Environmental Geology

Dr Amanda Diochon Department of Geology

Learning Outcomes (Part I)

Describe the Earth as a system, our role and effects Explain the concept of exponential population growth in the context of geologic hazards and resource consumption Define sustainability in terms of human impact on the biosphere
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Earth as a System

Constantly changing and evolving Principle of environmental unity Need to understand Earth from systems perspective

Makes us good stewards

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Earth as a System

Four major systems that are interlinked

Atmosphere Hydrosphere Biosphere Lithosphere (solid Earth)

Learning Outcomes (Part I)

Describe the Earth as a system, our role and effects Explain the concept of exponential population growth in the context of geologic hazards and resource consumption Define sustainability in terms of human impact on the biosphere
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Population Growth

Linear

Added, straight line Slow and steady

(Non-linear) Exponential

Multiplied, nonlinear Increases greatly over time

Population Growth and Doubling Time

Growth rate of 1% would suggest a doubling time of 100 years (1% per year x 100 yrs = 100%) rule of 70 is a better approximation:

Population doubling time = 70 / growth rate (%)

So 2% growth rate = 35 yr doubling time

Doubling time & growth rate

Doubling time World N America S America Africa Asia Europe Oceania 43 yrs 50 yrs 41 yrs 26 yrs 43 yrs 346 yrs 43 yrs Growth rate 1.6% 1.4% 1.7% 2.8% 1.6% 0.2% 1.5% per per per per per per per year year year year year year year

Global Population Growth

~ 200, 000 years 1 billion people Doubled in 100 years (2 billion) Doubled again in 45 years (4 billion)

Limits to Growth?

Antoni van Leeuwenhoek (1687): upper limit of 13.4 billion Thomas Malthus (1798)

Population growth exponential, food production linear Food production controls population

Carrying capacity (1970s): finite resources and computer models

IPAT Equation

I=P+A+T

I=impact P=population A=affluence T=technology

Discussion Question

Can the exponential growth model accurately reflect the impact of population growth on the planets resources and environmental health? Explain your opinion using at least one example

Learning Outcomes (Part I)

Describe the Earth as a system, our role and effects Explain the concept of exponential population growth in the context of geologic hazards and resource consumption Define sustainability in terms of human impact on the biosphere
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Sustainability

Being able to maintain a system or process for an indefinite period of time Sustainable society

Lives within the Earths capacity to provide resources for future generations Natural systems operate this way

Demographic Transition

Consequences of overshooting carrying capacity vary among nations Developing countries vs developed countries

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Ecological Footprint

Biologically productive land/sea area needed to support lifestyle of humans Certain portion of the biosphere for extracting resources and absorbing waste

Human Impact and Conservation

During the Cretaceous, the extinction rate averaged one species per 25 years. In 1991 more than 1,700 species became extinct as a result of human activity. Are we exceeding the limits of what the earth can support ?

Easter Island

Dutch sailors (1722) 2000 inhabitants Windswept, grass covered wasteland No trees or native animals 200 statues with 700 in various stages of development (>80 tons, 10 km)

Easter Island

Developed 400-700 AD 7 000-20 000 people during peak construction Palm trees and native flora 30 000 years prior Abundant natural resources

Dolphins, birds, nuts, timber

What Happened?

800 AD charcoal 1400 AD palms extinct No birds or dolphins in diet after 1500 AD Deforestation and ecosystem services

Food and water shortages

Collapse

Small scale example of current society?

Not just about caring. . .need a fundamental understanding of how the world works

What could or should be done to remedy the environmental problems associated with such a large human population?

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Learning Outcomes (Part I)

Describe the Earth as a system, our role and effects Explain the concept of exponential population growth in the context of geologic hazards and resource consumption Define sustainability in terms of human impact on the biosphere
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Learning Outcomes (Part II)

Describe our solar system and the size of the Earth relative to the solar system, galaxy and universe Understand how the nebular hypothesis explains the formation of the solar system and the orbital characteristics of the planets and moons
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Space?

Astronomic environment has huge influence on the Earth system

Suns energy Moons gravitational field Other planets

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The Solar System

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The Solar System

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The Sun

Average star

Nuclear fusion of hydrogen and helium to produce energy Hot dense center surrounded by an outer, less dense atmosphere Releases electromagnetic radiation
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The Planets

Terrestrial planets

Have rocky surfaces Small Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars Made up of gases, no solid surface Large Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune

Gas planets

Jupiters atmosphere from the Voyager 2

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Pluto

Demoted as a planet in 2006

Rocky, cold and small Very far away, last in solar system

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Comets and Asteroids

Comets

Small, 1-10 km in diameter Rocky fragments in ice and frozen gases Highly elliptical orbits Mostly rock and metallic materials Most from asteroid belt between Jupiter and Mars

Asteroids

Halle-Bopp
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The Moon

Earths only satellite Gravity controls tides

Important for coastal processes

Gravity also minimizes the wobble of the Earth

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Learning Outcomes (Part II)

Describe our solar system and the size of the Earth relative to the solar system, galaxy and universe Understand how the nebular hypothesis explains the formation of the solar system and the orbital characteristics of the planets and moons
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Solar System: Observations

Formed around 4.6 billion years ago (common origin of bodies) Planets revolve around Sun in counterclockwise direction and have regular, circular orbits Sun and most planets (except Venus) spin on their axes in a counterclockwise direction; Moons same All planets and moons lie in a solar plane
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Nebular Hypothesis

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Nebular Hypothesis and Our Moon

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How Reliable is Nebular Hypothesis?

Most bodies rotate and revolve counter-clockwise All bodies in same plane with solar equator Most craters occurred early in the solar systems history Solidification around same time Accretion disks have been found around other stars (see photo) New stars forming in the gas and clouds
of the Eagle Nebula as seen from the Hubble space telescope 2-37

Other Stars in the Universe

Our galaxy is the Milky Way Most bright points in the night sky are galaxies The Big Bang Theory explains how the universe was formed from a central explosion
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Other Stars in the Universe

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Learning Outcomes (Part II)

Describe our solar system and the size of the Earth relative to the solar system, galaxy and universe Understand how the nebular hypothesis explains the formation of the solar system and the orbital characteristics of the planets and moons
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Next Class

Finish Up Earth from a Larger Perspective Start Earth Materials Written assignment 1 due at the beginning of class

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