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Course Description
Spring, 2003 Environmental Science?I - NSCI 1110 L01 Required Text: Environmental Science - A Global Concern (2003) William P. Cunningham, Mary Ann Cunningham, & Barbara W. Saigo,??Seventh Edition. xvii + 646pp., McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.???New York. ISBN 0-07-029426-7? Instructor: Ray D. Burkett, Ph. D. - Professor of Biology, Southwest Tennessee Community College Office: M216 Union Avenue Campus Telephone: (901) 333-5225 Fax: (901) 333-5768 Office Hours:_______________________________________________________________________ For general information on the professor and this course, go to my website at: http://faculty.stcc.tn.edu/rburkett Before beginning your studies on this course, please contact me by E-mail: RBurkettNOSPAM@stcc.tn.edu??(Remove NOSPAM before sending a message.) To prevent spam, add: http://members.hostedscripts.com/antispam.html to your website. To log onto the course website (WebCT), go to http://de.stcc.tn.edu:8900 and enter your last name and first initial, as shown here: If your name is William Jones, use jonesw. Your password is the last four digits on your Social Security number. If the above does not work, try joneswi. For help with WebCT, go to: www.webct.com. Textbook Website: http://www.mhhe.com/environmentalscience/ This website has numerous resources for students, including up-to-date connections concerning environmental problems on every continent.? Additional web resources:?Each of these will give you information concerning local, national, and/or global issues. http://www.uca.edu/divisions/academic/environment/envirolinks.htm - Univ. Central Arkansas www.techtn.org - Tennessee Environmental Council www.cleanairsouth.org - Tennessee Clean Air Task Force www.cleartheair.org - National Clean Air Campaign www.enn.com - Environmental News Network www.nature.org - The Nature Conservancy www.seaweb.org - status of fish populations, conservation, international fishing quotas, etc. http://www-unix.oit.umass.edu/~envhl565/ - University of Mass. site. See Chapter Web Links (Much of this location is password protected) http://www.cdc.noaa.gov - the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the Centers for Disease Control. Contains information for prediction of climatic changes. http://www.popnet.org - Resource for worldwide population information; links to many other population-related Web sites. http://www.unep.ch/earthw.html - United Nations Environment Programme, Earthwatch Coordination. Emerging environmental issues. http://www.ncbi.nlm.gov/pubmed - National Library of Medicine link to PubMed; links to information on Environmental Diseases http://www.epa.gov - U. S. Environmental Protection Agency http://www.epa.gov/ebtpages/water.html - Topics concerning water http://www.epa.gov/oar - Office of Air and Radiation; information on air pollution and radiation. http://epa.gov/superfund/programs/risk/index.htm - Assessment of Hazardous Waste Sites http://lawvianet.com - Environmental Law Net http://www.scorecard.org - Environmental Defense site; applies science, economics, and law to find solutions to environmental problems. http://epa.gov/enviro/html/ef_query.html - U. S. Environmental Protection Agency site; Query forms on county and state to obtain information on environmental issues. http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~mow/intro.html - Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition site on foodborne pathogens and toxins. www.google.com www.dogpile.com www.yahoo.com/science www.enature.com - This is an electronic identification manual for many plants and animals. http://www.isis.vt.edu/~fanjun/text/Links.html - Information on insects and entomology; over 6000 URLs. Also check the Emerging Infectious Diseases journal here. You will need to download Adobe Acrobat to read these (.pdf) files.? http://www.kumc.edu/instruction/medicine/anatomy/histoweb/ - Cells and Tissues Library Resources: For connection to all Tennessee college and university libraries, go to http://www.tn.regentsdegrees.org/tvl.htm. The Memphis/Shelby County Public Library & Information Center is at http://www.memphislibrary.lib.tn.us. ************************************************ ?Tentative Schedule - To observe links to all underlined information on this schedule, go to: http://www.rburkett2.pageout.net and log in. Environmental Science I Chapter???????? Topic?& Page? ????????????????Week Introduction to course and WebCT???? 1 PART ONE? Environmental Science and Ecological Principles 15 Chapter 1 Understanding our Environment ?- 15 2???? Chapter 2 Environmental Ethics and Philosophy -?37 ??3 Chapter 3 Matter, Energy & Life -?55 4 Chapter 4 Biological Communities & Species Interactions -?77?????????????????????????5 Chapter 5?Biomes, Restoration & Management -?101 6? PART TWO Population, Economics, Policy and Health 125 Chapter 6??Population Dynamics -?125 ?7 Chapter 7 Human Populations -?137 ?8 Chapter 8 Ecological Economics -?159 9 Chapter 9??Environmental Health & Toxicology -?183 10??????????? PART THREE Land and Biological Resources - 205 Chapter 10 Environmental Policy, Law, and Planning -?205 ?11 ? Chapter 11?Food & Agriculture -?229 12 ?Chapter 12??Pest control -?255 13 Final Exam ?14 ?????????????????????????????????????????? ???? **********************************************???? Environmental Science I - Grading Become familiar with the layout of the entire book before you begin your detailed