Contents:
1. Foundation of environmental systems and societies
1.1 Environmental value system
1.2 Systems and models
1.3 Energy and equilibria
1.4 Sustainability
1.5 Humans and pollution
2. Ecosystems and ecology
2.1 Species and populations
2.2 Communities and ecosystems
2.3 Flows of energy and matter
2.4 Biomes, zonation and succession
2.5 Investigating ecosystems - Practical work
6. Atmospheric systems and society
6.1 Introduction to the atmosphere
6.2 Stratospheric ozone
6.3 Photochemical smog
6.4 Acid deposition
7. Climate change and energy production
7.1 Energy choices and security
7.2 Climate change - causes and impact
7.3 Climate change - mitigation and adaptation
3. Biodiversity and conservation
3.1 An introduction to biodiversity
3.2 Origins of biodiversity
3.3 Threats to biodiversity
3.4 Conservation of biodiversity
4. Water, food production systems and society
4.1 Introduction to water systems
4.2 Access to freshwater
4.3 Aquatic food production systems
4.4 Water pollution
5. Soil system and society.
, 5.1 Introduction to soil systems
5.2 Terrestrial food production systems and food choices
5.3 Soil degradation and conservation
8. Human systems and resource use
8.1 Human systems and resource use.
8.2 Resource use in society.
8.3 Solid domestic waste.
8.4 Human systems and resources use.
1.1 Environmental value systems.
An environmental value system (EVS) is a worldview or paradigm that shapes the way an
individual, or group of people, perceives and evaluates environmental issues, influenced by
cultural, religious, economic and socio-political contexts.
An ecocentric viewpoint integrates social, spiritual and environmental dimensions into a
holistic ideal. It puts ecology and nature as central to humanity and emphasizes a less
materialistic approach to life with greater self-sufficiency of societies. An ecocentric viewpoint
prioritizes bio-rights, emphasizes the importance of education and encourages self-restraint in
human behavior. (deep ecologists, self-reliant soft ecologists)
An anthropocentric viewpoint argues that humans must sustainably manage the global
system. This might be through the use of taxes, environmental regulation and legislation. Debate
would be encouraged to reach a consensual, pragmatic approach to solving environmental
problems.
A technocentric viewpoint argues that technological development can provide solutions to
environmental problems. This is a consequence of a largely optimistic view of the role humans
can play in improving the lot of humanity. Scientific research is encouraged in order to form
,policies and to understand how systems can be controlled, manipulated or changed to solve
resource depletion. A pro-growth agenda is deemed necessary for society’s improvement.
(environmental managers, cornucopians)
There are extremes at either end of this spectrum (deep ecologists - cornucopians).
1.2 System and models.
A system is a set of inter-related parts working together to make a complex whole.
A system approach is a way of visualizing a complex set of interactions which may be
ecological and societal.
In system diagrams, storages are usually represented as rectangular boxes, and flows as
arrows with the arrow indicating the direction of the flow. The size of the box and the arrow may
represent the size/magnitude of the storage or flow.
A system is comprised of storages and flows.
The flows provide inputs and outputs of energy and matter.
The flows are processes and may be either transfers or transformations.
Transfers occur when energy or matter flows and changes location but does not change its
state.
Transformations occur when energy or matter flows and changes its state - a change in the
chemical nature, a change in state or a change in energy.
An open system exchanges both energy and matter across its boundary while a closed system
only exchanges energy across its boundary.
An isolated system is a hypothetical concept in which neither energy nor matter is exchanged
across the boundary.
★ Ecosystems are open systems.
, Closed and isolated systems only exist experimentally. However, the planet itself can be
thought of as an ‘almost’ closed system and the entire universe as an isolated system.
A model is a simplified version of reality and can be used to understand how a system works
and predict how it will respond to change.
It can be:
● a physical model (a river, a globe, an aquarium)
● a software model
● mathematical equations
● data flow diagrams
1.3 Energy and equilibria.
The first law of thermodynamics is the principle of conservation of energy, which states
that energy in an isolated system can be transformed but cannot be created or destroyed.
➔ The principle of conservation of energy can be modeled by the energy transformations
along food chains and energy production systems.
The second law of thermodynamics states that the entropy of an isolated system not in
equilibrium will tend to increase over time. Entropy is a measure of the amount of disorder in a
system.
➔ The second law of thermodynamics explains the inefficiency and decrease in available
energy along a food chain and energy generation system.
Equilibrium is the tendency of the system to return to an original state following disturbance;
at equilibrium, a state of balance exists among the components of that system.
Steady-state Characteristic of open systems where
equilibrium there are continuous inputs and outputs
of energy and matter, but the system as a
whole remains in a more-or-less constant
state.
