Describe the historical development of the environmental movement.
Identify human population impacts on the environment.
Explain how principles of system theory apply to the Earth as a living system.
In your opinion, what are the benefits and constraints of using the scientific method to analyze environmental decisions?
In your opinion, why is it significant to think about the age composition of a human population?
Why is it difficult to calculate the increase of the human population?
What is an example of a J-curve population in nature? Explain.
What are some social, economic, aesthetics, and ethical issues involved in a current environmental controversy? Explain.
What is zero population growth? Is this a reasonable and attainable goal for the global human population?
Describe structural and functional dynamics of ecosystems.
Identify how humans affect biogeochemical cycles.
Explain how knowledge about ecosystem structure and function can be applied to ecosystem management and restoration.
Course Assignments
Readings
Read Ch. 5-6 & 9-10 of the text.
Review animation and video clip resources available for these chapters.
Read this week's Electronic Reserve Readings.
Individual Assignment: Biotic Components Paper
Select a representative natural ecosystem in your area such as preserves or parks that aremanaged for native species.
Write a 700- to 1,050-word paper explaining:
o The major structural and functional dynamics (processes) of that ecosystem including changeover time
oHow humans may have affected biogeochemical cycles in that ecosystem
How knowledge about that ecosystem's structure and function can help or has helped to develop plans for its management and restoration
Include two outside references.
Format your paper according to APA standards.
Discussion Questions
Identify a natural ecosystem in which you live or one near to where you live? How does this ecosystem support you? At what tropic level are you? Why?
Why can it be difficult to identify the boundaries of an ecosystem? How can environmental scientists resolve this boundary issue when studying an ecosystem?
Why is understanding biogeochemical cycles important to environmental science? Provide an example.
What are the similarities and differences between an ecosystem and an ecological community? How does this apply to your community?
Because ecosystems change and may recover naturally from disturbance over time, what factors affect decisions about whether human intervention is needed to help ecosystem recovery? Provide examples.
What are some human impacts on the natural cycling process of ecosystems in your community?
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Week Three
Natural Resource and Energy
Identify impacts to ecosystems and wild species from a growing human population.
Compare benefits and risks associated with use of nonrenewable and renewable energy resources.
Identify management practices for sustainability and conservation of natural resources.
Course Assignments
Readings
Read Ch. 11-14 & 17-20 of the text.
Review animation and video clip resources available for these chapters.
Read this week's Electronic Reserve Readings.
Paper Assignment: Natural Resources and Energy Paper
Write a 1,400- to 1,750-word paper on natural resources and energy. Include the following:
o Choose a specific ecosystem, such as a forest, a grassland, or a marine or freshwater aquatic
ecosystem.
oIdentify and discuss the effects that a growing human population may have on that ecosystem's resources, including loss or harm to populations of wild species.
Discuss one management practice for sustainability and conservation of natural resources in that ecosystem.
Identify the risks and benefits of extracting or using one type of nonrenewable and one type of renewable energy resource from that ecosystem, or in areas near that ecosystem.
Include two outside references.
Format your paper according to APA standards.
Discussion Questions
In your community, what aspects of suburban sprawl and urban blight are evident? Identify how the effects from these might be alleviated.
Is your community people- or car-oriented? Why or why not? How does that affect energy use and sustainability of your community?
Are there personal impacts of having more biodiversity or less biodiversity in your community? Explain.
What is one major cause of present-day species extinction? Explain how this extinction came about and what could have been done to prevent it.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of soft-path energy development compared to hard-path energy development?
Week Four
Environmental Pollution
Describe water management and its effects on the environment.
Identify potential impacts of environmental pollution to human and ecosystem health.
Identify causes of pollution and its treatments.
Explain the causes and effects of global warming.
Complete the Environmental Pollution Outline found in Week Four on the student Web site.
Discussion Questions
In-stream use is a controversial issue. What is your opinion on in-stream use and defend your stance?
How could your community better manage its water resources?
What is one way natural ecosystems can perform wastewater treatment? Explain.
How is the London 1952 fog event similar/different to the smog problem in the Los Angeles basin?
What are some of the causes of both indoor and outdoor air pollution where you live, work, or attend school? How does this affect that environment?
Why do you feel there is debate about policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions? How can science help resolve the debate?
Environmental Economics, Policies, and Choices
Perform an economic analysis of environmental issues.
Analyze the role of global, national, and regional policies and decisions on environmental issues.
o Importance of economic analysis
o Description (general overview) of the assigned environmental issue o Economic analysis of the environmental issue
Costs
Benefits
Risks
Limitations
Problems
How economic analysis can be used to determine the most effective and economical regulations or policies (see Ch. 28 of the text) to help solve the environmental concern
Who should manage the natural resources: legislature, public, scientists, special interest groups, and why?
What is an environmental issue in your local area that has been supported by a local conservation group? Explain the issue.
How have environmental regulations implemented by local politicians affected your daily life? Provide an example.
What has been the media coverage of a local environmental issue? Explain.
What are some of the federally funded environmental management projects being completed by Civilian Conservation Corps, U.S Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. National Forest Service that have been completed in your area? Provide a summary of the project.