Introduction to Environmental Science

First semester in 2008 and 2009

Content Unit 1 Environment and environmental problems

Unit 2 The theoretical basis of environmental science Unit 3 Techniques and methods of environmental science Unit 4 Environmental management and practice

Thinking and discussion of the questions

Public problems: why did you choose environmental science and engineering? What’s

your development blueprint of the professional? How to achieve this goal?

Discuss the questions in group

1. How do you know environment, environmental science ?

2. What's the major environmental problems at present in your opinion? What is your most

concern? Knowledge degree ?

3. Brief introduce the environmental technical means your current understanding, what’s

the advantages and disadvantages of these technologies and methods ?

4. Which type of environmental filed do you want to engage in your future work? What kind

of work? Brief introduce the reason and work target.

5. What’s institution you know at present both at home and abroad? What is the hot work of

these institutions engaged in? How are things making out? What’s the meaning?

6. What do you want to obtain through the course of introduction to environmental science ?

Chapter 1 Introduction

1.1 Environment and environmental types

1.2 The environmental science and its development

1.3 Ideas and methodology of environmental science

1.4 Learning target and requirements

1.1 Environment and environmental types

Environment ???

1.1 .1 The concept of environment The concept of environment

The term "environment" firstly used by German scholar E. Haeckel in "ordinary biological morphology" published in 1866.

Environment in ecology is the space surrounding a particular organism or biological population, together with all the things directly or indirectly affecting the survival of the organism or biological population. "Environment" is the combination of physical environment and biological environment. 

The environment researched in Environmental Science is the external world where human beings are the mainstay, the complex of material condition supporting human survival and development, including the natural environment and artificial environment (Liu Peitong, 1984).

The relationship between man and environment

大气

水土壤

岩石

生物

自 境

环然

人 境

环工

聚落环境

文化环境

交通环境

生产环境

The "Environmental Protection Law in the People’s Republic of China" promulgated in December 1989 definitely states that, " the environment is all of the inartificial and artificial natural factors affecting human survival and development, including air, water , ocean, land, minerals, forests, grasslands, wildlife, natural and human remains, nature reserves, scenic spots, urban and rural areas. " 

Environment is the complex of nature, social, culture and economy other than human being.

1.1.2 Environmental types

environmental

types

human

environment

biological

environment

According to

the subject

Natural

environment

Artificial environment

According to the cause of formation

Water

environmentAccording to the

forms of substances

Atmosphere

environment

Soil

environment

Settlement

environment According to

functionProduction

environment

Traffic

environment

Cultural environment

intersatellite environment

According to the

space scale of environment

global

environment

regional

environment

specific space

environment

Examples of natural environment

Bayinbuluke ， 2007.8

Examples of artificial environment NEW HAVEN

Jsmao.Aug.21,2005

From Newhaven to Boston

1.1.3 The characteristics of environment

(1) Diversity of enviroment

Examples of diversity of natural enviroment

Examples of diversity of natural enviroment

Element periodic table H Tim Helvey He

Li Be Solids Man Made Elements B C N O F Ne

Na Mg Gases Liquids Al Si P S Cl Ar

K Ca Sc Ti V Cr Mn Fe Co Ni Cu Zn Ga Ge As Se Br Kr

Rb Sr Y Zr Nb Mo Tc Ru Rh Pd Ag Cd In Sn Sb Te I Xe

Cs Ba La Hf Ta W Re Os Ir Pt Au Hg Tl Pb Bi Po At Rn

Fr Ra Ac Unq Unp Unh Uns Uno Une Uun Uuu Uub Uut Uuq Uup Uuh Uus Uuo

Ce Pr Nd Pm Sm Eu Gd Tb Dy Ho Er Tm Yb Lu

Th Pa U Np Pu Am Cm Bk Cf Es Fm Md No Lr

The immanent cause of diversity of natural enviroment

Assumption :How many types of substance can be composite?