1. Foundation of environmental systems and societies
1.1 Environmental value system
1.2 Systems and models
1.3 Energy and equilibria
1.4 Sustainability
1.5 Humans and pollution
2. Ecosystems and ecology
2.1 Species and populations
2.2 Communities and ecosystems
2.3 Flows of energy and matter
2.4 Biomes, zonation and succession
2.5 Investigating ecosystems - Practical work
6. Atmospheric systems and society
6.1 Introduction to the atmosphere
6.2 Stratospheric ozone
6.3 Photochemical smog
6.4 Acid deposition
7. Climate change and energy production
7.1 Energy choices and security
7.2 Climate change - causes and impact
7.3 Climate change - mitigation and adaptation
3. Biodiversity and conservation
3.1 An introduction to biodiversity
3.2 Origins of biodiversity
3.3 Threats to biodiversity
3.4 Conservation of biodiversity
4. Water, food production systems and society
4.1 Introduction to water systems
4.2 Access to freshwater
4.3 Aquatic food production systems
4.4 Water pollution
5. Soil system and society.
, 5.1 Introduction to soil systems
5.2 Terrestrial food production systems and food choices
5.3 Soil degradation and conservation
8. Human systems and resource use
8.1 Human systems and resource use.
8.2 Resource use in society.
8.3 Solid domestic waste.
8.4 Human systems and resources use.
1.1 Environmental value systems.
An environmental value system (EVS) is a worldview or paradigm that shapes the way an
individual, or group of people, perceives and evaluates environmental issues, influenced by
cultural, religious, economic and socio-political contexts.
An ecocentric viewpoint integrates social, spiritual and environmental dimensions into a
holistic ideal. It puts ecology and nature as central to humanity and emphasizes a less
materialistic approach to life with greater self-sufficiency of societies. An ecocentric viewpoint
prioritizes bio-rights, emphasizes the importance of education and encourages self-restraint in
human behavior. (deep ecologists, self-reliant soft ecologists)
An anthropocentric viewpoint argues that humans must sustainably manage the global
system. This might be through the use of taxes, environmental regulation and legislation. Debate
would be encouraged to reach a consensual, pragmatic approach to solving environmental
problems.
A technocentric viewpoint argues that technological development can provide solutions to
environmental problems. This is a consequence of a largely optimistic view of the role humans
can play in improving the lot of humanity. Scientific research is encouraged in order to form
,policies and to understand how systems can be controlled, manipulated or changed to solve
resource depletion. A pro-growth agenda is deemed necessary for society’s improvement.
(environmental managers, cornucopians)
There are extremes at either end of this spectrum (deep ecologists - cornucopians).
1.2 System and models.
A system is a set of inter-related parts working together to make a complex whole.
A system approach is a way of visualizing a complex set of interactions which may be
ecological and societal.
In system diagrams, storages are usually represented as rectangular boxes, and flows as
arrows with the arrow indicating the direction of the flow. The size of the box and the arrow may
represent the size/magnitude of the storage or flow.
A system is comprised of storages and flows.
The flows provide inputs and outputs of energy and matter.
The flows are processes and may be either transfers or transformations.
Transfers occur when energy or matter flows and changes location but does not change its
state.
Transformations occur when energy or matter flows and changes its state - a change in the
chemical nature, a change in state or a change in energy.
An open system exchanges both energy and matter across its boundary while a closed system
only exchanges energy across its boundary.
An isolated system is a hypothetical concept in which neither energy nor matter is exchanged
across the boundary.
★ Ecosystems are open systems.
, Closed and isolated systems only exist experimentally. However, the planet itself can be
thought of as an ‘almost’ closed system and the entire universe as an isolated system.
A model is a simplified version of reality and can be used to understand how a system works
and predict how it will respond to change.
It can be:
● a physical model (a river, a globe, an aquarium)
● a software model
● mathematical equations
● data flow diagrams
1.3 Energy and equilibria.
The first law of thermodynamics is the principle of conservation of energy, which states
that energy in an isolated system can be transformed but cannot be created or destroyed.
➔ The principle of conservation of energy can be modeled by the energy transformations
along food chains and energy production systems.
The second law of thermodynamics states that the entropy of an isolated system not in
equilibrium will tend to increase over time. Entropy is a measure of the amount of disorder in a
system.
➔ The second law of thermodynamics explains the inefficiency and decrease in available
energy along a food chain and energy generation system.
Equilibrium is the tendency of the system to return to an original state following disturbance;
at equilibrium, a state of balance exists among the components of that system.
Steady-state Characteristic of open systems where
equilibrium there are continuous inputs and outputs
of energy and matter, but the system as a
whole remains in a more-or-less constant
state.
