L1 Introduction to Environment

Overview of Lecture:

► Definition of Environment

► Components of Environment

► Types of Environment

► Environmental Science

► Current Environmental conditions

► Causes of Environmental degradation

► Goals of Environmental Science

► Environmentalism

► Sustainability

► Environmental Management System

► Spheres of Earth

Environment:

• The complex of physical, chemical, and biotic factors (such as climate, soil, and living
things) that act upon an organism or an ecological community and ultimately determine
its form and survival

• Environment is the aggregate of social and cultural conditions that influence the life of
an individual or community

• Environment: from the French word ‘environner ‘- to encircle or surround

• Whatever is around us constitutes our Environment

• The circumstances and conditions that surround an organism or group of organisms.

Components of Environment:

► Abiotic components

► Biotic components

Types of Environment:

- Natural environment: all living and non-living things that occur naturally on Earth.

- Built environment: constructed surroundings that provide the setting for human activity,
ranging from the large-scale civic surroundings to the personal places.

- Social environment: the culture that an individual lives in, and the people and
institutions with whom they interact.

Environmental Science:

▪ Environmental science is the systematic study of our environment

▪ Environmental science is the science of the relationship between man and the natural
world in which he lives.

▪It is an interdisciplinary academic field that integrates physical and biological sciences
(including physics, chemistry, biology, geology, soil science, and geography) and social
sciences (economics, demography, political science, and humanities)

▪ Environmental science provides an integrated, quantitative, and interdisciplinary

approach to the study of the environment.

Current Environmental Conditions:

► Widespread decline in the ability of the ecosystem to produce goods and services

► Land conversion has shrunk the world’s forests by as much as half

► Soil degradation has affected two-thirds of the world’s agricultural land

► Marine fish stocks are over-harvested

Causes of Environmental Degradation:

► About 85 million people are added every year causing stress on resources and
services

► More land needed for housing and food production

► More urbanization causes air pollution, hazardous waste generation

► Extraction of groundwater, fossil fuel, and resources increase.

► Surface and groundwater pollution threatens natural water habitats

The goals of environmental science are to learn:

how nature works

how the environment affects us

how we affect the environment and

how to deal with environmental problems and live more sustainably

Why learning Environmental Science is much more important now?

It directs attention towards the problems of population explosion, depletion of natural

resources, pollution, the methods of solving such problems, food security, and
sustainable development It demonstrates how man can derive benefits from the
environment without destroying it To integrate environmental concerns in development
planning and management
Environmentalism:

‘Environmentalism’ is a social movement dedicated to protecting the earth’s life support

systems for us and other species. Environmentalism is a broad philosophy and social
movement centered on a concern for the conservation and improvement of the natural
environment, both for its own sake as well as its importance to civilization.

Sustainability:

‘Sustainability’ is the ability to meet the needs of the present, without compromising the
ability of the future generation to meet their own needs. It is the ability of the earth’s
various systems, including human culture and economics, to survive and adapt to the
changing environmental conditions.

Environmental Management is the process by which environmental health is

regulated.

Environmental Management System (EMS) refers to managing an organization's

environmental programs in a comprehensive, systematic, planned, and documented
manner.

▪ It includes the organizational structure, planning, and resources for developing,

implementing, and maintaining policy for environmental protection.

An EMS:

 Serves as a tool to improve environmental performance

 Provides a systematic way of managing an organization’s environmental affairs
 Is the aspect of the organization’s overall management structure that addresses
the immediate and long-term impacts of its products, services, and processes on
the environment
 Gives order and consistency for organizations to address environmental
concerns through the allocation of resources, assignment of responsibility, and
ongoing evaluation of practices, procedures, and processes.
 L2 SPHERES OF EARTH

OVERVIEW OF LECTURE

o What is Hydrosphere?
o Relationships among different spheres
o Structure of Hydrosphere
o Hydrological cycle
o Importance of Hydrological Cycle
o Processes of Hydrologic Cycle
o Impacts of Human Activities on the Hydrological Cycle

HYDROSPHERE:

The hydrosphere describes the waters of the earth. About 71% of the Earth’s surface is
covered by water. Water in the hydrosphere exists in three states: liquid, solid, and
gaseous (water vapor).

Water occurs in two general chemical conditions, fresh and salty. It also occurs as
standing water (in oceans and lakes) and running water (in rivers and streams). It
consists of water in the oceans; lakes, streams, rivers, and swamps on the surface of
the land & under the ground (groundwater).