study. At the end of each chapter are Review Questions, Critical Thinking Questions, Key Terms, and Related Internet Sites. After reading each chapter, make good use of all of these resources to test your understanding. On pages 597-616 is a Glossary. Read and study Appendix One, which will help you with the Critical Thinking Questions.?? You will have a short online practice quiz over each Chapter.?NOTE: You must take the chapter quizzes and exams in numerical order to allow you to take the next chapter quiz or exam. You can take these three times each to help you prepare for the four Unit Exams, which will cover Chapters 1-2, 3-5, 6-7, 8-9, and 10-12 (500 points total). Do not?open an Exam until you are prepared for it, since you will only have two chances to take each exam, and your Average Grade on the two attempts will be counted. Participation in Critical Thinking or Review Questions "chapter discussions" on the WebCT E-Mail will be graded for quality and quantity. Discuss one question from each chapter (at least 100 words); also pick at least two topics or concepts from each chapter, and relate these to two topics or concepts in the following chapter.? Write a paragraph for each topic chosen for each of the first 12 chapters in the text. (30 points per chapter - 360 points total). Eight (8) Group & Individual Lab Projects & Reports must be completed; These will count 25 points each, for a total of 200 points.? For each project that you complete, include in your discussion the relationships between the specific topic and as many of the 14 different interrelated areas of environmental science as you can (physics, chemistry, earth sciences, biology, agriculture, engineering, economics, politics, law, psychology, sociology, philosophy, ethics, and computer science).????? You must keep up with these discussions on a weekly basis.? The exams will only be available through certain dates, and you must complete them by the deadlines, which will be posted on the exams during the semester. You should be through Chapter 6 by the end of the eighth week, and complete all exams by the last day of class. Total points for the course will be 1060. ****************************************** As with any course, you must learn the language. The subject of environmental science includes an abundance of terminology, and each chapter introduces 30-80 terms that may be new to you. Take special notice of any terms in bold print or italics, as these are important terms that you not only need to recognize, but you also need to be able to use these terms and understand how they relate to all the other concepts. First, read and study each chapter and the Essential Study Partner. Then read the materials for the Review Questions and/or Critical Thinking questions marked in the schedule below, and review any related information on the McGraw-Hill website for that chapter or from other Internet sources. Perform your lab exercise for the related chapter, then carefully compose and post your discussion on the WebCT mail. Finally, take your quiz for the chapter. Grading is based on 90%, 80%, 70% & 60% for a course grade of A, B, C or D, respectively. You will be able to see and keep up with your grades through WebCT.?? For your first assignment, write a brief essay introducing yourself, and describing your environment and your past experiences and knowledge of the natural environment. What does quality of life mean to you, and what do you want out of life? What type of career or job are you seeking, and how do you plan to insure a good quality of life for yourself and your family? Please answer the following questions: 1) Do you presently recycle any materials (cans, glass, paper, plastic, oil, etc.)? 2) Are you aware of the types of hazardous materials you may have in your house? 3) Do you dispose of hazardous materials in the proper manner, throw them in the garbage, bury them, or pour them down the drain? 4) Do you get outside to simply enjoy nature, or are you more an inside person or city person? 5) How often do you go to a park or wilderness area to enjoy nature? 6) Have you ever gone hiking or camping? 7) What are your hobbies? 8) Are you aware of the many different types of environmental problems near where you live, and are you aware of the many disciplines of study involved in a study of environmental science? Post this message on the Bulletin Board (Communications area of the course website). Click on the icon Communication Tools, click Discussions, then Compose Message. After writing, click Post. Chapter 2 discusses the Scientific Method, and a Special Assignment requires you to use logic in this method to solve a problem relating to an ecological study on populations. The last step of the scientific method calls for a scientist to share new knowledge with the scientific community by publishing articles in scientific journals or books and by presenting the information at scientific meetings. Scientists must first investigate what is already known about a subject by reviewing relevant literature. In scientific writing, in which information from a published source is quoted, references are listed in alphabetical order. Many scientific journals use the following method to report information: "Enger and Smith (2002:67-69) outlined the scientific method...etc." Most journals do not include the page number, but some include other information, such as: "Burkett (Jour. Tn. Acad. Sci. 66(4):163) stated that....," in which the journal, volume, number, and page are given. Or, you