（ 1 ） Diversity of enviroment

Diversity of natural enviroment

（ 1） Diversity of natural substance(element periodic table)

（ 2） Biodiversity(species diversity, genetic diversity and ecosystem diversity )

（ 3） Diversity of environmental formation

（ 4） Diversity of environmental process

（ 5） Diversity of environmental function

Diversity of human demand(diversity of artificial

environment)

（ 1） Diversity of material needs

（ 2） Diversity of spiritual needs

Examples of diversity of artificial enviroment

pyramid

Great Wall

Jsmao.Nov.24,2005

Thanksgiving Day

Diversity of the interaction between human and the interaction between human and

environmentenvironment

（ 1） Diversity of function interface

（ 2） Diversity of action mode

Examples of the relationship between human and environmental effects

workshop dump

seaboard city Streets in the city

（ 2 ） The integrity of environment

Jsmao.Aug.,2005

Boston

The integrity of environment

Interrelation and mutual restraint among the various factors of the environment

Mutual impact and dependence between local environment and overall environment

The cycle and transformation of matter and energy Cross-border (provincial, regional, national) environment

impact Comprehensive and complexity of environmental issues

（ 3 ） The regional of environment

The diversity of the global environment, focusing on space, such as zonality of water and land.

Variability of the local small environment, focusing on time, such as season 

The complexity of environmental factors between local and overall environment,such as the transmission of pollutants spread through special transmission route.

The regional environment is the temporal and spatial distribution

difference of environmental factors, which shows as follows: ：

（ 4 ） Relative stability of environment Meaning: logistics, energy flow and information flow in environment are

constantly changing, the environment itself has a certain anti-interference

ability of self-regulation, in a certain range of disturbance intensity, structure

and function of the environment remain basically unchanged. 

Human system is an open system, human activities will affect the

environment.

健康状态 不健康状态临界状态

人类胁迫 人

工恢复

自然恢复

A

B

C

D

恢复潜力

The changing process of environmental situation in the pressure

Meaning: the changes of the environment will be later than the outside interference after the effect of the environment by external. For example: the formation of ozone hole.

（ 5 ） Hysteresis of environmental change

Satellite photos show the ozone hole over Antarctica abnormally increase in August

Objectively ： There are gradual and abrupt changes in the change of environment. The performance of gradual change ： (1) potential, delayed reaction; (2) It is difficult to predict the scope and extent of

environmental change; (3) the scientific definition of the threshold; (4) Scientific quantitative determination of environmental recovery capability; (5) the indicators of environment that can be monitored are not sensitive.

Mutation is the accumulation result of gradual changes

◇Subjectively: Limited level of development of environmental monitoring

technology Limited ability to predict environmental change

（ 6 ） The vulnerability of environment

Meaning: Environment will be destroyed when the

interference intensity exceeds its threshold.

Baotou,2007

Baotou Iron Ore Processing

Plant， 2007

Means "during a certain period, under certain environmental

circumstances, the threshold of support capacity to human society

economic activity by a regional environment”.

Environmental Bearing Capacity: is the support capacity

to development by environmental system. Green card

Substantial: the threshold of human activities which the human -

environment system can withstand under the premise of the

maintenance of harmony between human and the environment

The vulnerability of environment ——

Incentive: the human "population explosion" pressure, the rapid growth of demand

Performance: Environmental problem

The limited of Earth's resources, resources crisis

The limited of Earth's environmental bearing capacity,

environment crisis

Tasks: The human development model of the Earth damage to

the environment, ungently need to be improved

1.2 The environmental science and its development

1.2.1 Development history Although in the ancient simple environmental scientific thought has been

produced,As an independent discipline Environmental science was born in the 1960s. The symbol is the 《 Silent

Spring》 written by Rachel Carson in 1962 and the Scientific Committee of environmental problems established by the International Union of Science in 1968. 

