GLY 2030C1 Case History: Surface Water Development Aral Sea Location – central Asia Tourism, Commercial fishing 1918: Soviet instituted water diversion for agriculture-Uzbek cotton Results: 20-m water level drop, climate modification, desertification, health issues, increased salinity

GLY 2030C2 Land Ethic – responsibility to more than just humans & society Species vs. individual Humanity is an integral part of the environment A moral obligation to those who follow The Land Ethic and American Experience Aldo Leopold: Sand County Almanac Set the stage for modern conservationist movement Philosophy and Fundamental Concepts

GLY 2030C3 Philosophy and Fundamental Concepts Land Ethic – American Experience Pilgrims Technology (ax, gun, wheel) Organizational skills Concept of land ownership Myth of Superabundance – inexhaustible resources Hydraulic Mining Seeds of Conservation John Wesley Powell

GLY 2030C4 Deforestation and soil erosion Mining Surface and groundwater development Philosophy and Fundamental Concepts

5 Philosophy and Fundamental Concepts Concept 1: Population Growth #1 environmental “problem” From 1830 to 1930, population doubled to 2 billion From 1930 to 1970, doubled again to 4 billion 2000 estimate is about 6 billion

6 Philosophy and Fundamental Concepts Concept 1: Population Growth in Florida Florida in the 1980s and 1990s, averaged ~2%/year (same rate as a developing country)

GLY 2030C7 Constant Doubling time Exponential growth curve (J-shaped) Blackboard example of equation: N=N o e kt Philosophy and Fundamental Concepts

GLY 2030C8 Philosophy and Fundamental Concepts Concept 2: Sustainability Resources Food Leads to idea of a Global Economy Populations in harmony with ecosystem Energy policy (pollution-free or acceptable risk) Use plan for renewable resources Use plan and reservation of non-renewable resources Sustainable legal, political, and legal systems To achieve sustainable global economy: Effective population control Restructured energy program Global economic planning Social, legal, political, and educational systems to support global environment

GLY 2030C9 Philosophy and Fundamental Concepts Concept 3:Systems Hydrosphere Biosphere Atmosphere Lithosphere

GLY 2030C10 Philosophy and Fundamental Concepts Open system- energy exchanges Closed system- material is continuously recycled; Earth is a coalition of closed systems Feedback-output becomes input; causes change (e.g. neighbor and loud music) Negative- outcome moderates/decreases process (river model) Positive -outcome of change amplifies the initiating event (Off-road vehicles)

GLY 2030C11 Philosophy and Fundamental Concepts Growth rates Measured as a percentage –N=N 0 e kt or t=(1/k)ln (N/N 0 ) Doubling time –70 divided by rate of change Predicting Change in Systems Input-Output analysis Blackboard Example of Avg. residence time

GLY 2030C12 Philosophy and Fundamental Concepts

GLY 2030C13 Philosophy and Fundamental Concepts

GLY 2030C14 Philosophy and Fundamental Concepts Complex systems and Earth System Science Natural systems are seldom at equilibrium Systems are often complex with thresholds and disturbance (chaos) Earth system science: studying entire Earth Gaia Hypothesis James Hutton (Father of Geology) believed the Earth is a super organism James Lovelock and his ideas stimulated interdisciplinary studies on how the planet works

GLY 2030C15 Philosophy and Fundamental Concepts Concept 4: Limitation of Resources Earth Only place to live that is accessible Resources are limited; some renewable, some not Natural resources Cornucopian concept (we’ll find a way) Resource crisis Medical technology and overpopulation Economies based on waste and obsolescence Finite accessible mineral base Irreversible environmental damage from all the above Concept 5: Uniformitarianism (James Hutton) The present is the key to the past Uniformity of Process, not magnitude and frequency EG-The present is the key to the future

GLY 2030C16 Philosophy and Fundamental Concepts Concept 6: Hazardous Earth Processes There have always been geohazards Can be recognized and avoided where possible Minimize threat to human life and property Concept 7: Geology: Basic Environmental Science Fundamental component of everyone’s environment environment requires an understanding: Engineering geology Economic geology Hydrology Geomorphology Sedimentology

Philosophy and Fundamental Concepts Concept 8: Our Obligation to the Future Early Hominids didn’t influence the Earth until the discovery and use of fire Development of agriculture (5,000 B.C.) spurred population growth driving increased land clearing (positive feedback) Human activity (45 GT/yr) – cf. tectonic activity (34 GT/yr), river transport (24 GT/yr) Ducktown, Tennessee (1840s-1850s, copper rush) - Beginning of environmental law