9780135213209

DIGITAL UPDATE available for Fall 2021 classes

Engage students in science through current environmental issues
Essential Environment: The Science Behind the Stories by Jay Withgott and Matt Laposata is known for its student-friendly narrative style, integration of real stories and case studies, and presentation of the latest science and research. The 6th Edition features new opportunities to help students see connections between integrated case studies and the science in each chapter and highlights sustainable solutions that have successfully helped address environmental problems.

For courses in introductory environmental science.

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Jay Withgott has authored Essential Environment as well as Environment: The Science behind the Stories since their inception. In dedicating himself to these books, he works to keep abreast of a diverse and rapidly changing field and continually seeks to develop new and better ways to help today’s students learn environmental science.

As a researcher, Jay has published scientific papers in ecology, evolution, animal behavior, and conservation biology in journals ranging from Evolution to Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. As an instructor, he has taught university lab courses in ecology and other disciplines. As a science writer, he has authored articles for numerous journals and magazines including Science, New Scientist, BioScience, Smithsonian, and Natural History. By combining his scientific training with prior experience as a newspaper reporter and editor, he strives to make science accessible and engaging for general audiences. Jay holds degrees from Yale University, the University of Arkansas, and the University of Arizona.

Jay lives with his wife, biologist Susan Masta, in Portland, Oregon.

Matthew Laposata is a professor of environmental science at Kennesaw State University (KSU). He holds a bachelor’s degree in biology education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, a master’s degree in biology from Bowling Green State University, and a doctorate in ecology from The Pennsylvania State University.

Matt is the coordinator of KSU’s two-semester general education science sequence titled Science, Society, and the Environment, which enrolls over 5000 students per year. He focuses exclusively on introductory environmental science courses and has enjoyed teaching and interacting with thousands of nonscience majors during his career. He is an active scholar in environmental science education and has received grants from state, federal, and private sources to develop and evaluate innovative curricular materials. His scholarly work has received numerous awards, including the Georgia Board of Regents’ highest award for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.

Matt resides in suburban Atlanta with his wife, Lisa, and children, Lauren, Cameron, and Saffron.

1. Science and Sustainability: An Introduction to Environmental Science

Our Island, Earth

The Nature of Environmental Science

The Science Behind the Story: What Are the Lessons of Easter Island?

The Nature of Science

Environmental Ethics

Sustainability and Our Future

2. Environmental Systems: Matter, Energy, and Ecosystems

CENTRAL CASE STUDY

The Vanishing Oysters of the Chesapeake Bay

Earth’s Environmental Systems

Matter, Chemistry, and the Environment

Energy Fundamentals

Ecosystems

The Science Behind the Story: “Turning the Tide” for Native Oysters in Chesapeake Bay

Biogeochemical Cycles

3. Evolution, Biodiversity, and Population Ecology

CENTRAL CASE STUDY

Saving Hawaii’s Native Forest Birds

Evolution: The Source of Earth’s Biodiversity

Ecology and the Organism

Population Ecology

The Science Behind the Story: Monitoring Bird Populations at Hakalau Forest

Conserving Biodiversity

4. Species Interactions and Community Ecology

CENTRAL CASE STUDY

Black and White, and Spread All Over: Zebra Mussels Invade the Great Lakes

Species Interactions

Ecological Communities

The Science Behind the Story: Determining Zebra Mussels’ Impacts on Fish Communities

Earth’s Biomes

5. Economics, Policy, and Sustainable Development

CENTRAL CASE STUDY

Costa Rica Values Its Ecosystem Services

Economics and the Environment

Environmental Policy: An Overview

The Science Behind the Story: Do Payments Help Preserve Forest?

U.S. Environmental Law and Policy

International Environmental Policy

Approaches to Environmental Policy

Sustainable Development

6. Human Population

CENTRAL CASE STUDY

China’s One-Child Policy: Is It a Population “Time Bomb”?

Our World at Seven Billion

Demography

Population and Society

The Science Behind the Story: Did Soap Operas Reduce Fertilityin Brazil?

7. Soil, Agriculture, and the Future of Food

CENTRAL CASE STUDY

Farm to Table–And Back Again: The Commons at Kennesaw State University

The Race to Feed the World

The Changing Face of Agriculture

Soils

Maintaining Healthy Soils

Watering and Fertilizing Crops

Controlling Pests, Preserving Pollinators

Raising Animals for Food

Genetically Modified Food

The Growth of Sustainable Agriculture

The Science Behind the Story: How Productive Is Organic Farming?

