RHHGB, Foreward, Preface, Chap.1,2
Reserve Readings #1
See U.N Sustainability Goals
The study of ecosystems
Focusing on the interactions among biotic and abiotic components
A philosophical viewpoint or a religious bias
A political orientation (environmentalism)
A commitment to save the earth
An attitude in opposition to change
Design experiments to test basic assumptions and concepts
Describe the composition of different types of ecosystems
Look at interactions among organisms
Evaluate the impacts of human activities on ecosystems
Study biodiversity and the survival/extinction rates of different organisms
Focus on different aspects of ecosystems
Levels (organisms, populations, communities)
Interactions (predation, parasitism, competition)
Processes (photosynthesis, respiration, transpiration)
Pathways (food chains, biogeochemical cycles, succession)
Locations (aquatic, marine and terrestrial ecosystems; biomes
Sequential processes (biomagnification, developmental disorders)
Geographic transfers (terrestrial to aquatic; watershed to airshed)
Habitat alteration and loss of biodiversity (bleaching of coral reefs; deforestation; desertification)
Biotic potential and carrying capacity; ecological sustainability; optimization
Homeostasis (intricate balance between living creatures and their habitats)
Characterization of biodiversity in the world's ecosystems
Exploring uncharted regions and unique ecosystems
Studying the impacts of "exotic" species that "invade" local environments
Assessing the ecological sustainability of human activities
Linking evolution and ecology
Movement of toxics through environmental pathways
Impact of toxic substances on human health
Ecosystem
Population
Biodiversity
Biomes
Species Interactions
Symbiosis
Predation
Parasitism
Competition
Commensalism
Mutualism
Trophic Dynamics
Food Webs
Photosynthesis
Respiration
Primary Productivity
Biogeochemical Pathways
Range of Tolerance
Limiting Factors
Biomagnification
Interrelatedness
Toxicity
Deforestation
Homeostasis
What is Systems Theory? How does this concept apply to ecology?
What is ecology? What is not ecology?
How do we study ecology?
What is the ecosphere? What does it really mean to think globally?
What are the most compelling global environmental issues?
What do ecologists do?
What are some current trends in ecological research?
What is "natural capital"?
What are some characteristics of "sustainability"?
RHHGB, Chap. 5
Reserve Readings #2 and #3
Team Project - Research Topic Selected
Interconnectedness within ecosystems
Interactions among biotic and abiotic components
Species diversity (kinds of organisms)
Niche concept
Relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem stability
Levels of biological organization (atoms to ecosphere)
Taxonomic categories (scientific nomenclature - naming system)
Linking species and habitats (ecosystem management)
Identifying species in danger
Characterizing native flora and fauna; early warning systems for exotic species
Managing biological control techniques for pest species
Characterize the threats (why it is endangered)
Identify the niche/habitat needs of the species
Determine the human activities affecting the species; identify stakeholders
Use ecosystem management techniques
Educate all parties needed to make the program work well
Bring together biologists, government agencies, business interests, etc.
Global programs for protecting endangered species
Endangered Species Act (U.S. federal law protecting biodiversity)
Stopping the spread of "exotic" species that "invade" local environments
Reducing the threats to rare species; better ecosystem management
Examples of endangered species
Utilizing a systems approach to ecosystem management
POET model
Sustainable living practices
Respect for other species in the natural world
Reuse, recycle, reduce wastes
Energy processes in systems
Types of systems (e.g., mechanical, organizational, life forms, ecoysytems)
Level of biological organization
Ecosystem structure and function (e.g., Food Webs)
Mesocosms in ecological research (e.g., MERL Facility)
Inductive/Deductive Reasoning
Relativistic/Dualistic Thinking (Research of William Perry)
Endangered Species
Population
Biotic Diversity
Habitat Destruction
Species Interactions
Symbiosis
Predation
Food Webs
Trophic Dynamics
Commensalism
Mutualism
Exotic Species
Extinction
Rainforest Destruction
Entropy
Negative Entropy
Homeostasis
Equifinality
Reuse/Recycle
Source Reduction
Conservation
Mesocosms
Ecosphere
Abiotic/Biotic
Herbivore
Carnivore
Decomposer
Why are we so concerned about biotic diversity?
What are some of the stages of environmental awareness?
How can systems thinking help us in developing sustainability?
If not sustainability, then what? Are humans suicidal?
How important are World Environmental conferences?
What are some of the new trends in industry that support the concept of sustainability?
How are equifinality and biodiversity connected?
How would you apply the concept of entropy to species loss?
What are some unusual features about Pfiesteria piscicida?
