Natural Resource Conservation : Management for a Sustainable Future

by Chiras, Daniel D.; Reganold, John P.; Owen, Oliver S.

• ISBN13: 9780131458321
• ISBN10: 0131458329
• Edition: 9th
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2005-01-01
• Publisher: Pearson College Div

Summary

For introductory-level, undergraduate courses in natural resource conservation, natural resource management, environmental science, and environmental conservation.This comprehensive text provides the ecological principles, policies, and practices to manage a sustainable future. It emphasizes practical, cost-effective, sustainable solutions to these problems that make sense from social, economic, and environmental perspectives.

Table of Contents

Preface	viii
Acknowledgments	xi
Biographies	xii
Natural Resource Conservation and Management: Past, Present, and Future	1	(23)
A Crisis on Planet Earth?	1	(2)
Differing Viewpoints: Are We on a Sustainable Course?	3	(3)
A Brief History of the Resource Conservation, Environmental, and Sustainability Movements	6	(5)
Case Study 1.1 The Earth Summit and Beyond	10	(1)
Classification of Natural Resources	11	(1)
Approaches to Natural Resource Management	12	(3)
Changing Realities: The Nemesis Effect	15	(1)
New Tools for Resource Management: Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing	16	(3)
Risk and Risk Assessment	19	(1)
The Environment and You: The Importance of Citizen Action	20	(4)
Economics, Ethics, and Critical Thinking: Tools for Creating a Sustainable Future	24	(23)
Ethics in Resource Conservation 2.1 Ethics Versus Economics?	25	(1)
Understanding Economics	26	(4)
Creating a Sustainable Economy	30	(6)
Toward Sustainable Ethics	36	(11)
Case Study 2.1 Geographic Information Systems and Environmental Justice	39	(8)
Lessons From Ecology	47	(37)
Levels of Organization	47	(2)
Scientific Principles Relevant to Ecology	49	(3)
The Flow of Energy Through Ecosystems	52	(12)
Principles of Ecology	64	(9)
The Biomes	73	(6)
Case Study 3.1 Life Returns to Mount St. Helens: A Dramatic Example of Succession	74	(5)
Ecology and Sustainability	79	(5)
The Human Population Challenge	84	(19)
Understanding Populations and Population Growth	85	(6)
The Impact of Overpopulation	91	(2)
Population Growth in the More Developed Nations: A Closer Look	93	(1)
Ethics in Resource Conservation 4.1 Is Reproduction a Personal Right?	94	(1)
Population Growth in the Less Developed Nations: A Closer Look	94	(1)
Controlling the Growth of the World's Population	95	(3)
Human Population and the Earth's Carrying Capacity	98	(5)
Case Study 4.1 China: One of Family Planning's Success Stories?	99	(4)
World Hunger: Solving the Problem Sustainably	103	(17)
World Hunger: Dimensions of the Problem	103	(3)
Increasing Food Supplies Sustainably: An Overview	106	(10)
Ethics in Resource Conservation 5.1 Feeding People or Controlling Population Growth?	107	(9)
Poverty, Conflict, and Free Trade	116	(4)
The Nature of Soils	120	(18)
Value of Soil	120	(1)
Characteristics of Soil	120	(7)
Soil Formation	127	(3)
The Soil Profile	130	(1)
Soil Classification	131	(7)
Soil Conservation and Sustainable Agriculture	138	(27)
The Nature of Soil Erosion	138	(2)
The Dust Bowl	140	(2)
The Shelterbelt Program	142	(1)
Soil Erosion Today	143	(2)
Factors Affecting the Rate of Soil Erosion by Water	145	(1)
Controlling Soil Erosion by Water	146	(7)
Case Study 7.1 A 100-Year Study of the Effects of Cropping on Soil Erosion	147	(4)
A Closer Look 7.1 The Universal Soil Loss Equation	151	(2)
Alternative Agriculture	153	(3)
Sustainable Agriculture	156	(9)
GIS and Remote Sensing GIS, Remote Sensing, and Precision Farming	161	(4)
Integrated Pest Management	165	(24)
Where Do Pests Come From?	165	(2)
Types of Chemical Pesticides: A Historical Perspective	167	(1)
How Effective Are Pesticides?	168	(4)
How Hazardous Are Pesticides?	172	(5)
Are Pesticides Adequately Regulated?	177	(1)
Sustainable Pest Control	178	(11)
GIS and Remote Sensing Using Satellite Remote Sensing to Detect Pest Damage in Forests	179	(10)
Aquatic Environments	189	(33)
Wetlands	189	(8)
The Lake Ecosystem	197	(4)
The Stream Ecosystem	201	(2)
The Coastal Environment	203	(11)
The Ocean	214	(8)
Managing Water Resources Sustainably	222	(29)
The Water Cycle	223	(3)
Flooding: Problems and Solutions	226	(11)
Case Study 10.1 The Great Mississippi Flood of 1993	231	(1)
GIS and Remote Sensing GIS Aids Snow Monitoring and Modeling at the National Weather Service	232	(5)
Water Shortages: Issues and Solutions	237	(5)
Irrigation: Issues and Solutions	242	(9)
Water Pollution	251	(47)
Types of Water Pollution	251	(2)
Major Pollutants, Prevention, and Control	253	(21)
Case Study 11.1 The Zebra Mussel: A Water Contaminant from Europe	265	(9)
Sewage Treatment and Disposal	274	(10)
Case Study 11.2 Invisible Threat: Toxic Chemicals in the Great Lakes	277	(7)
