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What is Environmental Science?is the study of the environment,

the processes if undergoes and theproblems that arise generally fromthe interaction of humans with theenvironment

is an integration of many disci-plines such as chemistry, biology,physics, hydrology, geology andmetereology.

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Environmentalist an individualwho promotes environmentalawareness and advocates for theprotection of the environment

Environmental Scientist is aspecialist who studies, collects,and analyzes data pertaining to

environmental conditions andproblems.

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ENVIRONMENT- all facets of manssurroundings, physical,ecological, aesthetic, cultural,economic, historic, institutional

and social

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Ecologya science which studies the

relationship between humans andother organisms and theirenvironment.

The environment consist ofnonliving (abiotic) componentswhich affect its living components its organisms. Ex. Air, sunshine, soil

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FOUR LAWS OF ECOLOGY

1. Everything is connected toeverything else.

2. Everything must go somewhere.

3. Nature knows best.

4. Nothing comes free.

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Sustainabilitymeeting the needs of the

present without compromising theability of future generations tomeet their own needs.

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Conditions to be physicallysustainable:

1. Rates of renewable resources donot exceed their rates ofregeneration

2. Rates of pollution emission donot exceed the assimilativecapacity of the environment.

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Factors that lead tounsustainability

1. Frontier ethics2. Inefficiency3. Overconsumption4. Linearity5. Fossil fuel dependence

6. Over population

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Sustainable ethic assert that:1. Earth has a limited supply of

resources, not for us all.2. Human are part of nature,

subject to its laws.3. Success stems from efforts to

cooperate with the forces ofnatures.

4. All life depends on maintaining ahealthy, well-functioningecosystem.

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Ecological Concepts:

Ecosystem the basic ecologicalunit which is a community oforganisms within an area wherematter cycles and energy flows.

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Components of the Ecosystem:1. Biotic living components;

plants, animals, microorganisms,bacteria

2. Abiotic nonliving components;air, soil, water, precipitation, etc.that help living organismssurvive.

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Species is made up of the samekind of organisms

Population a group of inhabitantsor individuals of the same speciesin an ecosystem

Diversity number of species in anecosystem

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Biosphere or sphere of life is theportion of earth capable of

supporting life.

Ecological Principles

1. Law of toleranceThe population will thrive in a

given ecosystem if the level ofabiotic factors fall within therange of tolerance applicable toits individuals.

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2. Principle of limiting factorAbiotic factors , physical or

chemical which could limit thegrowth of a population; i.e.temperature, sunlight, amount ofoxygen, or nutrients which couldincrease or decrease thepopulation in an ecosystem.

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Scientific Principles

1. Law of Conservation of Matter

2. Law of Conservation of Energy

3. Second law of energy

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Reasons why earth continues toexist

1. There is a constant supply ofenergy from the sun

2. Matter cycling provides us thenutrients necessary to live

3. Gravity keeps these nutrientswithin our reach.