RHHGB, Chaps. 3,4 (pp.73-82)
Reserve Readings #4A, 4B
Individual Assignment #1 Due
Quiz 1
Trophic pyramid (energy flow through ecosystem) Food Webs
Species interactions and adaptive behavior of organisms (niche concept)
Primary and Secondary Productivity - Photosynthesis and Respiration
Unidirectional energy flow through ecosystem
Ecological succession (e.g., field to forest; pond to field)
Pioneer organisms (e.g., lichens and mosses)
Opportunistic species
Exotic organisms
Study the ecosystem
Identify the niche/habitat needs of all the species
Determine the human activities affecting the region
Use ecosystem management techniques
Educate all parties needed to make the programs work well
Bring together biologists, government agencies, business interests, etc. (stakeholders)
Factors determining biomes (climate, latitude, altitude, rainfall, etc.)
Climax ecosystem - most complex ecosystem which can be supported by the abiotic
factors in the region
Threats to Biomes (e.g., Rainforest Destruction, Desertification, Firewood Crisis, Overpopulation))
Biogeochemical Cycle
Population
Alpine Tundra
Nutrient Recycling
Species Interactions
Oceans
Energy Flow
Trophic Pyramid
Estuaries
Primary Productivity
Mixed Deciduous Forest
Exotic Species
Secondary Productivity
Rainforest Destruction
Coral Reefs
Biomass
Chaparral
Salt Marshes
Taiga
Desert
Rock Pools
Grassland
Tropical Rainforest
Permafrost
Savannah
Arctic Tundra
Rain Shadow
What is an ecosystem? A food web?
How do materials move through ecosystems?
How does biomagnification occur?
What do pesticides and mercury and radionuclides have in common?
What does energy have to do with ecosystems?
What is the POET concept?
RHHGB, Chaps. 6
(See week 3 notes)
What is a biome? A climax ecosystem?
Which biomes have the highest primary productivity?
What are some of the root causes of tropical rainforest destruction?
Why is human population growth considered to be a root cause of global pollution?
How is the carbon cycle related to tropical rainforest destruction?
RHHGB, Chaps. 4 (pp. 58-67), 13
Quiz 2
Team Project - Revised Statement of Purpose Due (Week 5)
Gaseous vs. Sedimentary Cycles
Examples of Biogeochemical Cycles (e.g., carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, water)
Importance of specific nutrients for plants and animals (e.g., nitrates, phosphates)
Unidirectional energy flow through ecosystem
Limiting Factors for population growth (limits of tolerance for each organism)
Pollutants follow nutrient pathways
Biomagnification of toxic chemicals in food chains (e.g., mercury, DDT, radionuclides)
Level of toxicity
Degree & duration of exposure (lethal compounds; debilitating compounds)
Threshold and non-threshold toxicants
Toxicants that circulate through ecosystems (e.g., metals, PCBs, dioxins, pesticides)
Pathogens, mutagens, carcinogens, teratogens
Gaseous
Denitrifying Bacteria
Hormone Disrupters
Sedimentary
Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria
Toxicity
Nitrates
Nitrogen oxides
Radionuclides
Nitrites
Acid Deposition
Sulfur dioxides
Amino Acids
Carbon Fixation
Pesticides
Ammonia
Methyl Mercury
Sulfates
Phosphates
PCBs
Dioxins
Why do we worry about hormone disrupters?
How can we best address the issue of acid precipitation?
Should government flood insurance be used to assist building in flood plains?
Why have rivershed protection programs been so successful in recent years?
RHHGB, Chap. 14,18,21
Reserve Reading #10
Team Project - Project Paper Outline Due (Week 7)
Monoculture encourages growth of pests
Broad use of chemical pesticides
Highly mechanized farms, large acreages, big mortgages
Feedlots for fattening cattle; animal factories
Genetically engineered crops
Fertilizers (runoff leads to eutrophication of waterways)
Insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, rodenticides
Manure disposal; runoff rich in nitrogen (e.g., poultry and hog farms)
Overuse of water in desert areas
Chemicals (natural/synthetic; biodegradable/non-biodegradable)
Thermal loading (associated with electrical generating facilities)
Sewage contamination (pathogens, nutrients, toxics)
Eutrophication (overabundance of nutrients in a waterway)
Biological Agents (exotic and invasive species; infectious agents)
Salts (salination)
Erosion and sedimentation
Point and Non-point Source pollution
Point Sources include sewers, industrial discharges, street drains, combined sewer outfalls
Non-point Sources include stormwater runoff, agricultural runoff, road runoff, ISDS units, landfill drainage, erosion & sedimentation processes
Centralized treatment plant combined with sewer lines (POTW)
Areawide collection system (sewers)
Usually municipal or county operation
Comprised of primary (settling tanks), secondary (aeration), & tertiary treatment (sand filtration)
Expensive to build and maintain
ISDS (on-site treatment; common in rural and suburban areas)
Components: septic tank, leach field, sometimes a denitrification unit
Effectiveness dependent on soils, slope, age, usage
Recommended 2-acre zoning (1 building/2 acres)
Major source of non-point source pollution
Chemical or biological processing
Bioactive system based on degradation by microbial organisms (may be aerobic or anaerobic degradation)
Composting toilets (widely used in Scandinavia & other parts of Europe)
High organic content; most contamination in first few hours of storm
Contains auto pollutants, pet wastes, waste oil, industrial pavement runoff
May have toxic components (as much BOD loading as household sewage)
Combined sewers in old cities (mix sanitary sewage with street runoff); called CSO
Thermal Effluents (heated water from electrical power plants and industries)
Toxic Chemicals (e.g., treatment lagoons, injection wells, groundwater contamination)
Industrial Discharges (require an NPDES permit - National Pollution Discharge Elimination Permit, according to Clean Water Act)
BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand) and DO (Dissolved Oxygen)
Nitrates (NO3) and Phosphates (PO4) - act as fertilizers, cause eutrophication
Salinity and Chlorinity (test for salts)
Light transmittance
Conductivity (indirect measure of dissolved substances in water)
Coliforms (measure of bacteria common to sewage)
Specific chemicals (including inorganic chemicals like Hg, Pb, Cd; and organic chemicals like petroleum HCNs, VOCs, PCBs, etc.)