may wish to make a statement or short quote, followed by (Burkett, 1991:161) within parentheses. If you quote more than one paper by Burkett published in 1991, you will need to list them as 1991a and 1991b in your Literature Cited section at the end of your report. Be sure to give sources of all information in your reports. Paraphrase any information that is not directly quoted, i.e., do not plagiarize.??Any make-up work will be given at the discretion of the instructor. If you cannot complete the course for any reason, contact the instructor to determine whether Withdrawal from the course or an Incomplete would be most appropriate. Incompletes are generally given only if approximately 2/3 of the course has been completed with passing grades. ?? Individual/Group Lab Project: After studying Chapters 4 and 5, go take a walk through a natural area, such as different parts of Shelby Farms, Meeman Shelby Forest State Park, T. O. Fuller State Park, or some other place of your choice, and begin to look at the environment, hopefully, with a new understanding. Observe some environmental problems in the area, and discuss these with a park ranger. Be sure to dress appropriately for the season (and habitat) and take all necessary precautions for the area. I will be glad to give some pointers before you do this. Under 'Course Content' you will find numerous ideas for individual and/or group projects. The instructor will assign groups for certain projects, and each student will be responsible for participating in these projects. ? ********************************************* The major themes of Environmental Science include: 1. Interrelatedness - virtually everything is interrelated in some way with everything else. Ecology is the branch of biology which studies the relationships between organisms and their environment. Individual organisms are usually part of a family unit (or deme); these units make up populations (local groups of other demes. Populations of all kinds of organisms (plants, animals, fungi, protists, and bacteria) live together in communities, in which all organisms interact either directly or indirectly. Communities, along with all the nonliving (abiotic) components of the environment, such as climate, weather, soil, altitude, latitude, chemical components of the environment, wind patterns, precipitation, etc., make up an ecosystem, in which all living and nonliving components react. Ecosystems are often classified into biomes, major terrestrial or aquatic areas of the earth. Biomes, in turn make up the biosphere, the entire region of the earth where life occurs. Each of these levels has its own characteristics. 2. Global Perspective - we are not isolated; our economy and environment are influenced by events all around the globe. Pollution is not restricted within political boundaries. The way that people in other countries view us has major effects on our lives. 3. Human Population Numbers - In 1997, the world population reached 6 billion, and today stands at over 6.2 billion. More than 100 million people are born every year, and about 30 million die each year. The United States has about 280 million people, approximately 5% of the world's population. However, estimates indicate that we use between 25% and 50% of the world's energy.??? 4. Urbanization and Standard of Living - Most of us live in cities or towns, and many people in relatively undeveloped nations wish to have the same standard of living as in the developed nations. To do so will require new and reusable sources of energy, because fossil fuels (oil, coal, and gas) will not last long if we continue to require fuels and electricity. 5. Sustainable Economies - In order to survive, we must find ways to feed, clothe, and provide shelter and a healthy environment to rapidly increasing numbers of people, as the amount of livable space diminishes. The rate of extermination of species has accelerated rapidly in the last 100 years, as civilization has spread. Resources must be recycled and energy must be conserved in order to provide a high quality of life.? 6. Science and Values - The solutions that we choose to solve environmental problems depend heavily upon our values, which are largely derived from our ethical, moral and religious backgrounds. Thus, we must examine the relationships between our value systems and our ability to modify our environment. Environmental laws and government action are a product of the interactions between science and values. ********************************************* Tentative Schedule for ES II This schedule is listed simply as reference material for those students choosing research or lab topics topics dealing with subject matter in Chapters 11-20. Environmental Science II - NSCI 1120 Chapter??????????????????????? Topic?