Legislating Water Pollution Control	284	(2)
Pollution of Oceans	286	(7)
A World View of Water Pollution	293	(5)
Fisheries Conservation	298	(42)
Freshwater Fisheries	299	(1)
Environmental Limitations to the Reproductive Potential of Freshwater Fish	300	(11)
Case Study 12.1 The Sea Lamprey---Scourge of the Great Lakes	308	(3)
Sustainable Freshwater Fisheries Management	311	(13)
Case Study 12.2 Rebuilding Fish and Wildlife Populations on the Columbia River Drainage System	312	(4)
A Closer Look 12.1 Salmon Fever in the Great Lakes	316	(8)
Marine Fisheries	324	(2)
Problems Facing Marine Fisheries	326	(4)
Sustainable Marine Fisheries Management	330	(3)
Aquaculture	333	(7)
Rangeland Management	340	(25)
Ecology of Rangelands	340	(8)
A Closer Look 13.1 Prairie Restoration and the National Grasslands Story	342	(5)
A Closer Look 13.2 Causes of Desertification	347	(1)
Brief History of Range Use in the United States	348	(2)
Rangeland Resources and Condition	350	(5)
A Closer Look 13.3 Range Wars: Ranchers Versus Environmentalists	354	(1)
Range Management	355	(10)
Case Study 13.1 Methods of Coyote Control	361	(4)
Forest Management	365	(35)
Forest Ownership	365	(1)
The U.S. Forest Service	366	(3)
Harvesting Trees	369	(6)
A Closer Look 14.1 The Monoculture Controversy	371	(4)
Reforestation	375	(2)
A Closer Look 14.2 Genetic Engineering: The Key to Tomorrow's Superforests?	377	(1)
Control of Forest Pests	377	(3)
Fire Management	380	(4)
A Closer Look 14.3 Controlling Insect Outbreaks with Heterotypes	381	(3)
Meeting Future Timber Demands Sustainably	384	(1)
Preserving Wilderness	385	(2)
A Closer Look 14.4 Forest Conservation by Efficient Utilization	386	(1)
Protecting Natural Resources: National Parks	387	(5)
A Closer Look 14.5 The Wilderness Controversy	388	(4)
Reversing Tropical Deforestation	392	(8)
Plant and Animal Extinction	400	(20)
Extinction: Eroding the Earth's Biological Diversity	401	(1)
Causes of Extinction	402	(10)
Case Study 15.1 Dam Versus Darter: A Classic Confrontation	403	(2)
Case Study 15.2 The Passenger Pigeon: The Many Causes of Extinction	405	(4)
GIS and Remote Sensing Mapping Noxious Weeds with GIS	409	(2)
Ethics in Resource management 15.1 Do Other Species Have a Right to Exist?	411	(1)
Methods of Preventing Extinction	412	(3)
The Endangered Species Act	415	(5)
Wildlife Management	420	(29)
Wildlife	420	(3)
Types of Animal Movements	423	(1)
Mortality Factors	424	(6)
Wildlife Management	430	(7)
A Closer Look 16.1 The Hunting Controversy	431	(6)
Regulating Populations	437	(8)
Case Study 16.1 The Everglades: Water Troubles in a Wildlife Paradise	441	(4)
Ethics in Resource Conservation 16.1 To Kill or Not to Kill?	445	(1)
Nongame Wildlife	445	(4)
Sustainable Waste Management	449	(24)
Municipal Waste: Tapping a Wasted Resource	449	(2)
Managing Our Municipal Solid Wastes Sustainably	451	(7)
Ethics in Resource Conservation 17.1 Do We Have an Obligation to Future Generations?	452	(6)
Waste Disposal: The Final Option	458	(2)
Hazardous Wastes	460	(13)
Case Study 17.1 The Chemical Time Bomb at Love Canal	461	(7)
Case Study 17.2 Exporting Toxic Troubles	468	(5)
Air Pollution	473	(29)
Pollution of the Atmosphere	473	(2)
Major Atmospheric Pollutants	475	(5)
A Closer Look 18.1 The Clean Air Act	477	(3)
Factors Affecting Air Pollution Concentrations	480	(3)
Effects of Air Pollution on Local Climate	483	(1)
Effects of Air Pollution on Human Health	483	(4)
Case Study 18.1 Asbestos: The Dangers of a Useful Product	486	(1)
Air Pollution Abatement and Control	487	(8)
Case Study 18.2 Getting Charged Up Over Electric Cars	494	(1)
Indoor Air Pollution	495	(7)
Case Study 18.3 Tobacco Smoke: The Deadliest Air Pollutant	496	(6)
Air Pollution: Global Problems	502	(27)
Global Climate Change	503	(6)
Acid Deposition	509	(10)
GIS and Remote Sensing GIS Aids Emergency Response and Survival Strategies in Bangladesh	510	(9)
Depletion of Stratospheric Ozone	519	(10)
Ethics in Resource Conservation 19.1 Debate Over Global Warming and Ozone Depletion: Do We Have an Obligation to Other Countries?	525	(4)
Minerals, Mining, and a Sustainable Society	529	(14)
Supply and Demand	529	(4)
Can We Expand Our Mineral Supplies?	533	(2)
Mineral Conservation Strategies	535	(2)
Environmental Impacts of Mineral Production	537	(6)
Nonrenewable Energy Resources: Issues and Options	543	(32)
Global Energy Sources: An Overview	544	(1)
A Closer Look at Nonrenewable Energy Resources	545	(10)
The Nuclear Energy Option: Is It Sustainable?	555	(14)
Fusion Reactors	569	(1)
America's Energy Future	570	(5)
Creating a Sustainable System of Energy: Efficiency and Renewable Energy	575	(23)
Conservation	575	(5)
Renewable Energy Strategies	580	(15)
Summary	595	(3)
Afterword	598	(2)
Glossary	600	(17)
Illustration Acknowledgments	617	(2)
Index	619

