Environmental Interrelationships
Chapter 1
• ______
In 1935 he became one of the first individuals to provide a formalized,
contemporary description of ______.
He emphasized the importance of flows of energy and nutrients through communities.
• Interrelated Nature Environmental Problems
Environment is everything that ______.
• An Ecosystem Approach
Ecosystem - ______.
• ______is fundamental to human welfare and economic development and plays a critical role in meeting human needs by maintaining the ecological processes upon which our survival depends
• The Field of Environmental Science
Environmental Science is interdisciplinary, and includes applied and theoretical aspects of human impacts on the world.
A mixture of ______, ______
______, and ______.
• Interrelated Nature Environmental Problems
Most social and political decisions are made with respect to political jurisdictions.
Environmental problems ______
______.
1998 - Forest fires in Mexico affecting air quality in Texas.
Air pollutants from U.S. causing acid rain in Canada.
Turkish Syrian forest fires caused by the civil war in Syria
• Interrelated Nature Environmental Problems
International agencies such as the International Joint Commission have major bearing on environmental quality over broad regions.
For Instance:
Established in 1909, in part, to ______
______
• Interrelated Nature Environmental Problems
______- First worldwide meeting of 178 heads of state directed towards the environment. It took place at the Earth Summit (United Nations Conference on Environment and Development) in ______.
Most countries have also signed agreements on sustainable development and biodiversity.
• Interrelated Nature Environmental Problems
In______, representatives from 125 nations met in______, Japan for the Third Conference of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Kyoto protocol is viewed as one of the most important steps to date in environmental protection and diplomatic diplomacy.
• Its important to add that the scientific community ______governments that are involved in these summits however they ______that the policies be adopted.
• Regional Environmental Concerns
Unfortunately, most regions tend to focus on specific, ______that apply directly to them.
However many Environmental issues are ______, not ______.
• Wilderness North
Much of Alaska and Northern Canada can be characterized as “wilderness” - ______
______.
Much of this land is owned by ______, thus governmental policies have a large effect.
• Wilderness North
These areas have important economic values in their trees, animals, scenery, and other natural resources.
Resource exploitation involves significant trade offs as these ecosystems are ____
______damage caused by exploitation. Many short-term political and economic decisions have failed to look at long-term environmental implications.
• Wilderness North
Native peoples in this area are sensitive to changes in land use or government policy that would force changes in traditional ways of life.
Increasingly sophisticated in negotiations.
• Agricultural Middle
Middle of North America is dominated by intensive ______.
Original, natural ecosystems have been ______.
• Agricultural Middle
Tremendous economic value.
Mostly private land - large economic risks.
Major ______source.
Soil erosion and groundwater contamination.
Fertilizers and Pesticides
• Dry West
Characterized by areas where ______
______, but adequate enough to allow livestock production.
Because much of western U.S. is of low economic value, most is still
controlled by the U.S. government.
Encourages use by providing cheap water for livestock and irrigation, cheap grazing fees, and access for industrial development.
• Dry West
As cities grow, conflict arises between ______.
Increased demand will result in shortages and resulting trade-off decisions.
Low population density areas tend towards wilderness character.
Economic ______vs. ______preservation.
• Forested West
Coastal and mountainous regions of western United States and Canada receive ______
______to dominate the landscape.
Government and commercial timber companies own large sections of land.
Historically, much of this timber has been sold at a loss.
• Forested West
In 1993, USFS was directed to stop below-cost timber sales.
Timber officials claim access to public land is necessary to remain in business and support the economy; conservationists argue ecological and intangible values outweigh economic values.
______has become a symbol of conflict between logging and preservation.
• Great Lakes and Industrial Northeast
Great Lakes and Northeast are dominated by ______with large, complex resource demands.
Many older cities have declined, leaving behind abandoned sites and environmental problems.
• Great Lakes and Industrial Northeast
One of the greatest problems is ______in food chain.
Fish Advisories
• The Diverse South
______of all other regions.
Extremely rapid population growth in some areas such as coastal regions.
Pockets of extreme poverty.