Environmental Science

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Order of Scientific Method Steps

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Observe and question, form hypothesis, collect data, interpret results, disseminate findings

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Replication (In Data Collection)

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Taking repeated measurements.

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Sample Size

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the number of times the measurement is repeated.

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Three Aspects of Taking Measurements

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Accuracy, Precision, Uncertainty

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Accuracy

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how close a measured value is to the actual or true value

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Precision

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how close the repeated measurements are to one another

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Uncertainty

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how much the measure differs from the true value

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Inductive Reasoning

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the process of developing general statements from specific facts or examples.

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Deductive Reasoning

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the process of applying a general statement to specific facts or situations.

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Theory

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a hypothesis that has been repeatedly tested and confirmed by multiple groups of researchers and is widely accepted. For example, relativity.

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Natural Law

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when a theory has been tested multiple times and there are no known exceptions. For example, gravity and thermodynamics.

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Controlled Experiment

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an experiment conducted in controlled conditions, such as in a laboratory

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Natural Experiment

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when a natural event, such as a volcano, acts as an experimental treatment in an ecosystem

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Unique Challenges of Environmental Science

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There is no “control” planet with which to compare the Earth. This means there is a lack of “baseline” data.

It is often difficult to decide whether one thing is better or worse for the environment than something else.

Environmental science has so many interacting parts; it is not easy to apply one system to another.
Human well-being is a concern for moral reasons, and because people that are unable to meet their basic needs are less likely to be interested in saving the environment

Environmental issues are very complex, and therefore are poorly understood.

Many environmental choices are exactly that ― preferences dictated by human desires as well as needs, and many problems must be solved through political and social changes, and not by science.

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Environment

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a sum of all the conditions surrounding us that influence life.

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Environmental Science

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the field that looks at interactions among humans and nature.

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Biotic Factors

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the living part of the Earth (animals, plants, microorganisms)

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Abiotic Factors

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the non-living part of the Earth (soil, air, water, sunlight)

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Environmental Studies

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includes environmental science, the study of interactions among human systems and those found in nature, along with other subjects such as environmental policy, law, political science, sociology, economics, literature, and ethics.

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Ecosystem

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the living and non-living components of a particular place on Earth

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Ecosystem Services

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environments provide life-supporting services such as clean water, timber, fisheries, crops.

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Five Major Environmental Indicators

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Biodiversity, food production, average global surface temperature and carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere, human population, and resource depletion

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Biodiversity

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the variety of life formed in an environment

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Genetic Diversity

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a measure of the genetic variation found among individuals in a population. (Populations with high genetic diversity are better able to respond to environmental changes than populations with lower genetic diversity.)

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Species Diversity

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the number of species in a region or in a particular type of habitat.

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Ecosystem Diversity

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a measure of the variety of ecosystems or habitats that exist in a particular region.

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Greenhouse Gases

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gases in the atmosphere that act like a blanket, trapping heat near Earth's surface.

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World Pop. in Developed Nations

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20%

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Sustainability

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the practice of living on Earth in a way that allows humans to use resources without depriving future generations of those resources.