& Page? ??????????????Week Chapter 13???Biodiversity -?275 1 Chapter 14???Land-Use: Forests & Rangelands - ?299???????????????????????2 Chapter 15??Preserving Nature -?325 CT # 1, 2 & 5???????????????????????3 PART FOUR Physical Resources? - 349 Chapter 16???Environmental Geology -?349????????????????????????????????????????4 Chapter 17???Air, Weather, & Climate - 369????????????????????????????????????5 & 6 Chapter 18???Air Pollution -?401 7 Chapter 19???Water Use & Management -?421 8 Chapter 20??Water Pollution - 447 9 Chapter 21 Conventional Energy - 475 10 Chapter 22 Sustainable Energy - 501 11 PART FIVE? Society and the Environment - 527 Chapter 23 solid, Toxic, & Hazardous Waste - 527 12 Chapter 24 Urbanization & Sustainable Cities - 549??????????????????????13 Chapter 25 What Then Shall We Do? - 571 13 Final Exam ?14 ?????????????????????????????????????????? ?Environmental Science II - Grading ????? Online exams over Chapters 13-15, 16-18, 19-20, 21-22, and 23-25 are worth 100 points each. (500 points total). The exams will only be available through certain dates, and you must complete them by the deadline. You should be through Chapter 20 by the end of the eighth week, and complete all exams by the last day of class.? Participation in Critical Thinking or Review Questions "chapter discussions" on the WebCT Bulletin Board?will be graded for quality and quantity. Discuss one question from each chapter (at least 100 words); also pick at least two topics or concepts from each chapter, and relate these to two topics or concepts in the following chapter. Write a paragraph for each topic chosen for each of the last 13 chapters in the text. (30 points per chapter - 390 points total).??You must keep up with these discussions on a weekly basis.???? Eight Group & Individual Lab Projects & Reports will count 25 points each (200 points total), and one major research project over a topic of your choice must be completed within 12 weeks (100 points). The major research report should be a minimum of 10 pages in length, and include at least 10 references. Be sure to show the relationship of your topic to some of the material in your text, explain related issues, the relative importance of the problem compared to other environmental issues, and discuss any legal and/or economic implications. Include in your discussion the relationships between the specific topic and as many of the 14 different interrelated areas of environmental science as you can (physics, chemistry earth sciences, biology, agriculture, engineering, economics, politics, law, psychology, sociology, philosophy, ethics, and computer science). See notes and supplemental references below concerning the writing of reports. Total points for the course will be 1190. As with any course, you must learn the language. The subject of environmental science includes an abundance of terminology, and each chapter introduces 30-80 terms that may be new to you. Take special notice of any terms in bold print or italics, as these are important terms that you not only need to recognize, but you also need to be able to use these terms and understand how they relate to all the other concepts. First, read and study each chapter and the Essential Study Partner. Then read the materials for the Review Questions and/or Critical Thinking questions marked in the schedule below, and review any related information on the McGraw-Hill website for that chapter or from other Internet sources. Perform your lab exercise for the related chapter, then carefully compose and post your discussion on the Bulletin Board. Finally, take your quiz for the chapter. Grading is based on 90%, 80%, 70% & 60% for a course grade of A, B, C or D, respectively. You will be able to see and keep up with your grades through WebCT.??See additional information on http://faculty.stcc.tn.edu/rburkett on the Profpage, under Grading Policy. ******************************** ??? In Chapter 2, the last step of the scientific method calls for a scientist to share new knowledge with the scientific community by publishing articles in scientific journals or books and by presenting the information at scientific meetings. Scientists must first investigate what is already known about a subject by reviewing relevant literature. In scientific writing, in which information from a published source is quoted, references are listed in alphabetical order. Many scientific journals use the following method to report information: "Enger and Smith (2002:67-69) outlined the scientific method...etc." Most journals do not include the page number, but some include other information, such as: "Burkett (Jour. Tn. Acad. Sci. 66(4):163) stated that....," in which the journal, volume, number, and page are given. Or, you may wish to make a statement or short quote, followed by (Burkett, 1991:161) within parentheses. If you quote more than one paper by Burkett published in 1991, you will need to list them as 1991a and 1991b in your Literature Cited section.?? Group/Individual Projects: Under 'Course Content' (in WebCT) you will find numerous ideas for individual and/or group projects. The instructor will assign groups for certain projects, and each student will be responsible for participating in these projects. For the Major Research Project, you must pick a topic based upon one of the last 10 chapters (see projects #18 and 19), and notify me of your choice during the first two weeks of class. Some of the earlier Projects (#1-17) may apply. I will work with you to get a specific topic. Pick something that interests you and that may apply to your major. For instance, if you are majoring in law, Chapters 19 & 20 deal specifically with legal matters, but you could also write on laws affecting nuclear energy, natural resources, land-use, soil, agriculture, pesticides, air quality, waste, wildlife, or population issues. You may wish to write on a local environmental concern or one in another country, but do not get too broad or generalized in your research and discussion. By Midterm, you must post an outline and a brief first draft of your project on the BB. Be sure to check your spelling and grammar before turning in your final draft. You must use at least 10 references, and approximately half of these must come