The Environment - Science, Issues, and Solutions (Electronic book text)

Students have questions, this book has answers: What is the structure and function of natural systems? Where and how do populations and communities live? How have human impacts altered ecosystems? How can we lessen impacts and create long term solutions? Challenging Times Demand Changing Approaches As the world strives to go green and clean, the discipline of environmental science is poised to take center stage. Its components span many disciplines, subdisciplines, and specialties. Reflecting this, introductory courses are often taught by instructors trained in fields ranging from biology, chemistry, and physics to philosophy and political science. The next generation of environmental scientists, professionals, and decision makers need an understanding of environmental issues that is not only cohesive, but firmly based in science. They need environmental literacy. Why Another Text on Environmental Science? Exploiting the fertile ground provided by young and open minds, The Environment: Science, Issues, and Solutions employs a back-to-basics, building-block presentation. The authors' approach is strongly grounded in science, the scientific method, and environmental evidence. They introduce the principles of ecology, then discuss how the increase in human population, expanded technology use, and unprecedented economic development and growth has altered ecosystems resulting in serious local, regional, and global environmental problems. The book makes a case for seeking long-term solutions for the prevention and mitigation of environmental problems in their interconnected, interrelated, and, thus, interdependent ways. Fully Integrated Text Rigorously Explores Environmental Issues The authors' engaging style piques the interest of students, challenges their critical abilities, and fosters environmental literacy based on a fundamental understanding of the systems of the natural world. The authors emphasize the basics of ecology and use this foundation to build an understanding of major environmental problems and explore methods of mitigating what has been degraded or destroyed. In a logical progression, they provide an understanding of the science, a delineation of the human population and technological growth that has led to environmental issues, and an exploration of solutions to those problems.