David M. Hassenzahl is the Dean of the College of Natural Sciences at the California State University at Chico. An internationally recognized scholar of sustainability and risk analysis, his research focuses on incorporating scientific information and expertise into public decision. He holds a B.A. in Environmental Science and Paleontology from the University of California at Berkeley, and a Ph.D. from Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School. His efforts in climate change education have been supported by the National Science Foundation, and recognition of his work includes the Society for Risk Analysis Outstanding Educator Award and the UNLV Foundation Distinguished Teaching Award. Dr. Hassenzahl is a Senior Fellow of the National Council for Science and the Environment, a Fellow of the Society for Risk Analysis, and president of the Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences. Prior to his academic career, Dr. Hassenzahl worked in the private sector as an environmental manager, and as an inspector for the (San Francisco) Bay Area Air Quality Management District.

Mary Catherine Hager is a professional science writer and editor specializing in life and earth sciences. She received a double-major B.A. in environmental science and biology from the University of Virginia and an M.S. in zoology from the University of Georgia. Ms. Hager worked as an editor for an environmental consulting firm and as a senior editor for a scientific reference publisher. For more than 20 years she has written and edited for environmental science, biology, and ecology textbooks for high school and college. Additionally, she has published articles in environmental trade magazines and edited federal and state reports addressing wetlands conservation issues. Her writing and editing pursuits are a natural outcome of her scientific training and curiosity, coupled with her love of reading and effective communication.

Linda R. Berg is an award-winning teacher and textbook author. She received a B.S. in science education, an M.S. in botany, and a Ph.D. in plant physiology from the University of Maryland. Dr. Berg taught at the University of Maryland—College Park for 17 years and at St. Petersburg College in Florida for 8 years. She has taught introductory courses in environmental science, biology, and botany to thousands of students and has received numerous teaching and service awards. Dr. Berg is also the recipient of many national and regional awards, including the National Science Teachers Association Award for Innovations in College Science Teaching, the Nation's Capital Area Disabled Student Services Award, and the Washington Academy of Sciences Award in University Science Teaching. During her career as a professional science writer, Dr. Berg has authored or co-authored numerous editions of several leading college science textbooks. Her writing reflects her teaching style and love of science.

