Class Notes: Introduction to Environmental Science
Detailed lecture notes suitable for a college-level, three-part introductory course.
Unit 1: Fundamentals of Ecology and Biogeochemical Cycles
1.1 Defining the System
● Ecology: The study of interactions between organisms and their environment.
● Organism: Single living being.
● Population: Group of the same species in one area.
● Community: All populations (different species) in an area.
● Ecosystem: The community plus the non-living (abiotic) environment (water, air, rocks).
● Biome: Large geographical region characterized by a specific climate and the dominant plant
life (e.g., Tundra, Tropical Rainforest, Desert).
1.2 Energy Flow
● Producers (Autotrophs): Organisms that make their own food, usually via photosynthesis
(CO2 +H2 O+Sunlight→Glucose+O2 ). They form the base of the food chain.
● Consumers (Heterotrophs): Organisms that get energy by consuming others (Herbivores,
Carnivores, Omnivores).
● Trophic Levels: Energy transfer is inefficient. Only about 10% of the energy from one trophic
level is passed to the next. The rest is lost as heat. This limits the number of levels in a food
pyramid.
1.3 The Carbon Cycle (C)
1. Atmosphere: CO2 is a major greenhouse gas.
2. Photosynthesis: Plants pull CO2 from the air to make glucose.
3. Respiration: Animals/plants release CO2 back into the air when they metabolize food.
4. Ocean Absorption: The ocean acts as a carbon sink, absorbing atmospheric CO2 . Note:
This absorption causes ocean acidification.
5. Human Impact: Burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas) releases massive amounts of stored
carbon into the atmosphere, unbalancing the natural cycle and driving climate change.
Unit 2: Environmental Problems and Pollution
2.1 Water Pollution
● Point Source: Pollution that comes from a single, identifiable location (e.g., a factory
discharge pipe). Easier to regulate.
● Non-Point Source: Diffuse pollution from multiple areas (e.g., agricultural runoff of fertilizers
and pesticides). Much harder to control.
● Eutrophication: Nutrient overload (usually Nitrogen and Phosphorus from runoff) in water
bodies, causing massive algae blooms. When the algae die and decompose, they consume
dissolved oxygen (O2 ), creating "dead zones" (hypoxia).
2.2 Air Pollution
● Smog: A mixture of smoke and fog.
● Industrial Smog: Caused primarily by burning coal.
● Photochemical Smog: Formed when NOx and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
react in sunlight. Ozone (O3 ) is a major component of this smog and is harmful to
human respiratory health at ground level.
Unit 3: Climate Change and Sustainability
3.1 The Greenhouse Effect
● Definition: The natural process where certain gases in the atmosphere (Greenhouse Gases,
GHGs) trap heat radiated from the Earth's surface, keeping the planet warm enough to
support life.
● Major GHGs: Carbon Dioxide (CO2 ), Methane (CH4 ), Nitrous Oxide (N2 O).
● Anthropogenic Warming: The increase in GHGs from human activities (fossil fuel use,
deforestation, agriculture) intensifies the greenhouse effect, leading to global temperature
rise.
3.2 Impacts of Warming
● Sea Level Rise: Caused by the melting of land-based ice (glaciers, ice sheets) and the
thermal expansion of seawater as it warms.
● Extreme Weather: Increased frequency and intensity of heatwaves, droughts, heavy
precipitation events, and stronger tropical storms.
● Biodiversity Loss: Species forced to shift geographic ranges or face extinction due to rapidly
changing climate zones.
3.3 Sustainability
● Definition: Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs.
● Three Pillars: Environmental, Economic, and Social equity. True sustainability requires
balancing all three.
● Renewable Energy: Shifting from non-renewable sources (coal, oil) to clean, renewable
sources (solar, wind, geothermal) is the critical step in mitigating climate change.
