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
环
然
土壤
自
水
大
气
生物
聚落
环境
人
境
岩石
文化
环境
生产
环境
工
境
交通
环境
环
 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
According to the
forms of substances
According to the
cause of formation
According to
the subject
Natural
environment
human
environment
biological
environment
environmental
types
intersatellite
environment
global
environment
According to the
regional
space scale of environment environment
specific space
environment
Water
environment
Atmosphere
environment
Soil
environment
Settlement
environment
According to
function
Artificial
environment
Production
environment
Traffic
environment
Cultural
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

The immanent cause 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
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
Thanksgiving Day
Jsmao.Nov.24,2005
 Diversity of the interaction between human and
environment
（1）Diversity of function interface
（2）Diversity of action mode
Examples of the relationship between human
and environmental effects
Streets in the city
seaboard city
dump
workshop
（2）
The integrity of environment
Boston
Jsmao.Aug.,2005
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 regional environment is the temporal and spatial distribution
difference of environmental factors, which shows as follows: ：
 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.
（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.
人
类
胁
迫
A
The changing process of
environmental situation
in the pressure
人
工
恢
复
B
自
然
恢
复
恢
复
潜
力
C
健康状态
临界状态
不健康状态
D
（5） Hysteresis of environmental change

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.
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

Green
card
Environmental Bearing Capacity: is the support capacity
to development by environmental system.

Means "during a certain period, under certain environmental
circumstances, the threshold of support capacity to human society
economic activity by a regional environment”.

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,
study scope of environmental science
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 between
human 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 concern
about the impact of human activity on the natural world.（ARW Jackson &
JM Jackson，2000）
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
社会科学
环环环环
According to the basic
disciplines, study the basic
theory of environmental
problems
自然科学
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combining
theory with
practice
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按学科
体系分
按环境
要素分
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blending with
environmental
science and
social sciences
技术科学
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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
system
system analysis
structural unit
law
element
combination of system
New system
social concern
resource utilization
high efficiency
optimized structure
Government action
natural protection
ethics
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
creative thinking
Summary Data
out of the common
critical thinking
Analysis of the reasons
Solving problems
suspicious
logical thinking
raise questions
Reflections on Science
date supporting
thoroughly pondering
draw the conclusion
Scientific confirmation
Basic mode of scientific research
观观
观观观观
观观观观
观观观观
观观观观
观观观观
观观观观
观观观观
观观观观观观观观观观观
观观
与与与与与与与与
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
1.4.2 Learning requirements


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%)
未知领域
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