Both involve an understanding of many different scientific disciplines Physics Bio amp Geophysicists Chemistry Environmental amp Aqueous Geochemists Biology Ecologists Paleontologists ID: 591943
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Slide1
Geosciences and Environmental Sciences are linked
•
Both involve
an understanding of many different scientific disciplines
Physics- Bio & Geophysicists
Chemistry – Environmental & Aqueous Geochemists
Biology
- Ecologists, Paleontologists
Geology-
Pedologists
(soils), hydrologists, Geologists
Meteorology-Meteorologists and Climatologists
Oceanography - Oceanographers
Astronomy- Astronomers and Astrophysicists
Together these disciplines form a broad-based scientific community that serves to understand the natural world using the scientific method through investigation of data from Earth’s major systemsSlide2
Interconnectedness of Earth’s Systems
•
Earth's physical systems can be
divided into 5 categories
or
•
5 Spheres of Influence
Geosphere-(a.k.a.- lithosphere) the rocks
Hydrosphere - the water
Atmosphere - the gas surrounding the planet
Exosphere- the stuff from space that affects systems on Earth
Biosphere- the living things on the Earth
Exosphere
Atmosphere
Hydrosphere
Geosphere
BiosphereSlide3
Examples of our interaction with Earth
Systems
July-August 2010. Monsoons dump massive amounts of rain in Pakistan, 1500 people dead; about 1.25 million people displaced, 1/5 of the country under water.
February -May 2010. Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland shuts down air traffic for weeks in EuropeSlide4
March 2011 Mag 9.0 earthquake & tsunami strikes Japan. 20,000 people dead; about 10,000 people injured and 200,000 left homeless. Significant damage to nuclear power plant
Feb 12, 2014.
S
inkhole opens up in a few minutes in Bowling Green, KY. Swallows up 7 classic corvettes leaving
a massive hole under the museum floor.
Our interaction with Earth Systems ScienceSlide5
April 20, 2010- Oil drilling platform explodes and sinks, killing 11 workers, creating the largest oil spill in human history, and damaging the ecosystems of the
Gulf of
Mexico. Slide6
Dust storms hit southern Arizona- 4 times the Phoenix, AZ area has been affected by these events in 2011Slide7
The SCIENCE of GLOBAL CHANGE
Scientists know an awful lot about the Earth
’s systemsScientists still have much to learn about the Earth’s systems
Change is the RULE, not the exceptionMany things- some large, some small- influence climate position and amount of land on planet
ocean-atmosphere-land dynamics incoming solar radiation fluctuations reflectance and absorption of solar energy
carbon cycle water cycle population of organisms (e.g., phytoplankton, humans) percentage of gases in atmosphere
volcanic eruptions and meteorite impactsMany of the above interact with other factors in semi-predictable waysSlide8
Importance to us (humans)
•
We could not exist without resources from the
various spheres of influence
-
Minerals from the lithosphere
-
Oxygen from the biosphere and atmosphere
-
Water from the hydrosphere
-
Protection by the atmosphere
-
•
Need to understand the world around us
-
must use our resources wisely
>
most are limited
-
Must make informed decisions on public policy
Importance
in understanding this concept
•
Humans could
not exist without resources from the
various spheres of influence
-
Minerals from the lithosphere
-
Oxygen from the biosphere and atmosphere
-
Water from the hydrosphere
-
Protection by the atmosphere
-
"star stuff" from the exosphere
•
Need to understand
our place on the planet
-
must use our resources wisely
>
most are
limited; many are shared by other species
-
Understanding is needed to make informed
decisions
on
public policy
-
Must make informed decisions on private mattersSlide9
Why think about any of this stuff?
Citizens of Earth have a responsibility to know about the planet on which
ALL of us live.Must make INFORMED decisions based on a sound understanding of the Earth, its resources, and its limits. Gut instincts or feelings commonly don
’t provide an adequate foundation for decision making.Must care enough about yourself, your family, your friends and community NOW and IN THE FUTURE to
ACT on that information in a responsible manner.Slide10
Do we want to be as Agent Smith from “The Matrix” claims…
“I'd
like to share a revelation that I've had during my time here. It came to me when I tried to classify your species and I realized that you're not actually mammals. Every mammal on this planet instinctively develops a natural equilibrium with the surrounding environment, but you humans do not. You move to an area and you multiply and multiply until every natural resource is consumed and the only way you can survive is to spread to another area. There is another organism on this planet that follows the same pattern. Do you know what it is? A
virus. Human beings are a disease, a cancer of this planet. You're a plague and
we are the cure.”