Clean Water Act
Original passage - 1970; amended many times, approximately every 7 years
Contains provisions for Water Quality Standards, NPDES Permits, Sewer Construction Grants, Sect. 208 Public Participation, Rivershed Planning
Initial focus on point source pollution; later on non-point source pollution
Safe Drinking Water Act (focus on drinking water quality & protection)
RCRA (Resource Conservation & Recovery Act) - focus on managing solid wastes
TOSCA (Toxic Substances Control Act) - focus on preventing exposure to toxics
State Laws (wetlands protection, aquifer management; drinking water quality and quantity)
Natural drainage sites (absorb flood waters, prevent erosion)
Swamps, marshes, bogs, and estuaries (associated with ponds, lakes, streams, rivers and coastal areas)
State laws and agencies provide greatest protection
Important habitat areas; characterized by high biodiversity
Protection of "vernal pools" in Massachusetts and Rhode Island
Wetlands often protect underground aquifers (via groundwater recharge zones)
Source of inspiration for poets and writers (see Rivers Project)
Need to be better protected, especially "wild rivers"
Linked to population centers (often used for waste disposal)
Mixed use areas (uses may be in conflict); Riparian rights
Often subject to flooding (use of 100-Year Floodplain concept)
Best managed by watershed approach
Linkage of drinking water and sewage (rates are connected as well)
Quality issues (aquifers & reservoirs, drinking water quality criteria)
Quantity issues (aquifer recharge, drought effects, overconsumption, long range planning)
Cost savings associated with conservation (water purchase, electricity for pumping and heating, sewage treatment, supply management)
Water conservation technology (low-flow toilets, showers and faucets)
Aerobic/Anaerobic
Aquifer
Biodegradable
BOD
Clean Water Act
Coliforms
CSOs
DO
Effluent
Eutrophication
Exotic Species
Feedlots
HCNs
100-Year Floodplain
Nitrates
Non-Point Source Pollution
NPDES Permit
Pathogen
Point-Source Pollution
Phosphates
Primary Sewage Treatment
RCRA
Reservoir
Riparian Rights
Safe Drinking Water Act
Salinity
Secondary Sewage Treatment
Sect. 208 Public Participation
Septic Tank
Thermal Effluent
Vernal Pool
Watershed
Wetlands
How is the Pfeisteria piscicida problem related to coastal land use?
How can we afford to upgrade our sewage treatment facilities, especially in developing nations?
When an aquifer becomes contaminated, who should pay for the damage?
Is the U.S. food supply contaminated? How does globalism affect this situation?
What are some of the major problems associated with widespread pesticide use?
Can Integrated Pest Management techniques solve our pesticide problems?
Have pesticides entered the human food supply?
Why do we try to protect wetlands? How can we resolve land use conflicts?
What are some of the common threats to wetlands? How can we change mindsets?
Why don't we protect all wetlands?
(See week 5)
(See week 5)
Phases of water cycle (precipitation, evaporation, transpiration, etc.)
Aquatic and marine environments
Protection of aquatic environments (wetlands, coastal estuaries)
Reduction of oceanic pollution
Protecting marine biodiversity
Preserving coral reef communities
Transpiration
Stormwater Runoff
Wetlands Protection
Swamp
Bog
Freshwater Marsh
Aquifer
100-Year Floodplain
Lotic/Lentic Waters
Estuaries
Littoral Zone
Planktonic Region
Benthic Region
Pelagic Zone
Coral Reefs
Barrier Beaches
Precipitation
Wetlands
Phytoplankton
Zooplankton
Coastal Pond
Rock Pools
Coastal Zone Mgmt.
