Chapter 1: Environmental Interrelationships

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Chapter 1 Environmental Interrelationships

• What is Environmental Science?
• Interrelated nature of environmental problems
• An Ecosystem Approach instead of a Political
  Jurisdiction Approach
• Regional environmental concerns in North America
• A divided world

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The Field of Environmental Science

• Definition Environmental Science is an
  interdisciplinary study that includes both
  theoretical and applied aspects of human impact
  on the Earth

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Environmental Science versus Ecology

• Compare the definition of Ecology on page 81
• E.S. deals with ecology as well as the
  non-scientific aspects of humanity that
  influence the environment - social, political,
  and economic issues

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Interrelated Nature of Environmental Problems

• Most social and political decisions are made
  with respect to political jurisdictions, but
  environmental problems do not necessarily
  coincide with these artificial political
  boundaries.

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Examples of Interrelatedness

• Coal burning in the Calumet Region causes acid
  rain in Upstate New York and Ontario
• Air pollution in Juarez, Mexico also affects El
  Paso, Texas - national border is irrelevant to
  moving air!
• Water usage on the Colorado River decreases
  amount available to parts of Mexico

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Examples of Interrelatedness

• Over 190 nations in the world classified into
  three levels of development gt conflicting
  interests
• Some efforts to get cooperation include
• Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909
• Rio Earth Summit in 1992
• UNESCO, UNEP support environmental programs
• Many conflicts within a country also - read
  Science versus Policy on page 6

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• EcosystemA region in which the organisms and
  physical environment form an interacting unit

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An Ecosystem Approach

• Look at environmental problems from the
  standpoint of how the natural world is organized
• Not restricted by political boundaries gt Most
  ecosystem boundaries do not coincide with
  political boundaries

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Regional Environmental Concerns in North America

• Textbook recognizes six regions

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Wilderness North

• Much of Alaska and Northern Canada

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Wilderness North

• Wilderness areas with minimal human influence
• Low economic value of land gt most land is
  government (not privately) owned
• Trees, animals, some minerals -- tend to be
  exploited
• Severe cold climate makes ecosystems recovery
  slow and difficult
• Native peoples involved in environmental
  protection of the region

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Agricultural Middle

• Almost no original ecosystems

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Agricultural Middle

• Very fertile soil, adequate rainfall gt almost
  all original ecosystems replaced by agriculture
  gt loss of biodiversity
• Land is valuable gt mostly private ownership gt
  governments cant easily control environmental
  policy
• Governments encourage agriculture (for obvious
  reasons), but agriculture can cause
• Water pollution from runoff (nonpoint source)
• Soil erosion and subsequent air pollution
• Groundwater depletion

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Dry West

• Ranching replaces planting

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Dry West

• Agriculture impossible without irrigation gt if
  any agriculture, its ranching and cash crops
  (fruit veggies)
• Much of the land is of low economic value gt
  government ownership gt degrade environment by
  charging too little for grazing rights and
  encouraging mining
• Some very large cities - compete with agriculture
  for limited water supply
• Overall low population density give the region a
  wilderness character, although ranching, etc. has
  altered original ecosystems

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Water Dilemma in the Dry West

• As cities in this region grow, an increasing
  conflict arises between urban dwellers who need
  water for drinking and other purposes, and
  ranchers and farmers who need water for livestock
  and agriculture.

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Forested West

• Coastal Mountainous Areas of West U.S. Canada

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Forested West

• Cooler temps adequate rainfall gt conifer
  forests, many of which are old-growth or virgin
• Mostly not suitable for agriculture
• Governments and large timber companies own most
  of land
• Government forest managers historically have sold
  timber rights at a loss
• In 1993 U.S. Forest Service was directed to stop
  below-cost timber sales
• Deforestation gt Slope erosion, habitat
  destruction, nonsustainable resource use

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Great Lakes Industrial N.E.

• Large Metropolitan Complexes
• Chipitts, Bowash

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Great Lakes Industrial N.E.

• Metropolitan complexes generate social and
  resource needs - declined industrial centers gt
  poverty, crime, discontent
• Water and waterways are major resources
• Waterways maintained at government expense
• Existing industry generates pollution gt toxins
  in water gt bioaccumulate up the food chain
  (especially in Great Lakes Chesapeake Bay)
• Land is expensive gt private ownership gt
  conflict between use for industry, housing, or
  recreation/preservation

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Diverse South

• Microcosm of all the previous regions

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Diverse South

• Petrochemical industry is dominant in Louisiana
  Texas
• Waterways (Mississippi R.) and coastal areas
  (Atlantic Gulf)
• Poverty is a traditional problem gt encourages
  state local governments to accept industrial
  development at expense of other values
• South Florida has rapid population growth gt
  environmental problems saltwater intrusion in
  groundwater, wetland other habitat destruction

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A Divided World

• How developed are various countries?

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Three levels of development -MDC, DC, LDC
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Garrett Hardin First Law of Ecology You Can
Never Do Only One Thing.