1.Explain the foundations of environmental science. 2.Explain the interdisciplin
ID: 154763 • Letter: 1
Question
1.Explain the foundations of environmental science.
2.Explain the interdisciplinary nature of environmental science and its major concepts and theories.
3.Demonstrate the importance of biodiversity for ecosystem health.
4.Evaluate the detrimental effects of chemical and biological contaminants on human health and the environment.
5.Apply methods of modern science to real environmental issues.
6.Evaluate the scientific basis of the major environmental issues facing society today.
7.Analyze the impacts of contemporary human activities on the earth
Explanation / Answer
1. Overall, environmental science is the field of science that studies the interactions of the physical, chemical, and biological components of the environment and also the relationships and effects of these components with the organisms in the environment. The field of environmental science can be divided into three main goals, which are to learn how the natural world works, to understand how we as humans interact with the environment, and also to determine how we affect the environment. The third goal of determining how humans affect the environment also includes finding ways to deal with these effects on the environment.
2. Environmental science is also referred to as an interdisciplinary field because it incorporates information and ideas from multiple disciplines. Within the natural sciences, such fields as biology, chemistry, and geology are included in environmental science. When most people think of environmental science, they think of these natural science aspects, but what makes environmental science such a complex and broad field is that it also includes fields from the social sciences and the humanities.
The social science fields that are incorporated into environmental science include geography, economics, and political science. Philosophy and ethics are the two fields within the humanities that are also included in environmental science. By combining aspects of the natural sciences, social sciences, and the humanities, the field of environmental science can cover more concepts and also examine problems and topics from many different points of view.
3. At this current time, the world around us is changing at a very rapid pace. Some changes are beneficial, but many of the changes are causing damage to our planet. The field of environmental science is a valuable resource for learning more about these changes and how they affect the world we live in.
Natural resources have been referred to as the 'merchandise' produced by the environment, and in this respect, ecosystem services are the 'facilities' that we rely on to help produce the merchandise.Ecosystem services are the environment's natural processes that provide us with the resources we need to support life. Common ecosystem services include water and air purification, nutrient cycling, climate regulation, pollinating of plants, and the recycling of waste. Just like some natural resources, ecosystem services are also limited and can be used up if not regulated.
4. Consider the case of a leaking solvent tank which has entered the habitat soil of an endangered species of amphibian. As a method to resolve or understand the extent of soil contamination and subsurface transport of solvent, a computer model would be implemented. Chemists would then characterize the molecular bonding of the solvent to the specific soil type, and biologists would study the impacts upon soil arthropods, plants, and ultimately pond-dwelling organisms that are the food of the endangered amphibian.
5.In the sciences, for example, biologists study biodiversity, and ecologists study how plants and animals interact with their environment. Geologists study the formation, history, structure, and physical composition of the earth. Chemists study the composition of both living and non-living material, and the reactions controlling the distribution of material. Physicists contribute expertise on physical laws, such as thermodynamics, governing both biotic and abiotic components of the environment. engineers, mathematicians, and computer scientists are involved in important technical innovations as well as computer modeling. Biomedical expertise is required to assess health implications of environmental problems, such as pollution and disease.
6. Acid rain resulting from industrial pollution has pollutes oceans and seas hence killing coral reefs; this has the effect of threatening tourism. Oceans are degraded by spills, run off chemicals .
Millions of electronic products such as computers, laptops, television sets and mobile phones are discarded annually in developed countries and dumped into third world societies. The recovery of these products in the developing economies can result in the release of hazardous materials such as lead, mercury, heavy metals and many other toxic substances. This will harm the workers that are exposed to the dangerous materials. These wastes are the modern environmental threats due to technological advancements. The disposal of nuclear wastes from the reactors poses major risks to the environment. Nuclear wastes such as Plutonium-239 are very dangerous when released to the environment, same to isotopes. Currently there are 31 countries with nuclear reactors.
7. The world
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