Environmental science has been developing rapidly during 1970s to 1980s.The symbol is the United Nations Conference on Human Environment in 1972 and the concept of "sustainable development" propounded by 《 Our Common Future》 in 1987. 

The discipline system became mature in 1990s. The symbol is   《 Rio Declaration on Environment and Development》 propounded by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in 1992 and Agenda 21. 

Environmental science discipline has been more comprehensive in the breadth and depth of the expansion in 21 century.

The development of Chinese Environmental Science (see《We Need Revolution》 by Qu Geping , Jilin People's Publishing Press, 1997) 

During 1960s to1970s - the age of fearlessness led by ignorance . 1980s - the age of opening. Department of environmental science

or research institute began to be set up in universities and research institutions. 

1990's – the age of development. The first-class discipline of Environmental Science and Engineering established by the State and Ministry of Education in 1998. Sustainable development had been one of the basic national policy. 

21 century –the age of rapid development, wide range of applications and close relation of environmental science and the modern and future life of human being.

1.2.2 The study object of environmental science What Environmental Science research is the Earth environment human being live, other living and non-biological material on the Earth is considered as environmental factors, which closely been related with human being. (Qian Yi, Tang Xiaoyan, 2000) 

Environmental science is the science of coordinating the relationship betweenhuman being and the environment correctly, searching the approach and mathods of sustainable development of human society, during studying and guiding human being understanding, using and transforming nature.(Sheng Lianxi, etc., 2002)

Environmental science is the science to solve environmental problems faced by human, to create more suitable and better environment. (Zuo Yuhui, 2002)

Environmental Science is the systematic study of the natural and man-made world. It is now a major discipline, reflecting our growing concernabout the impact of human activity on the natural world.（ ARW Jackson & JM Jackson， 2000 ）

study scope of environmental science

Environmental science------

Object of study: the paradox of "human - environment" as the

research object, to study the unity of opposites of human and

environmental. Objective of study: Discuss the impact on the environment by the

sustainable development of human society, and the changing regularity of

environmental quality, thereby to adjust the behavior of human beings to

protect and improve the environment for social, economic and

environmental scientific basis for sustainable development.

In short: coordinating the relationship between humans and the

environment 

1.2.3 The task of environmental science

(1)Explore the evolution of global environmental law. 

(2)Reveal the relationship between the human activities (production,

living) and the natural environment. 

(3)Explore the climate change impact on human survival and human

activities impact on the natural environment . 

What current environmental science urgently research is focus on the areas of belows: Discuss the impact on the environment by the sustainable development of human

society, and the changing regularity of environmental quality.  Reveal the relationship between the human activities and the natural

environment. Explore the climate change impact on human survival and the global environmental safety.

Help people to establish a correct concept of social development, research and explore the environmental pollution control technologies and management tools to solve environmental problems in different spatial scales.

1.2.4 Subdiscipline of environmental science

按学科体系分

按环境要素分

应用环境学

物理环境学

生物环境学

土壤环境学

大气环境学

水环境学

环境控制学

环境医学

环境监测学

环境工程学

环境地学

环境毒理学

环境生态学

基础环境学

环境数学

环境物理学

环境化学

环境污染防治工程技术

环境区域综合整治技术

环境系统工程技术

社会环境学

环境法学

环境教育学

环境伦理学

环境心理学

环境管理学

环境经济学

环境规划学

环境质量评价学

环境空气动力学

环境电磁学

环境热学

环境光学

环境声学

污染控制化学

环境分析化学

环境污染化学

自然科学环境科学

社会科学

技术科学According to the basic disciplines, study the basic theory of environmental problems

blending with environmental science and social sciences

combining theory with practice

1.3 Ideas and methods of environmental science

1. Integrity Environmental science is characterized by emphasis on the integrity of

the object, human and environmental systems to be seen as the organic

integrity with specific structure and function .