It also consists of water frozen as ice and snow icebergs, glaciers, polar ice, on
mountains, and in the frozen layers of soil and as water vapor in the atmosphere.

THE STRUCTURE OF HYDROSPHERE:

Oceans and seas - 96.5 % of water Freshwater – 3.5 % of water

Fresh water distribution: Ice: 1.762% Groundwater: 1.7% Surface Fresh Water:
0.014% Atmosphere and Soil: 0.002%
Solid forms of water (forms of ice):

Icebergs: a large piece of freshwater ice floating in open waters.

Glaciers: any large mass of ice that moves slowly over land.

Permafrost: ground that is permanently frozen.

THE HYDROLOGIC CYCLE:

Significance of the hydrologic cycle:

Water moves from one store to another through various processes and these
movements take place between the atmosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere. In this
way, the water cycle integrates most of the other important environmental systems.

Earth is not the only planet to contain water but conditions on Earth are particularly
suitable for the continuous cycling of water, which in turn drives many other important
systems.

The hydrologic cycle involves the continuous recycling of water between the
atmosphere, land, and oceans.

It is the transfer of water from the oceans to the atmosphere, from the atmosphere to
the land, and back to the oceans. The processes involve the evaporation of water from
the oceans; precipitation on land; evaporation from land; and runoff from streams,
rivers, and subsurface groundwater.

The hydrological cycle is driven by solar energy, which evaporates water from oceans,
freshwater bodies, soils, and vegetation.

Different processes of the hydrologic cycle:

• Evaporation: It takes place due to heat. Water from oceans, seas, and water
surfaces on land, such as rivers, lakes, etc. is changed from water droplets to
water vapor in the atmosphere, which is known as evaporation.
 • Transpiration: Water lost from vegetation - trees, and plants, mainly from their
leaves is known as transpiration.
• Evapotranspiration: Evapotranspiration (ET) is a term used to describe the sum
of evaporation and plant transpiration from the Earth's land surface to the
atmosphere.
• Condensation: Air temperature decreases with height. As water vapor is carried
upwards by air it is cooled, leading to condensation. This is the process by which
water vapor (gas) is turned into liquid or solid.
• Precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that
falls under gravity. Rain is the most common type but snow and hail are included
as well
• Interception: When precipitation occurs, some are prevented from falling directly
on the ground by trees and plants which is known as interception.
• Run-off: Water flows over the ground surface, finding its way into rivers and
streams, known as run-off.
• Infiltration: Water that seeps into the ground. It depends on the soil
characteristics, land cover type, and slope of the ground.
• Groundwater flow: Storage of water underground. After precipitation, a certain
portion of it seeps into the ground. In general, the term groundwater or
subsurface water refers to the water that occurs below the surface of the earth.
The main source of groundwater is infiltration.

HOW PEOPLE ARE AFFECTING THE HYDROLOGICAL CYCLE?

Withdrawing large amounts of water from streams, lakes, and underground sources.

Effects:

1. Groundwater depletion:

-land subsidence
2. Saltwater intrusion:

- Water becomes unusable for domestic purposes

- Corrosion of industrial process

- Crop damage

- Ecosystem loss

3. Deforestation: Clearing vegetation and urbanization.

- Increases in runoff

- Soil erosion

- Sedimentation in the river: flooding

Water Resource

•We already know that water covers about three-quarters of the Earth’s surface, and

•It is essential to life (plants, animals, humans)

•Water is a renewable resource- that is after it has been used it returns to the water
cycle and in time it will be used again.

•The total abundance of water on Earth might not seem to be a problem.

•people rely heavily on fresh water and its amount is limited (3.5%) in comparison to the
rising world population and increasing demand.

•Huge amount of water is being polluted and also wasted.

•Making water available where and when it is needed is a problem.

 Use of Water

Water is used in many different ways, including:

- Domestic use: for showering, washing clothes, watering lawns and gardens, etc.
Domestic & municipal uses account for most of the remainder (10%).
- Agricultural use: includes water used in irrigation. irrigation agriculture consumes
over 70% of all the water used by people
- Industrial use: water used for processing, washing, and cooling in facilities that
manufacture products. Industry 20% of water.
- In-stream use: hydroelectric power generation, navigation, recreation, fish, and
wildlife habitats (ecosystems).