Aquifer Recharge
Why is non-point source water pollution so difficult to manage?
If there is so much water on the earth, why do we have drinking water problems?
How can we tackle the cleanup of drinking water supplies in developing nations?
Does nature ever contribute its own pollutants to drinking water? Examples?
§ Read assigned chapters in Textbook, for Weeks 1-7 (Chaps. 1,2,3,4,5,6,13,21)
§ Read assigned Reserve Readings (#1, 3) - Available on Canvas - Reserve Readings
§ Become familiar with terms associated with each week's general lecture outline (Weeks 1-6)
§ See links above on each topical outline
§ EXAMPLE - http://web.bryant.edu/~langlois/ecology/ecolecture1.htm
§ Be familiar with the Focus Questions for each week (Weeks 1-6)
§ Mixture of different types of questions (multiple choice, matching, T/F, short answer discussion questions, IDs)
§ Approximately 70 objective questions; about 5-6 short-answer questions
§ Emphasis on understanding concepts and applying examples
§ Even coverage of all topics (no particular emphasis)
§ About 1/2 from textbook, films, and readings; 1/2 from classroom/websites/lecture/discussion)
§ Question/Answer session with Professor can be arranged by Zoom (upon specific request).
§ Complexity of Environmental Decision Making
§ Systems Theory and Application to Ecosystem Analysis (Recorded Lecture)
§ (including effects of entropy and energy needs for systems)
§ Levels of Biological Organization
§ Ecosystem Dynamics (food webs, trophic interactions, photosynthesis, respiration)
§ Biogeochemical Cycles (carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, mercury, radionuclides) (See "Course Notes" - Week 5)
§ Hydrologic Cycle, Wetlands, Water Pollution, Sewage Treatment (See "Course Notes" - Week 7)
§ Biodiversity & Ecological Sustainability
§ Infrastructure Management (resource issues, stakeholders, short-term vs. long-term benefits, etc.)
§ Natural Capitalism (financial, infrastructure, human and natural capital)
§ Studies of Arctic impacts from Climate Change
§ Effects of Climate Change on Coastal Shorelines
§ Global Pollution Problems
§ Acid Precipitation
§ Sustainability
§ B.O.D.
§ Camouflage
§ Carbon fixation
§ Chernobyl
§ Coral bleaching
§ Detritovores
§ Ecological Succession - Bryant example
§ Energy Needs of Systems
§ Eutrophication
§ Evaporation
§ Exotic Species (Invasive Species)
§ Greenhouse Gases (GHGs)
§ Highly Developed Countries (HDC) and Less Developed Countries (LDC)
§ Impacts of Population Growth on the Earth's Resources
§ IPAT Model
§ Infrastructure (focus on U.S.)
§ I.S.D.S. (sewage treatment)
§ Keystone Species
§ Limits of Tolerance
§ Metasequoia
§ Methane
§ Methyl Mercury
§ Metasequoia
§ Niche Concept
§ Organic Compound
§ Pioneer Organisms
§ POET Model
§ Transpiration
§ Radionuclides
§ Scientific Method and Scientific Journal Publication Process
§ Sustainability
§ Synergistic effect
§ Trickling Filter - Sewage Treatment
RHHGB, Chap. 22,23
Reserve Reading #9
Team Project - Research Protocols Due (Wk. 8)
Concentration, dose levels, chronic vs. acute exposure, LD-50's
Type of toxicant (chemical/biological; carcinogens, mutagens, teratogens, radioactive compounds, pathogens)
Synthetic versus biodegradable chemicals
Risk Assessment techniques (estimating risk before exposure)
Communication between toxicologists, physicians, ecologists, chemists, etc. (IRM Model)
Pathways of dispersal in the environment (biogeochemical cycles)
Biomagnification of toxic chemicals in food chains (e.g., mercury, DDT, radionuclides)
Waterborne pollutants (e.g., dioxins, chlorinated HCNs, metals, Gonyaulax, Pfeisteria)
Soil contaminants (e.g., petroleum byproducts, mining byproducts, industrial chemicals, pesticides, organic solvents, radioisotopes)
Degree & duration of exposure (lethal compounds; debilitating compounds; larval sensitivity; dosage to body size, e.g. children vs. adults)
Threshold and non-threshold toxicants
Naturally occurring toxics that circulate through ecosystems (e.g., arsenic, radon, oil seeps, biologic agents)
Environmental Outrage in the 1970s (led to passage of powerful U.S. laws)
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act - RCRA
Regulates waste disposal of all types, including landfills, incineration, recycling, etc.
