Ch.1: Studying the State of Our Earth Case study: Pfiesteria and the Neuse River in North Carolina. A complex system involving human impacts on water quality, fish, and the dinoflagellate known as Pfiesteria

Key ideas: Ecosystem services – benefits derived from healthy ecosystems Environmental indicators – variables we monitor to determine the state of the environment Biodiversity – the variety of life forms at the genetic, species, and ecosystem levels Sustainability – using resources without jeopardizing future generations Ecological footprint – a measure of an individual’s impact on the environment Scientific method – understand the process of science, including hypotheses and data collection

Ecosystem services Some examples: Water purification by forests and wetlands Crop pollination by insects Fish production in coastal wetlands Flood control/storm surge protection – wetlands Timber production Soil building and nutrient cycling Carbon sequestration/climate control Air purification

leveling off support

Short wavelength solar radiation is absorbed by earth and reradiated at a longer wavelength (heat or infrared) which is trapped by greenhouse gases

Two views of Los Angeles, the first in 1880 and the second in 2009, illustrate population growth and resource use – and the altering of natural systems by people