8. Biodiversity and Conservation Biology

CENTRAL CASE STUDY

Farm to Table–And Back Again: The Commons at Kennesaw State University

The Race to Feed the World

The Changing Face of Agriculture

Soils

Maintaining Healthy Soils

Watering and Fertilizing Crops

Controlling Pests, Preserving Pollinators

Raising Animals for Food

Genetically Modified Food

The Growth of Sustainable Agriculture

The Science Behind the Story: How Productive Is Organic Farming?

9. Forests, Forest Management, and Protected Areas

CENTRAL CASE STUDY

Certified Sustainable Paper in Your Textbook

Forest Ecosystems and Forest Resources

Forest Loss

Forest Management

Parks and Protected Areas

The Science Behind the Story: Forest Fragmentation in the Amazon

10. Environmental Health and Toxicology

CENTRAL CASE STUDY

Bisphenol A Is Everywhere–But Is It Safe?

Environmental Health

Toxic Substances and Their Effects on Organisms

The Science Behind the Story: Testing the Safety of Bisphenol A

Toxic Substances and Their Effects on Ecosystems

Studying Effects of Hazards

Risk Assessment and Risk Management

11. Geology, Minerals, and Mining

CENTRAL CASE STUDY

Mining for … Cell Phones?

Geology: The Physical Basis for Environmental Science

Geologic and Natural Hazards

Earth’s Mineral Resources

Mining Methods and Their Impacts

The Science Behind the Story: Can Acid Mine Drainage Reduce Fracking’s Environmental Impact?

Toward Sustainable Mineral Use

12. Fresh Water, Oceans, and Coasts

CENTRAL CASE STUDY

Starving the Louisiana Coast

Freshwater Systems

The Oceans

Marine and Coastal Systems

Effects of Human Activities on Waterways

Solutions to Depletion of Fresh Water

Water Pollution and Its Control

The Science Behind the Story: Predicting the Oceans’ “Garbage Patches”

Emptying the Oceans

13. Atmospheric Science, Air Quality, and Pollution Control

CENTRAL CASE STUDY

Clearing the Air in L.A. and in Mexico City

The Atmosphere

Outdoor Air Quality

The Science Behind the Story: Measuring the Health Impacts of Mexico City’s Air Pollution

Ozone Depletion

Addressing Acid Deposition

Indoor Air Quality

14. Global Climate Change

CENTRAL CASE STUDY

Rising Seas May Flood the Maldives

Our Dynamic Climate

Studying Climate Change

The Science Behind the Story: How Do Climate Models Work?

Current and Future Trends and Impacts

Responding to Climate Change

15. Nonrenewable Energy Sources, Their Impacts, and Energy Conservation

CENTRAL CASE STUDY

Hydrofracking the Marcellus Shale

Sources of Energy

Fossil Fuels: Their Formation, Extraction, and Use

Reaching Further for Fossil Fuels … and Coping with the Impacts

The Science Behind the Story: Discovering Impacts of the Gulf Oil Spill

Energy Efficiency and Conservation

Nuclear Power

16. Renewable Energy Alternatives

CENTRAL CASE STUDY

Germany Goes Solar

Renewable Energy Sources

The Science Behind the Story: Comparing Energy Sources

Solar Energy

Wind Power

Geothermal Energy

Ocean Energy Sources

Hydroelectric Power

Bioenergy

Hydrogen and Fuel Cells

17. Managing Our Waste

CENTRAL CASE STUDY

A Mania for Recycling on Campus

Approaches to Waste Management

Municipal Solid Waste

The Science Behind the Story: Tracking Trash

Industrial Solid Waste

Hazardous Waste

18. The Urban Environment: Creating Sustainable Cities

CENTRAL CASE STUDY

Managing Growth in Portland, Oregon

Our Urbanizing World

Sprawl

Creating Livable Cities

Urban Sustainability

The Science Behind the Story: Baltimore and Phoenix Showcase Urban Ecology

Epilogue: Sustainable Solutions

Appendix A: Answers to Data Analysis Questions

Appendix B: How to Interpret Graphs

Appendix C: Metric System

Appendix D: Periodic Table of the Elements

Appendix E: Geologic Time Scale Glossary Credits Index

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