Characterized by its "cradle to grave" tracking of toxic wastes and
Emphsizes proper management of solid wastes (source reduction; recycling)
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)
Also known as the Superfund Act
Elaborate law designed to oversee cleanup of past contamination
Funded by fines collected from polluters or "responsible parties," along with taxes on industrial corporations
Based on the assumption that the "polluter must pay" and pay more when not cooperative with EPA
The worst sites are rated on the "National Priority List" or NPL
Early stages of cleanup are a remediation investigation and feasibility study (RIFS)
Many critics see the law as too cumbersome or too slow in cleaning up sites
Other Laws that Regulate Toxics
Clean Water Act (regulates sewage wastes; grants NPDES permits regulating release of pollutants into public waterways)
Safe Drinking Water Act (regulates groundwater wells, aquifers and reservoirs)
Oil Spill Protection Act (regulates cleanup of oil spills; sets liabibility and penalties)
Pesticide control laws
Federal and State Agencies which Implement these Laws
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) - broad oversight powers
State Environmental Protection Agencies (e.g., R.I. Department of Environmental Management - RIDEM)
U.S. Department of Energy - DOE (oversight of energy industries)
Nuclear Regulatory Agency - NRC (oversight of the nuclear energy industry)
U.S. Department of the Interior (regulates leases of public lands, including mining and forestry sites)
Toxicity
PCBs
Waste Manifest
Threshhold
Radionuclides
NPDES Permit
Carcinogen
Radon
Treble Damages
Mutagen
Hormone Disrupters
NPL
Teratogen
LD-50
USEPA
Risk Assessment
Methyl Mercury
RIFS
IRM Model
RCRA
RIDEM
Dioxins
CERCLA
Chernobyl
Pesticides
Cradle to Grave Tracking
Thyroid Cancer
Childhood Leukemia
Acute vs. Chronic Exposure
Sulfur Dioxide
Nitrogen oxides
Carbon Dioxide
PANs
Methane
CFCs
Greenhouse Gases
Stratospheric OzoneDepletion
NAAQS
SIPs
NRC
Three Mile Island Accident
Bhopal Chemical Accident
How do toxics get into the environment? Why is this allowed?
What are some of the special toxic problems confronting Belarus and other Newly Independent States formed after the breakup of the Soviet Union?
What are some of the differences between the CERCLA (Superfund) and the RCRA federal laws that regulate toxics in the U.S.?
Who should pay for past damages to the environment? (CERCLA establishes that the "polluter must pay" but industrial corporations suggest the "people should pay.") Who is right?
RHHGB, Chap. 17
Team Project - Draft Web Page Due (Week 10)
Growth & Resources
Effects of Crowding
Growth = change in numbers over time
Lag period, preparing for rapid growth
Geometric increase (doubling)
Deceleration, slowing of growth rate
Stablilization with carrying capacity or...
Overshoot of carrying capacity
J-curves or S-curves (illustrations)
"Population Bomb" of human population
More pronounced in developing nations
Can result in extreme poverty, malnutrition, and even starvation
Usually produces crowding, higher infant mortality, and lowered disease resistance
May be linked to insufficient infrastructure
Natality Rate (birth rate) - varies according to species, may be affected by extrinsic factors
Mortality Rate (death rate) - varies by species, and strongly affected by extrinsic factors
Immigration/Emigration Rate - higher in animal populations
Size of population - measured by Growth Rate (change in numbers over a given time interval
Growth Rate = Birth Rate + Immigration - Death Rate - Emigration Rate
Growth Rates for human populations are increasing at a slower pace (populations are still growing)
Younger mothers make population grow faster (illustration)
Delay of births slows population growth
Three groups in any population (illustration)
Pre-Reproductive
Reproductive
Post-Reproductive
Based on tracking the number of survivors within a given size population (illustrations)
Type I Survivorship = population survives for most of life expectancy (large animals)
Type II Survivorship = relatively even death rates during life span (many birds)
Type III Survivorship = high infant mortality (insects)
Correlations with economic growth
Source and type of food and water supply
Fossil fuel energy consumed
Per capita income
Type and availability of housing
Role of women in taking charge of their own reproductive destiny
Role of World Health Organization (WHO) - Population Growth and Health Implications
Carrying Capacity
J-Curves
S-Curves
World Health Organization (WHO)
Natality Rate
Mortality Rate
Immigration
Emigration
Growth Rates
Pre-Reproductive
Reproductive
Post-Reproductive
Type I, II, III Survivorship
What is the "carrying capacity" for the world's human population?
What are the best techniques for instituting population controls in crowded, developing nations? Will a "technological fix" work?
What role are women assuming in population control worldwide?
What are some of the most crowded nations? In these cases, is the problem a cultural or economic one?