from newspapers, magazines, or journals (as opposed to books). ?Cite the references using one of the examples in the paragraph above. Your paper must contain the following sections: 1) Introduction (which reviews previous work on the topic); 2) Materials and Methods (how you went about doing your project); 3) Results (present all your data and information here); 4) Conclusions (any recommendations that you would make concerning the issue, and why you decided this); 5) Literature Cited (an alphabetical list of your references).? ??? A word of caution about plagiarism - Every idea that you get from another source must be cited by author and date. Any direct quotes must be within quotation marks. Any papers that appear to be copied directly from another source will be given a grade of "0." ******************************************* Environmental Science (Spring 2003) Course Outcomes - General Education Competencies: The original Environmental Science course was approved for the Gen Ed A.A.S. Core; I am requesting that the expanded course sequence, Environmental Science I and Environmental Science II, also be included in the A.A. and A.S. Core. These courses will address Gen Ed competencies as outlined below. ADA Statement: Southwest Tennessee Community College is committed to providing reasonable accommodation for all qualified students with disabilities. It is the responsibility of the student to contact the Counseling Office to arrange for appropriate accommodation. When the disability has been documented and verified, a counselor will notify the instructor regarding any special accommodation to be provided. Misuse of Computers: Computers located in classrooms and laboratories are for EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. Effective date of syllabus - (01/23/01) Content: Environmental Science I covers interrelationships between the environment and economics, politics, society, and other concerns, in addition to ecological principles involving ecosystems, energy, communities, populations, and interactions between organisms and the environment. Environmental Science II covers human impact on the environment through government policy, human population growth, pollution, waste management and disposal, agricultural methods, pest management, land-use planning, resource conservation and management. Course Description: NSCI 1110 Environmental Science I, 4 Credits, 3 Class Hours, 3 Lab HoursThis is the first of a two-semester science course sequence designed to meet general education core requirements for students in transfer programs. This course integrates principles from the biological and physical sciences, and includes economic, ethical, social, and political considerations. Emphasis on ecological concepts of structure and dynamics of populations, communities, and ecosystems, as well as global energy sources, consumption, benefits, and risks. Prerequisite: none; student must have basic computer skills and have an e-mail address. Course Objectives: This interdisciplinary Environmental Science course introduces students to a focused body of topics related to the study of our natural environment and man's relationship to that environment. Course materials and assignments integrate general education goals of critical thinking, responsibility, communication and globalism, Students will engage in activities that develop, enhance, and demonstrate skills reflecting these goals. The primary objective of this course is to familiarize students with scientific theories, concepts, facts, and formulas fundamental to science, and the application of these principles to the quality of life on earth. It is part of a program devised to reinforce general education competencies, and satisfies STCC and most institutions of higher education requirements for transfer credit. At the completion of this course, students should be able to: Learn, analyze, and evaluate information to draw appropriate conclusions and make informed decisions. Demonstrate the ability to think problems through, recognizing consequences and implications. Recognize, construct, and defend alternative hypotheses. Understand and use the scientific method. Read, write, speak, and listen critically and effectively. Locate, evaluate, and synthesize material from a variety of sources in a responsible manner. Demonstrate the ability to participate effectively in groups as both speakers and listeners. Recognize and use the aesthetic dimension of communications. Recognize and use the technological dimension of communications. Demonstrate an understanding of ethical issues and behavior. Use both the past and present to develop a useful understanding of human behavior. Demonstrate habits and values appropriate for both the academic and work environment. Participate in professional and personal development activities that exhibit an understanding the learning continues throughout a lifetime. Demonstrate an understanding of the individual's role in society. Understand how to use the past to understand the present and anticipate the future. Demonstrate an awareness of the varied perspectives that emerge from different lands, cultures, and experiences. Understand how human diversity affects ideas and behavior. Demonstrate an ability to think globally and internationally. Understand basic scientific theories, concepts, facts, and formulas fundamental to science. Apply scientific principles to the their relationship to quality of life on earth.

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