Excerpts

Natural Resource Conservationis written for the introductory resource conservation course. It is designed to provide comprehensive coverage of a variety of local, regional, national, and global resource and environmental issues from population growth to wetlands to sustainable agriculture to global air pollution. The first edition of this book was published in 1971, a year after the first Earth Day, by our esteemed colleague, the late Oliver S. Owen. To many observers, Earth Day marked the formal beginning of the environmental movement in the United States. Since that time, impressive gains have been made in air and water pollution control, species protection, forest management, and rangeland management. Despite this progress, many environmental problems still remain. Many others have grown worse. In 1970, for instance, the world population hovered around 3 billion. Today, it has exceeded the 6.4 billion mark and is growing by more than 80 million people a year. Hunger and starvation have become a way of life in many less developed nations. An estimated 12 million people die each year of starvation and disease worsened by hunger and malnutrition. Species extinction continues as well. Today, an estimated 100 species become extinct every day. In the United States and abroad, soil erosion and rangeland deterioration continue. Added to the list of growing problems are a whole host of new ones. Groundwater pollution, ozone depletion, acid deposition, global warming, and growing mountains of urban trash top this list. Yet, along with the new problems are new and exciting solutions. If we work together in solving these problems, there is much hope. However, many experts believe that addressing these problems in meaningful ways will require dramatic changes in the way we live our lives and conduct commerce. We need a way that is sustainable--a way of doing business and living on the planet that does not bankrupt the Earth. Most people call this sustainable development.Sustainable development is about creating a new relationship with the Earth. It is about creating a sustainable economy and a sustainable system of commerce. It is about creating sustainable communities and sustainable lifestyles. It requires new ways of managing resources using the best available scientific knowledge and understandings of complex systems and how they are maintained, even enhanced, over time. It will entail changes in virtually every aspect of our society, from farming to forest management to energy production. We believe that establishing a sustainable relationship with the Earth will require us to use resources more frugally--using only what we need and using all resources much more efficiently than we do today. Creating a sustainable way of life will very likely mean a massive expansion of our recycling efforts, not just getting recyclables to markets, but encouraging manufacturers to use secondary materials for production and encouraging citizens to buy products made from recycled materials. Creating a sustainable society will also very likely mean a shift to clean, economical, renewable energy supplies, such as solar and wind energy. Another vital component of a sustainable society is restoration--replanting forests, grasslands, and wetlands--to ensure an adequate supply of resources for future generations as well as for the many species that share this planet with us. Essential to the success of our efforts to create a sustainable society are efforts to slow down, even stop, world population growth. But that means stopping population growth in all nations, not just the poorer, less developed nations. Population growth in the rich nations, combined with our resource-intensive lifestyles, is contributing as much to the current global crisis as population growth in the less developed nations. Curtailing population growth also en