RHHGB, Chap. 8,9
Quiz 4
Construction of buildings for residential use
Transportation network (streets, roads, parking lots, airports, railway lines, etc.)
Commercial sites (malls, distribution centers, mail & delivery centers, restaurants, colleges & universities, hospitals, carwash and gas stations, etc.)
Recreational development (parks, sports arenas, marinas, ballfields, playgrounds, etc.)
Industrial Parks (factories, assembly facilities, mining, etc.)
Infrastructural facilties (drinking water purification, sewage treatment, electricity production, telephone services, schools, lawn & garden maintenance, etc.)
Effects on drinking water (quantity and quality; excessive use and wastage may result in inadequate supply; groundwater and surface water reservoirs may become contaminated)
Destruction of habitats (altered or destroyed wetlands, reduced biodiversity in forests, marshes, lakes, oceans, and tundra; introduction of alien or "exotic" species; damage to vernal pools; etc.
Introduction of toxic chemicals into ecosystems (mercury, pesticides, dioxins, PCBs, and others)
Reduction of open space (a lowered quality of life for people; reduced capability of ecosystems to recover from perturbances, natural and human-based; loss of wilderness experience)
Local zoning ordinances (limit density, protect drinking water, provide balance in municipal growth)
Land Trusts (used to procure and set aside public lands)
Community and Urban Planning (Crafting of "Comprehensive Plans" to guide growth within a community for 5 to 10 year periods; assure input from many stakeholders within the public; provides tools for managing the necessary infrastructure changes that are needed, such as roads, schools, draining systems, policy & fire services, etc.)
GIS Mapping (Geographic Information Systems, which are computerized mapping tools for showing where resources are located, and for projecting how much growth is likely to take place, and noting where the strongest impacts will be experienced)
Comprehensive Plan
Infrastructure
Biomagnification
Habitat Protection
Stormwater Runoff
Land Trust
Who should decide land use policies?
What are some of the problems of urban crowding?
How can community planning efforts help to encourage consensus among potential land use advocates? What role do banks and realtors play?
How is land use associated with "environmental justice"?
How can GIS techniques help in these issues?
RHHGB, Chap. 10,11,12
Reserve Reading #12
Optional TakeHome Quiz 5 (Toxics/Air Quality)
Team Project - Draft Paper Due (Week 12)
Fossil Fuel Dependency
Complexity of Nuclear-Generated Electricity
Environmental Effects of Each Energy Source
Renewable Energy Choices
Energy Conservation
Fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas, shale oil, tar sands, peat)
Renewables (solar, wind, hydropower, tidal power, geothermal, etc.)
Nuclear power (used to produce electricity)
Energy conservation practices (makes energy supply last longer)
Petroleum, Natural Gas, Coal, Oil Shale (Kerogen), Tar Sands
Formed from organisms of the past
Carbon-based fuels (produce carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides)
Petroleum products important, including feedstock chemicals
Hydropower (waterfalls, dams, tidal power, pumped water storage)
Solar power (passive solar design, active solar collectors, photovoltaics)
Geothermal applications (steam supply, steam generation, direct heating)
Wind power (wind turbines)
Biomass conversion & “waste-to-energy"
Uranium fuel in reactor produces heat
Electrical generating plant based on steam production
Produces radioactive waste (includes plutonium, strontium, and iodine)
Reactors need extensive safety redundancy (high cost; difficult siting)
Accidents like Chernobyl scare consumers
Electrical production can use any fuel that will heat water (change to steam)
Widely used in industrial, commercial and residential sectors
Steam turbine, electrical generator, transformer, grid distribution to users
Associated with chemical and thermal pollution
Improved energy efficiency gains
Can be practiced across the socio-economic spectrum
Industrial/Commercial Sector - pumps, motors, automatic controls, light trucks, JIT
Residential Sector - Insulation, improve-ments in appliances
Strongly endorsed by utilities
Match energy supplies with demand - e.g., peak load management
Improve energy efficiency, reduce waste (extends supply, reduces pollution)
Internalize the real costs of maintaining a given energy source (fuel cycle costing)
Switch to renewables whenever possible
Fossil Fuels
Wind Turbines
Greenhouse Gases
Kerogen
Radionuclides
Sulfur dioxide
Geothermal Energy
Plutonium
Nitrogen oxides
Active Solar Power
Transmission Grid
Fuel Cycle Costing
Passive Solar Power
EMFs
Electrical Grid
Why are the fossil fuel industries so powerful? How can we move toward more ecologically sustainable energy technologies?
Why don't we utilize more solar energy applications?
Is geothermal energy available in Rhode Island? Where? How?
How much energy could be saved in the U.S. by better energy conservation? What role does entropy play? How can we change well established mindsets?