The amount used, and what it is used for, varies a great deal from country to country.

Increasing Demand For Water (Fresh Water):

- Water is the most basic and most important of all natural resources.
- We require regular supplies of water but it must be fresh water.
- Most come from rivers, lakes, and underground aquifers.
- Sea water can be used but the salts dissolved in it must first be removed (by
desalination) before it is suitable for people to drink or use directly.
- Demand for water has increased markedly in recent centuries.
- During the twentieth century world water use increased seven times.

Water conservation

Water conservation is the careful use and protection of water resources. It involves both
the quantity of water used and its quality. Conservation is an important component of
sustainable water use.
Steps that can be followed for water conservation:

- Use an improved agricultural irrigation system

- Use computer monitoring and schedule the release of water for maximum
efficiency
- Integrate the use of surface water and groundwater for more effective use of the
total resources
- Turn off the water when absolutely not needed for washing, brushing, and so on
- Take a long bath rather than a long shower
- Don’t wash sidewalks and driveways with water rather sweep them Industries
might curb water usage by increasing in-plant treatment and recycling of water or
by developing new equipment and processes that require less water.

Sustainable water use:

Water is essential for life. It is also necessary for maintaining ecological systems
necessary for the survival of humans. As a result, water plays an important role in

- ecosystem support
- economic development
- community well-being

From a water supply use and management perspective,

sustainable water use can be defined as the use of water resources by people in a
way that allows society to develop and flourish into an indefinite future without
degrading the various components of the hydrologic cycle or ecological systems that
depend on it.
 L3 The Earth’s Atmosphere
- The atmosphere is
o the vast gaseous envelope of air
o that surrounds the Earth.
- Its boundaries are not easily defined.
- The atmosphere contains a complex system of gases and suspended particles.
- It reaches over 560 km (348 miles) from the surface of the Earth, so we are only
able to see what occurs fairly close to the ground.
- 99% of atmospheric gases, including water vapor, extend only 30 kilometers (km)
above the earth's surface.
- Most of our weather, however, occurs within the first 10 to 15 km.
- Nearly 150 million kilometers separate the sun and earth, yet solar radiation drives
earth's weather.

Composition of Atmosphere:

- Nitrogen - 78%
- Oxygen - 21%
- Water Vapor – 0 to 4%
- Carbon Dioxide - 0 .037%
- Other gases make up the rest

Lapse Rate

- The rate at which air temperature decreases with height.

- The standard (average) lapse rate in the lower atmosphere is about 6.5°C per 1 km
or 3.6°F per 1000 ft.
• Five distinct layers have been identified using

• thermal characteristics (temperature changes),

• chemical composition,

• movement &

• density.

• The Earth's atmosphere extends from the ground surface to the edge of interplanetary
space. There are basically 5 (five) atmospheric layers.

• Troposphere

• Stratosphere

• Mesosphere

• Thermosphere

• Exosphere

Atmospheric Layers

1. Troposphere: The troposphere starts at the Earth's surface and extends 8 to 14.5
kilometers high (5 to 9 miles). This part of the atmosphere is the most dense. As you
climb higher in this layer, the temperature drops from about 17 to -52 degrees
Celsius. Almost all weather is in this region. The boundary that divides the
troposphere from the stratosphere is called the "tropopause", located at an altitude
of around 5 miles in the winter, to around 8 miles high in the summer, and as high as
11 or 12 miles in the tropics. The tropopause and the troposphere are known as the
lower atmosphere.

2. Stratosphere: The stratosphere starts just above the troposphere and extends to 50
kilometers (31 miles) high. Compared to the troposphere, this part of the atmosphere
 is dry and less dense. The temperature in this region increases gradually to -3
degrees Celsius, due to the absorption of ultraviolet radiation. The ozone layer,
which absorbs and scatters solar ultraviolet radiation, is in this layer. Ninety-nine
percent of "air" is located in the troposphere and stratosphere. The stratopause
separates the stratosphere from the next layer.

3. Mesosphere: The mesosphere starts just above the stratosphere and extends to 85
kilometers (53 miles) high. In this region, the temperature again falls as low as -93
degrees Celsius as you increase in altitude. The mesopause separates the
mesosphere from the thermosphere.

