ess: chapter 1 - foundations

set of interactions, shows how it works together as a whole

change in location, not in state

change of state

• predict and simplify system

• run simulations, see what happens

• accuracy lost because of simplifying

• if assumptions are wrong, the model is wrong

• brings in bias from maker of model

warned about devastating effects of DDT, led to investigation and JFK banned it

Indian city where 20 000 died from release of methyl isocyanate (MIC) in 1984

nuclear disaster, 1986

nuclear accident, 2011, demonstrations worldwide and governments shutting down nuclear plants and plans

2010 in Gulf of Mexico, largest marine oil spill

energy in an isolated system can be transformed but not created or destroyed

entropy of an isolated system not in equilibrium will tend to increase overtime

amount of disorder in a system (high entropy is high disorder; randomness)

continuous in- and outputs of energy and matter but system remains in constant state (eg. human ability to maintain body temperature)

nothing changes; non-living system

system goes back to previous equilibrium after disturbance

reached when ecosystem experiences shift to new state, with almost irreversible change (eg. receding glaciers, eutrophication)

stabilising; reduces change and counters deviation

destabilising; amplifies changes and drives system to tipping point with new equilibrium

measure of the ability of an ecosystem to respond to disturbance, measures how quickly it recovers:

• either time it takes to return to stable state again

• or how well it can absorb change and keep same function and structure

the more complex ecosystem (species diversity, large habitat) the more resilient

resilience can be negative with invasive species, ex.

dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane; a persistent organochlorine insecticide, banned by WHO in 1970

influence the public which influences governments, eg: Greenpeace, WWF

ecology and nature central, self-sufficiency, rights of nature, holistic view of life (deep ecologists, self-reliant soft ecologists)

humans must sustainably manage the global system, environmental legislation and regulation, nature is there to benefit humankind

technological developments can provide solutions to environmental problems (environmental managers, cornucopians)

both energy and matter exchanged across boundary

energy but not matter exchanged across boundary

hypothetical concept, neither energy not matter exchanged across boundary

• work or energy produced / energy consumed

• useful output / input

• can be percentage

natural resources that can produce sustainable natural income of goods and services

report prepared before development project that will change use of land

model used to estimate demands that human populations place on environment; accounts for area required to provide all resources needed by population

addition of substance or agent to environment by human activity, at a greater rate than it can be rendered harmless by environment

active on emission (eg carbon monoxide from incomplete combustion of fossil fuels)

formed by primary pollutant undergoing physical or chemical changes (eg sulphuric acid forms when sulphur trioxide reacts with water)

release of pollutant from numerous sources, combat by limiting all farmers or industries, eg

release of pollutant from single, identifiable source, usually easier to manage than NPS

resistant pesticide

do not persist, break down quickly

• changing human activity which produces it

• regulating or preventing release of pollutant

• working to clean up or restore damaged ecosystem