RHHGB, Chap. 19,20
Quiz 3
Team Project - Draft Research Findings Due (Wk. 9)
Sources
Paths
Effects
Air Pollution
Emissions are greater in urban areas
High traffic volume is associated with production of nitrogen oxides
Heating fuels generate high levels of sulfur dioxides
Primary pollutants/Secondary pollutants
Particulates/PANS/Ozone/VOCs
Pollutants & Effects
Carbon Dioxide - Global Warming
Sulfur Dioxides - Acid Deposition
Nitrogen Oxides - Acid Deposition
Hydrocarbons (HCNs) - Photochemicals
VOCs (volatile) - Health effects
PANs - Health effects
Particulates - Respiratory Damage
Toxics (CO, metals) - Health Damage; Death
Sources of Air Pollutants (U.S.) - Industrial, Transportation, Residential
Effects on Organisms
Causes or enhances respiratory disease
Interrupts life cycles of aquatic animals, especially larval forms
Leaches out aluminum and other toxics from soils; may enter drinking water
Soil acidification
Reduces plant growth; blocks photosynthesis
Damage to roots, leaves, and bark of trees
Enhances plant susceptibility to disease and parasites
Sources of Air Pollutants
Interaction of Air Pollutants
Synergist Effects - Atmospheric interaction of air pollutants (formation of photochemicals)
Clean Air Act
Initially passed by Congress in 1970
Reauthorized and Amended in 1977 & 1990 (most recent)
Currently attempting to address mobile emissions, acid gases, particulates, and toxics
Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)
Emission Controls
State Implementation Plans (SIPS)
Pollution Allowances for sulfur dioxide (traded at the Chicago Board of Trade)
Global Atmospheric Problems
Acid Deposition (release of acid gases into the hydrologic cycle)
Global Warming (buildup of greenhouse gases, primarily linked with fossil fuels and methane)
Stratospheric Ozone Depletion (release of CFCs - chlorofluorocarbons and nitrogen oxides which rise to the stratosphere)
Is the air an example of a "global commons?" How does this affect air quality management?
Why is it so difficult to manage acid deposition problems?
What do we mean by secondary air pollutants?
Why don't we want ozone in the lower atmosphere?
Why were the most recent Clean Air Act Amendments so controversial?
Team Research Project - Presentation (Week 13)
Final Paper Due
Created to address one or more environmental issues
Act as a "lobby" speaking for the protection of the environment before Congress,
State Legislatures, and local councils and boards
Strong education component for informing the public about environmental problems
Usually have a specific focus and relatively narrow agenda
Examples:
National Audubon Society was set up to protect bird habitat and organize tours for birdwatching
Nature Conservancy is dedicated to purchasing/receiving lands to be preserved and/or managed for their environmental value
Sierra Club focuses on lands in the Western U.S.
Greenpeace takes more provocative and challenging positions, for example, speaking out about overfishing, whaling, etc.)
These organizations seldom have a dedicated source of income, and must depend upon the public's support
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) (administers environmental laws)
U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE) (fosters development of renewable energy)
U.S. Department of Interior (manages federal lands - determines mining & forestry leases)
National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA) - (tracks weather & climate)
U.S. Parks Service (manages national parks)
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (manages all nuclear power in the U.S.)
Army Corps of Engineers (cleans up all military pollution; oversees rivers)
State Departments & Agencies (e.g., R.I. Dept. of Environment Management)
Local Zoning Commissions or Boards
Local Conservation Commissions
Local Planning Boards
Stay informed about environmental issues and resource protection
Speak out about what needs to be changed or protected (write letters and emails)
Join environmental organizations or sustainability initiatives
Bryant University Sustainability Plan - https://www.bryant.edu/about/sustainability/
Seek and accept appointments to local boards and commissions
Run for political office
What can YOU do to make a difference?
What organizations work to protect the environment?
How do you contact government agencies?
Do public/private partnerships work? For which stakeholders?
How can we improve conflict resolution? Does an angry public signal a breakdown in public policy?
What are the main NGOs protecting the environment? In the U.S.?
In other Western nations? Other places?
What about a career in environmental management?
RHHGB, Chap. 24, Selected Readings
Connecticut River
Woonasquatucket River
Wood-Pawcatuck River
Gaytha A. Langlois, Ph.D.
Material to be Included
WEEKS 7,8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 from course outline (see topics listed below)
(Helpful information in chapters 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24) - Use chapters to track down topics listed below.
Reserve Readings #3,9 are included - read 2 "chapters" (i.e., stories) in Reading #9 - see link below
CANVAS - Reserve Readings ("Modules" folder - Week 12)
https://web.bryant.edu/~langlois/ecology/ecoreserve.htm
See posted lecture notes and weekly topic outlines on course website if you find them useful:
https://web.bryant.edu/~langlois/ecology/ecocourseoutline.htm
PowerPoint lectures on CANVAS - Course Documents (Lectures 7,8,9,10) - Discussions on energy systems (fossil fuels, nuclear reactors, renewable energy options).