4. Thermosphere: The thermosphere starts just above the mesosphere and extends
to 600 kilometers (372 miles) high. The temperatures go up as you increase in
altitude due to the Sun's energy. Radiation-absorbing gases are present which
absorb energy from solar radiation warming the air. Temperatures in this region can
go as high as 1,727 degrees Celsius. Chemical reactions occur much faster here
than on the surface of the Earth. This layer is known as the upper atmosphere.

5. Exosphere: The exosphere starts at the top of the thermosphere and continues until
it merges with interplanetary gaps or space. In this region of the atmosphere,
Hydrogen and Helium are the prime components and are only present at extremely
low densities.

Weather & Climate

Weather is an area’s short-term temperature, precipitation, wind speed, cloud cover,

and other physical conditions of the lower atmosphere over a short time.
Weather is comprised of the elements of:

a) air temperature

b) air pressure

c) humidity

d) clouds

e) precipitation

f) visibility

g) wind

Climate represents long-term (e.g. 30 yr) averages of weather. Average temperature

and average precipitation are the two main factors determining climate.

Controls of weather and climate

Factors responsible for global and local climate:

- Solar radiation reaching the area.

- Earth’s daily rotation at its axis
- Annual rotation at his orbit (around the sun)
- Air circulation over the surface
- Global distribution of landmasses and water
- Circulation of ocean currents
- Elevation of the landmasses (altitude)
 L4 Lithosphere
Size and Shape of the Earth

• The Earth has a surface area of 510 million km2

• It is an oblate spheroid

• The study of the shape of the earth is called Geodesy

• Modern geodesic survey is greatly assisted by developments in remote sensing

Earth’s Structure

Core:

- The innermost part of the earth

- The temperature of the center of the core is between 40000C & 50000C.

- This part is composed of iron, nickel & cobalt & known as Ni fe.

- Density is very high

- It has two layers

 a liquid exterior-outer core- 2250 km (thickness)-made of liquid Fe, Ni

 a solid interior-inner core-1200 km (thickness)-made of solid Fe, Ni

Mantle:

 a layer between the core & the crust

 a thick layer (2900 km) of mostly molten rock

- Lithosphere: The outer part of the mantle is rigid and behaves as a solid and this
layer mostly merges with the crust. The lithosphere consists of the crust and part of
the upper mantle, which is about 100 km thick. The lithosphere is the earth’s solid
crust and upper mantle. The lithosphere contains non-renewable fossil fuels and
 minerals we use as well as renewable soil chemicals that organisms need to live,
grow, and reproduce.

- Asthenosphere: The layer just beneath the lithosphere is known as the

asthenosphere. Its materials behave more like flowing plastic than solid rock and is
about 200 km thick.

Crust:

- the outer shell of the earth which varies in thickness from 5-50 km.

- It is solid & generally consists of low-density materials

- May be divided into two parts

 upper crust/continental crust- up to 100 km thick under the mountains

 lower crust/oceanic crust- only 5 km thick under the oceans

- The upper crust is also known as ‘sial’ as rocks of this part are composed mainly of
silica & aluminum.

- The lower crust is called ‘sima’ as silica & magnesium are the most common minerals
here.

Composition of Earth’s Crust:

Only 8 elements make up 99% of the weight of Earth’s crust. These are, in order of
abundance,

 Oxygen 47%  Calcium 4%

 Sodium 3%
 Silicon 28%  Potassium 2%
 Aluminum 8%  Magnesium2%
 Iron 5%
All other elements make up only 1% of the weight of Earth’s crust.

Plates & Plate Tectonics:

Plates: Various-sized areas of Earth’s lithosphere that move slowly around on the
mantle’s flowing asthenosphere

Earthquakes and volcanoes occur around the boundaries of these plates

Plate tectonics: Theory of geophysical processes that explains the movements of

Earth’s plates and the processes that occur at their boundaries

Lithospheric plates have 3 types of boundaries:

• Divergent

• Convergent

• Transform

Biosphere:

▪ Zone of the Earth where life is found

▪ The biosphere consists of all living things, plants and animal

▪ Cycling of matter in this sphere involves not only metabolic reactions in organisms but
also many abiotic chemical reactions

▪ Also called Ecosphere

The biosphere extends from less than 11 km below sea level to the tropopause, which is
less than 17km above sea level.

Human Impacts on the Biosphere:

• Environmental pollution
• Habitat removal or damage

• Changing the structure and distribution of vegetation and soils

• Over-exploitation of renewable resources

• Introducing exotic organism

• Inappropriate disposal of waste

• Disturbing the equilibrium of the important environmental system