Environmental Science : The Way the World Works

by Bernard J. Nebel; Richard Wright

• ISBN13: 9780138353315
• ISBN10: 013835331X
• Edition: 6th
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1997-10-01
• Publisher: Prentice Hall Professional Technical Reference

Summary

Organized around the principles of sustainability, this sixth edition explores the interactions of humans with the natural environment. The book probes the environmental issues -- their scientific basis, their history, and the response of societies. In particular, it explores sustainable development and public policy as they shape the present and future. The goal of the book is to enable readers to make a critical evaluation of key issues and put their understanding into practice.

Table of Contents

PART ONE Ecosystems and How They Work	22	(115)
1 Introduction: Environmental Science and Sustainability	3	(20)
2 Ecosystems: Units of Sustainability	23	(28)
3 Ecosystems: How They Work	51	(30)
4 Ecosystems In and Out of Balance	81	(28)
5 Ecosystems: Adapting to Change	109	(28)
PART TWO Finding Balance Among Population, Soil, Water, and Agriculture	137	(156)
6 The Global Human Population Explosion: Causes and Consequences	139	(26)
7 Addressing the Population Problem	165	(22)
8 The Production and Distribution of Food	187	(24)
9 Soil and the Soil Ecosystem	211	(26)
10 Pests and Pest Control	237	(26)
11 Water, the Water Cycle, and Water Management	263	(30)
PART THREE Pollution	293	(162)
12 Sediments, Nutrients, and Eutrophication	295	(26)
13 Sewage Pollution and Rediscovering the Nutrient Cycle	321	(24)
14 Pollution from Hazardous Chemicals	345	(26)
15 Air Pollution and Its Control	371	(28)
16 Major Atmospheric Changes	399	(30)
17 Pollution and Public Policy	429	(26)
PART FOUR Resources: Biota, Refuse, Energy, and Land	455	(174)
18 Wild Species: Biodiversity and Protection	457	(1)
19 Wild Species: Biodiversity and Protection	457	(52)
20 Converting Trash to Resources	509	(20)
21 The Rise (and Fall?) of Fossil Fuels	529	(24)
22 Nuclear Power: Promise and Problems	553	(26)
23 Solar and Other Renewable Energy Sources	579	(26)
24 Lifestyle and Sustainability	605	(24)
ABC Video Case Studies, Volumes II and III	629	(4)
Appendix A -- Environmental Organizations	633	(4)
Appendix B -- Units of Measure	637	(2)
Appendix C -- Some Basic Chemical Concepts	639	(7)
Appendix D -- Science and the Scientific Method	646	(4)
Bibliography and Additional Reading	650	(17)
Glossary	667	(21)
Index	688