Team Research Presentations - Links to team websites will be posted on CANVAS (Modules, Week 13)
Please review the "Learning Outcomes" listed on your Course Guidelines (posted on Canvas in the Syllabus folder)
New Material (75%)
Land and Water Use Issues (green building practices, drinking water contamination, eutrophication of public waterways, infrastructure costs, managing climate change impacts, sustainable practices, Zoning Issues, Smart Cities, etc.) - Know details about the Exeter, RI Greenhouse Project; see Federal Flood Management tools - https://dashboard.waterdata.usgs.gov/app/nwd/?aoi=default
Energy Issues (renewable energy possibilities; challenges of managing nuclear energy; dangers of radionuclides; loss of coolant accidents; core meltdowns, nuclear accidents at Chernobyl, Ukraine and Fukushima, Japan--see Reserve Reading - "Trace of the Black Wind" - Modules - Week 12)
Global environmental issues (e.g., deforestation, toxic wastes, biodiversity losses, human overpopulation, stratospheric ozone depletion, climate change, water shortages worldwide)
Waste management problems (types of environmental and health hazards, materials management techniques, reuse and recycling, toxic waste disposal, federal environmental laws - RCRA and CERCLA)
Population Growth Patterns (natality and mortality rates, growth rates, immigration/emigration, J-curves and S-curves, survivorship curves, age structure, carrying capacity) - Overview for Take-Home Question
Organisms: (why?) Polar Bears, Zooxanthellae, Metasequoia, Acropora, Porpostoma)
Important locations (Chernobyl, Ukraine; Minamata Bay, Japan; Love Canal, Niagara Falls, NY; Da'Ishi Reactor Site, Fukushima, Japan, Bhopal, India)
Team Research Presentations (see web sites for details); links available on CANVAS (Modules - Week 13)
Coral Reef Problems (values of reefs, causes of damage, how we study reefs; research techniques, causes and impacts of coral bleaching, hard vs. soft corals, possible solutions for saving reefs)
Climate Change Issues (polar regions and cryosphere, equatorial regions, sea level, climate change, changes in rainfall patterns, increased intensity of storms, IPCC, COP26)
Legal Framework for Environmental Protection (U.S. Agencies - EPA; NRC; NOAA) - (States - Know the name of your state's, or country's environmental agency); Federal Laws - NEPA; Clean Water Act; Clean Air Act; Safe Drinking Water Act; CERCLA; RCRA; Coastal Zone Management Act - Mostly passed by Congress in the 1970s and 1980s)
Review Material (25%)
Definition of an ecosystem (trophic structure; types of ecosystems - terrestrial, marine, aquatic, estuarine)
Biogeochemical cycles (carbon, nitrogen, and water)
Biomagnification of chemicals in the environment (e.g., pesticides, mercury, chlorinated hydrocarbons, radionuclides)
Biodiversity (species diversity; population interactions; keystone species, exotic / invasive species)
Sustainability (natural capitalism, energy conservation, recycling, green building practices, Bryant's sustainability plan, U.N Sustainable Development Goals-SDGs) - See Modules - Week 2 for Sustainable Development Goals
Ecological succession (role of pioneer plants like lichens and mosses)
Major Biome Types (deserts, tropical rainforests, mixed deciduous forests, tundra, grasslands)
Wetlands Protection (importance of wetlands, types of wetlands, international protection of wetlands, RAMSAR Convention - international agreement in U.N.)
Distinguish between overall processes of Photosynthesis and Respiration
Conservation Biology (Endangered Species Act, green corridors, international conservation programs, protection programs for whooping cranes, Giant Panda, Metasequoia)
REQUIRED TAKE-HOME QUESTION - PREPARE ON WORD PROCESSOR AND SUBMIT ON CANVAS BY DUE DATE:
Complete the question on word processor (20 points) - Entire exam is 200 points (20/200 for Take-Home Question.
Limit - 2 pages
(Submit a word-processed copy of this question on CANVAS by end of day, December 19th)
(1) Choose a country with a high density population and low economic development; then describe the following parameters: l
(a) location of the country,
(b) current population size, growth rate of population,
(c) "doubling time" for the population,
(d) current attempts to reduce or manage population growth;
(e) any other factors affecting population growth or population management.
Include an "age distribution diagram" for that country (one helpful website is listed below, but you might find the information elsewhere as well). See textbook Chapter 9 on Human Population and Lecture #17 for overview.
How do you think the age distribution will affect the likelihood of a successful population growth management program for that nation?
Limit your discussion, not to exceed two pages.