Class “help” email address:Class “help” email address:

envir110@u.washington.eduenvir110@u.washington.edu

Class web address:http:/soilslab.cfr.washington.edu/esc110/lecturewtr04

ESC 110 Field Trips

Five Field Trips Are Offered

All are on Tuesday, Thursday or SaturdayEach field trip is 4 hours long including travel time -- meet in the C-10 Parking Lot behind Bloedel Hall for each FT--wear clothing that allows you to be outside--

wear closed-toed shoes for all trips

CHOOSE ONE FIELD TRIP TO ATTEND

Rabanco Recycling Facility and Nucor Bar MillWest Point Waste Treatment Plant and Groco CompostingCedar River WatershedThorton Creek RestorationSnoqualmie Falls Hydroelectric Plant

Snoqualjmie Falls Hydroelectiric Power Plant

Saturday January 31st (9 am to 1pm)Saturday February 7th (9 am to 1pm)

max of 23 students per date

Rabanco Recycling Facility and Nucor Bar Mill

Tuesday February 10th (noon to 4 pm)(Tuesday February 3rd (noon to 4 pm))

max of 14 students per date

West Point Waste Treatment Facility

Thursday February 12th (9am to 1pm)Thursday February 19th (9am to 1pm)

max of 27 students per date

Cedar River Watershed --Seattle Water Supply

Thursday February 12th (1:30 to 5:30 pm)(Thursday February 17th (1pm to 5 pm))

42 students max per date

Thornton Creek Restoration

Saturday January 24th (1:30 pm to 5:30pm)Saturday January 31st (1:30 pm to 5:30pm)

42 students max per date

Dates in Chronological Order:

January Saturday 24th - Thornton Creek (1:30 to 5:30 pm)Saturday 31st - Snoqualmie Falls (9 am to 1 pm)Saturday 31st - Thornton Creek (1:30 to 5:30 pm)

February Saturday 7th - Snoqualmie Falls (9am to 1pm)Tuesday 3rd - Rabanco and Nucor Mill (noon to 4pm)February 10th - Rabanco and Nucor Mill (noon to 4pm)Thursday 12th - West Point/GroCo (9am to 1pm)Tuesday 12th - Cedar River Watershed (1:30 to 5:30)Thursday 17th - Cedar River Watershed (1:30 to 5:30pm)Thursday 19th - West Point/GroCo (9am to 1pm)

You will need to complete a one-page field trip report answering questions related to each field trip. This needs to be turned in (hardcopy) in class within one week of the field trip you attend.

Field trip sign-up will begin on Friday.

Group ProjectGroup Project

• Topic and group selected by Jan 23.

• Draft of your project due to be posted by Feb 9.

• Final Projects due to be posted by Feb 28.

ESC110 Chapter One Understanding our

Environment

Principles of EnvironmentalScience - Inquiry and Applications,

2nd Editionby William and Mary Ann Cunningham

Chapter One Some Key Terms

McGraw-Hill Course Glossary

analytical thinking

creative thinking

critical thinking

deductive reasoning

environment

environmental science global environmentalism hypothesis

inductive reasoning

logical thinking paradigms

positivism

reflective thinking

remediation

restoration ecology

scientific theory

sustainability

sustainable development

Chapter 1

• Understanding Our Environment;

• Science as a Way of Knowing;

• Thinking About Thinking;

• A Brief History of Conservation and Environmentalism; and

• Human Dimensions of Environmental Science.

The Planet Earth

• Unique in the universe (?);• Mild, relatively constant

temperatures;• Biogeochemical cycles;• Millions of species; and• Diverse, self-sustaining

communities.

Understanding Our Environment

What is Environmental Science??• The Natural World – plants, animals, soils,

air, water

• Humans – social institutions and their artifacts(eg, political orgs, science, technology, etc)

• Integrating these two can affect the environment– Negatively?? so the more we learn about the

environment the better we can develop solutions– Environmental Science

Environmental Science

Environment is the circumstances and conditions that surround an organism or a group of organisms as well as the complex of social & cultural conditions that affect an individual or community;

Environmental science is the systematic study of our environment and our place in it.

What's Happening to the Frogs?In some places, up to sixty-percent of frogs and salamandershave abnormal limbs, digits, eyes, or internal organs.

Environmental science allows us to explore the possible causes of such problems.(observational &/or experimental)

Science as a Way of Knowing

• Modern science has its roots in antiquity;

• Greek philosophers;

• Arabic mathematicians and astronomers; and

• Chinese naturalists.

Scientific Investigation

• Deductive vs. inductive reasoning;

• Hypothesis - a conditional explanation that can be verified or falsified; and

• Scientific theory - an explanation that is supported by an overwhelming body of data and experience

Models and Natural ExperimentsModels• Simulate real environmental systems;• Can be physical or mathematical;• Provide heuristic information (suggestions of how

things MIGHT be); and• Are influenced by researchers' assumptions.

Natural Experiments• Gathering of historic evidence; and• Conducted by scientists who can't test their

hypotheses directly.

Probability and StatisticsQuantitative data• Precise and easily compared; and• Good benchmarks for measuring change.

Probability• Measure of how likely something is; and• High degree of scientific certainty: 95% probability.

Statistics• Important tool in both planning and evaluating scientific

studies; and• Sample size, number of replications important.

Applied Science

Many environmental scientists want to use their knowledge torepair ecological systems that have been damaged by humans.

Restoration EcologyRestoration - the re-creation of species composition andecosystem functions in areas disrupted by human actions

The Kissimmee River - the focus of an ambitious $8 billion restoration project.

Restoration Tools• Labor-intensive

horticultural or animal control methods

• Removal of exotic species

Restoration Issues• Natural disturbance (fires, hurricanes, etc.)• Multiple historic states• Climate changes and evolution• How do we distinguish between desirable and

undesirable change?

Artificial Ecosystems• Example: human-designed wetlands can be used to

treat sewage effluent

Thinking About Thinking