1 The Environmental Challenges We Face 2

Human Impacts on the Environment 4

Envirodiscovery 1.1: Green Roofs 8

Sustainability and the Environment 12

Environmental Science 16

How We Handle Environmental Problems 20

Envirodiscovery 1.2: Getting Past NIMBY 22

Case Study 1.1: The New Orleans Disaster 23

2 Sustainability and Human Values 26

Human Use of the Earth 28

Human Values and Environmental Problems 31

Environmental Justice 35

An Overall Plan for Sustainable Living 36

Case Study 2.1: The Loess Plateau in China 44

3 Environmental History, Politics, and Economics 48

Conservation and Preservation of Resources 50

Environmental History 51

Envirodiscovery 3.1: Environmental Literacy 58

Environmental Legislation 59

Environmental Economics 62

Case Study 3.1: Tradable Permits and Acid Rain 68

4 Risk Analysis and Environmental Health Hazards 72

A Perspective on Risks 74

Environmental Health Hazards 77

Movement and Fate of Toxicants 81

Determining Health Effects of Pollutants 85

Envirodiscovery 4.1: Smoking: A Significant Risk 88

The Precautionary Principle 90

Case Study 4.1: Endocrine Disrupters 92

5 How Ecosystems Work 96

What Is Ecology? 98

The Flow of Energy Through Ecosystems 100

The Cycling of Matter in Ecosystems 106

Ecological Niches 113

What a Scientist Sees 5.1: Resource Partitioning 115

Interactions Among Organisms 116

Envirodiscovery 5.1: Bee Colonies Under Threat 118

Case Study 5.1: Global Climate Change: How Does It Affect the Carbon Cycle? 122

6 Ecosystems and Evolution 126

Factors That Shape Biomes 128

Describing Earth’s Major Biomes 132

Envirodiscovery 6.1: Using Goats to Fight Fires 138

Aquatic Ecosystems 142

What a Scientist Sees 6.1: Zonation in a Large Lake 143

Population Responses to Changing Conditions over Time: Evolution 147

Community Responses to Changing Conditions over Time: Succession 151

Case Study 6.1: Wildfires 154

7 Human Population Change and the Environment 158

Population Ecology 160

Human Population Patterns 165

Demographics of Countries 168

Stabilizing World Population 173

Envirodiscovery 7.1: Microcredit Programs 176

What a Scientist Sees 7.1: Education and Fertility 177

Population and Urbanization 178

Case Study 7.1: Urban Planning in Curitiba, Brazil 184

8 Air and Air Pollution 188

The Atmosphere 190

Types and Sources of Air Pollution 194

What a Scientist Sees 8.1: Air Pollution from Volcanoes 197

Effects of Air Pollution 199

Envirodiscovery 8.1: Air Pollution May Affect Precipitation 201

Controlling Air Pollutants 204

Indoor Air Pollution 207

Case Study 8.1: Curbing Air Pollution in Chattanooga 210

9 Global Atmospheric Changes 214

The Atmosphere and Climate 216

What a Scientist Sees 9.1: Rain Shadow 219

Global Climate Change 220

Ozone Depletion in the Stratosphere 229

Envirodiscovery 9.1: Links Between Climate and Atmospheric Change 231

Acid Deposition 232

Case Study 9.1: International Implications of Global Climate Change 236

10 Freshwater Resources and Water Pollution 240

The Importance of Water 242

Water Resource Problems 245

Water Management 252

Water Pollution 256

What a Scientist Sees 10.1: Oligotrophic and Eutrophic Lakes 257

Improving Water Quality 262

Case Study 10.1: China’s Three Gorges Dam 267

11 The Ocean and Fisheries 270

The Global Ocean 272

Major Ocean Life Zones 276

Envirodiscovery 11.1: Otters in Trouble 280

Human Impacts on the Ocean 282

What a Scientist Sees 11.1: Modern Commercial Fishing Methods 284

What a Scientist Sees 11.2: Ocean Warming and Coral Bleaching 287

Addressing Ocean Problems 289

Case Study 11.1: The Dead Zone in the Gulf of Mexico 291

12 Mineral and Soil Resources 294

Plate Tectonics and the Rock Cycle 296

Economic Geology: Useful Minerals 300

Environmental Implications of Mineral Use 304

Envirodiscovery 12.1: Not-So-Precious Gold 305

Soil Properties and Processes 307

What a Scientist Sees 12.1: Soil Profile 308

Soil Problems and Conservation 310

Case Study 12.1: Coping with “Conflict Minerals” 315

13 Land Resources 318

Land Use in the United States 320

Forests and Forest Management 322

Envirodiscovery 13.1: Ecologically Certified Wood 324

What a Scientist Sees 13.1: Harvesting Trees 326

Deforestation 327

Rangelands 331

National Parks and Wilderness Areas 334

Conservation of Land Resources 339

Case Study 13.1: The Tongass Debate over Clear-Cutting 342

14 Agriculture and Food Resources 346

World Food Problems 348

The Principal Types of Agriculture 351

Challenges of Producing More Crops and Livestock 353

Solutions to Agricultural Problems 358

Controlling Agricultural Pests 362

What a Scientist Sees 14.1: Pesticide Use and New Pest Species 364

Case Study 14.1: Organic Agriculture 366

15 Biodiversity and Conservation 370

Species Richness and Biological Diversity 372

Endangered and Extinct Species 376

Envirodiscovery 15.1: Is Your Coffee Bird Friendly^®? 378

What a Scientist Sees 15.1: Where Is Declining Biological Diversity the Most Serious? 379

Conservation Biology 384

Conservation Policies and Laws 388

Case Study 15.1: The Challenges of Protecting Rare Species 391

16 Solid and Hazardous Waste 394

Solid Waste 396

What a Scientist Sees 16.1: Sanitary Landfills 399

Envirodiscovery 16.1: The U.S.–China Recycling Connection 402

Reducing Solid Waste 402

Hazardous Waste 407

Envirodiscovery 16.2: Handling Nanotechnology Safely 408

Managing Hazardous Waste 410

Case Study 16.1: High-Tech Waste 413

17 Nonrenewable Energy Resources 416

Energy Consumption 418

Coal 419

Oil and Natural Gas 421

Nuclear Energy 428

Envirodiscovery 17.1: A Nuclear Waste Nightmare 435

What a Scientist Sees 17.1: Yucca Mountain 436

Case Study 17.1: The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge 437

18 Renewable Energy Resources 440

Direct Solar Energy 442

What a Scientist Sees 18.1: Photovoltaic Cells 444

Indirect Solar Energy 448

Other Renewable Energy Sources 454

Energy Solutions: Conservation and Efficiency 456

Envirodiscovery 18.1: Deep Energy Retrofits 456

Case Study 18.1: Green Architecture 461

Graphing Appendix 464

Glossary 473

Index 478

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