived and carried out?
▪Were there an adequate number of subjects?
▪Was there a control and an experimental group?
▪Has the study been repeated successfully?
▪Beware of anecdotal information.
Steps Essential for Critical Thinking
D. Question the Source
▪Does the source have an instrument in the outcome of the
issue?
▪Is the source biased?
▪Do underlying assumptions affect the viewpoint of the
source?

E. Questions the conclusion

▪Do the facts support the conclusion?
▪Correlation does not necessarily mean causation.
Steps Essential for Critical Thinking
F. Tolerate Uncertainty
▪Hard and fast answer are not always possible
▪Learn to be comfortable with not knowing

E. Examine the Big Picture

▪Study the whole system
▪Look for hidden causes and effects
▪Avoid simplistic thinking
▪Avoid dualistic thinking
Scientific Method
•It is a logical sequence of thought or processes and
activities designed to gather information and test ideas
1. Define or state a problem/question
2. Formulate hypothesis
3. Collect data
-Qualitative (perceived by the senses such as color, texture, taste,
gender, etc.)
-Quantitative (numerical data such as weight, height, age, etc.)
4. Test the hypothesis
5. Formulate a conclusion or generalization
 In every deliberation/action, we must
consider our impact on the next seven
generations.
- The Iroqouis Confederacy