The nature and function of integrated environment is much more

abundant and complex than the factors of environment. Collective

effect generated by interrelation and interactions of environmental

factors consititue the integrated environment.

Various changes in the environment are not isolated, but

comprehensive reflection of various factors.  There are close relation of

interrelation and interrestriction of environmental factors .

2. Systematicness

Environment is a complex dynamic systems and open systems

with the changes of time,space,quantity and order.

In environmental systems, there is interaction between various

subsystems and various components, and constitute a certain

network structure. There is material, energy and information

changes and exchange inside and outside of the environmental

systems. Achieve self-organization during the exchange

circulation, to maintain a certain function.

The structural drawing of environmental science optimization

system

structural unit element

system

New systemhigh efficiency

optimized structure

law

resource utilization

Government action

social concern

ethics

natural protection

 system analysis

combination of system

3. Comprehensive

Because of the diversity and relevance of the studying object, environmental science become more comprehensive. 

Environmental factors involved in natural factors and social factors, to solve environmental problems need to do more research on comprehensive subjects

4. Complexity 

Human environment system is a multi-level large-scale systems. The interreactions among subsystems are very complex.The subsystem effect on the integrated environment is also very complex.

The interreactions between human being and environment are very complex.

1.4 Learning target and requirements

1.4.1 Learning target

Through the "Environmental Sciences" learning to learn and master: the process of environmental science development and environmental thinking evolution; the main content and subdiscipline of environmental science research; the characteristics and tasks of modern environmental science; the development trend, discipline frontier and environmental hot spots problems of modern environmental science; the basic theory and methods of modern environmental science. 

Cultivate students environment-friendly values and ethics through the learning; environmental science research and thinking skills; establish the concept of local and global environment; establish environmental standard of behavior of doing from me and from now in daily life.

Provide the necessary reference information and technical support for choosing the professional curriculum and determining elective professional emphasis next step.

Cultivate the scientific thinking mode

analysis ability

Summary Data

Analysis of the reasons

Reflections on Science

thoroughly pondering

Scientific confirmation

logical thinking

date supporting

draw the conclusion

creative thinking

out of the common

Solving problems critical thinking

suspicious

raise questions

Basic mode of scientific research

观察

收集数据

分析数据

得出创新的理论、方法和规律

做出假设

检验假设

参考已有的理论和最新成果

与科学家交流探讨

Cultivate the scientific research capacity

Observing ability Analysis ability Ability to found the problem Problem solving ability Innovation ability Organizational coordination

ability Cooperation ability Leadership

未知领域

Curriculum notice (16 x 3 hours, type: lecturing, discussion, debate Case analysis and SEMINAR

Learning requirements: thinking actively, study hard, attend actively (including learning preparation (notes, bibliography, related resources), learning group

I hear, and I forget;

I see, and I remember;

I do, and I understand.

Evaluation: usually, 20% (homework, special subject speech, discussion, etc.); Exam, 80% (midterm, 30%, final, 50%)

1.4.2 Learning requirements

References

Cai Xiaoming. Ecosystem ecology. Beijing: science press, 2000 Main edite by Qian yi and Tang Xiaoyan. Environmental protection and

sustainable development. Beijing: higher education press, 2000 Cheng Lianxi etc. Science introduction of modern environment. Beijing:

chemical industry press, 2002 Editor: Chen Yingxu. environmentology. China environmental science

press, 2000 Editor： Liu Jingling. Environmental education series. (1-5 sub-volume.)

chemical industry press, 2000

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE（ EDITION2 ）． World book press 2000

Enger E D， Smith B F. Environmental Science——A Study of

Interrelationships. USA：McGraw-Hill Company， 2004

Summary

The concept and types of environment The characteristics of environment : diversity,

integrity, regional, relative stability, change hysteresis , vulnerability

Research object: the unity of opposites relations between human and environment

Research aim: coordinate the relationship between human and environment

Methodologist: overall, system, comprehensive, complex

Thank you