Environment

Description

For courses in introductory environmental science.

 

Help Students Connect Current Environmental Issues to the Science Behind Them

 

Environment: The Science behind the Stories is a best seller for the introductory environmental science course known for its student-friendly narrative style, its integration of real stories and case studies, and its presentation of the latest science and research. The 6th Edition features new opportunities to help students see connections between integrated case studies and the science in each chapter, and provides them with opportunities to apply the scientific process to environmental concerns.

Jay Withgott is the primary author and has been with the book since the first edition. He is a seasoned science writer.

Matt Laposata teaches at Kennesaw State University, where over 4000 undergraduates take the Introduction to Environmental Science course each year. Matt brings a fresh, teaching¿-based perspective to the book thanks to his classroom experience. Matt’s research interests are in science education and he has been a part of several NSF-funded projects specifically aimed at improving environmental science education.

About the Book

• Updated! Integrated Central Case Studies begin and are woven throughout each chapter, highlighting the real people, real places, and real data behind environmental issues. Revised throughout and updated with current stories, the Central Case Studies draw students in, providing a contextual framework to make science memorable and engaging. New topics include:
• Chapter 9:  Farm to Table–And Back Again: The Commons at Kennesaw State University
• Chapter 10:  Can Organic Farming and GMOs Coexist?
• Chapter 15:  Conserving Every Drop in California
• Chapter 18:  From the Maldives to Miami, Rising Seas Take a Toll
• Chapter 22:  A Mania for Recycling on Campus

• Updated! Science behind the Story essays provide a current and fascinating selection of examples of real research that delves into environmental issues. Each essay highlights how scientists develop hypotheses, test predictions, and analyze and interpret data. These fascinating profiles of current research help students understand “how we know what we know” about environmental issues. New topics include:
• Chapter 2:  Are the Earthquakes Rattling Oklahoma Caused by Human Activity? 
• Chapter 10:  What Are the Impacts of GM Crops?
• Chapter 11:  Can Forensic DNA Analysis Help Save Elephants?
• Chapter 15:  Are We Destined for a Future of “Megadroughts” in the United States?
• Chapter 23:  Can Acid Mine Drainage Reduce Fracking’s Environmental Impact?
• NEW! “Closing the Loop” features bring Central Case Studies full circle by revisiting the Case Study from the start of the chapter at the end of every chapter. This new feature will encourage students to think critically about the issue laid out within the chapter and summarize the relationship between concepts in the chapter and the case study itself.
• NEW! Case Study Connection questions at the end of every chapter will allow instructors to assign questions specific to the case study example that prompt students to think about both the problems and solutions to the environmental issue explored in the chapter.
• Weighing the Issues questions encourage students to develop critical-thinking skills, grapple with ethical questions, and apply what they have learned as they go through each chapter.
• Calculating Ecological Footprint activities at the end of every chapter allow students to quantify the environmental impact of their own actions, then scale these impacts up to the societal level.
• Campus Sustainability coverage in the final chapter shows how students are helping to forge sustainable solutions on campuses across North America.
• FAQs examine common misconceptions students often hold about environmental issues.
• Expanded! Data Qs are data analysis questions paired with figures in each chapter that help students develop their scientific literacy skills.
• NEW! A new overview in Chapter 1 examines how and why scientists use different types of graphs to convey scientific information. This content, formerly only discussed in the appendix, now helps students prepare to readily use data literacy skills throughout the course.
• NEW! Reviewing Objectives sections at the end of each chapter align with chapter-opening learning objectives and provide new visual cues to help make review more accessible to students.
• NEW! A new chapter opener design will more readily engage students in the contents of the course and help students to better visualize the global nature of environmental issues with a new approach to each map.
• Additional content updates include the latest on the fracking debate, changes to China’s one child policy, the drought in the western United States, the latest coverage global climate policy including the Paris Agreement, sea level rise in Florida, and more.

For courses in introductory environmental science.

Help Students Connect Current Environmental Issues to the Science Behind Them

Environment: The Science behind the Stories is a best seller for the introductory environmental science course known for its student-friendly narrative style, its integration of real stories and case studies, and its presentation of the latest science and research. The 6th Edition features new opportunities to help students see connections between integrated case studies and the science in each chapter, and provides them with opportunities to apply the scientific process to environmental concerns.

Also available with Mastering Environmental Science

Mastering^TM Environmental Science is an online homework, tutorial, and assessment system designed to improve results by helping students quickly master concepts. Students benefit from self-paced tutorials that feature personalized wrong-answer feedback and hints that emulate the office-hour experience and help keep students on track. With a wide range of interactive, engaging, and assignable activities, students are encouraged to actively learn and retain tough course concepts.

Note: You are purchasing a standalone product; Mastering^TM Environmental Science does not come packaged with this content. Students, if interested in purchasing this title with Mastering Environmental Science, ask your instructor for the correct package ISBN and Course ID. Instructors, contact your Pearson representative for more information.

If you would like to purchase both the physical text and Mastering Environmental Science, search for:

0134145933 / 9780134145938 Environment: The Science behind the Stories Plus Mastering Environmental Science with eText — Access Card Package

Package consists of:

• 0134204883 / 9780134204888 Environment: The Science behind the Stories
• 0134510194 / 9780134510194 Mastering Environmental Science with Pearson eText — ValuePack Access Card — for Environment: The Science behind the Stories

Environment: The Science behind the Stories, 6th Edition is also available via Pearson eText, a simple-to-use, mobile, personalized reading experience that lets instructors connect with and motivate students — right in their eTextbook. Learn more.

1. Science and Sustainability

Our Island, Earth

The Nature of Environmental Science

The Nature of Science

Sustainability and Our Future

2. Earth’s Physical Systems

Matter, Chemistry, and the Environment

Energy: An Introduction

Geology: The Physical Basis for Environmental Science

Geologic and Natural Hazards

3. Evolution, Biodiversity, and Population Ecology

Evolution: The Source of Earth’s Biodiversity

Ecology and the Organism

Population Ecology

Conserving Biodiversity

4. Species Interactions and Community Ecology

Species Interactions

Ecological Communities

Earth’s Biomes

5. Environmental Systems and Ecosystem Ecology

Earth’s Environmental Systems

Ecosystems

Biogeochemical Cycles

6. Ethics, Economics, and Sustainable Development

Culture, Worldview, and the Environment

Environmental Ethics

Economics and the Environment

Sustainable Development

7. Environmental Policy

Environmental Policy: An Overview

U.S. Environmental Law and Policy

International Environmental Policy

Approaches to Environmental Policy

8. Human Population

Our World at Seven Billion

Demography

Population and Society

9. The Underpinnings of Agriculture

The Changing Face of Agriculture

Soil: A Foundation of Agriculture

Water for Agriculture

Nutrients for Plants

Pollination

Conserving Agricultural Resources

10. Making Agriculture Sustainable

The Race to Feed the World

Raising Animals for Food

Preserving Crop Diversity and Pollinators

Controlling Pests and Weeds

Genetically Modified Food

Organic Agriculture

Sustainable Food Production

11. Biodiversity and Conservation Biology

Life’s Diversity on Earth

Benefits of Biodiversity

Biodiversity Loss and Extinction

Conservation Biology: The Search for Solutions

12. Forests, Forest Management, and Protected Areas

Forest Ecosystems and Forest Resources

Forest Loss

Forest Management

Parks and Protected Areas

13. The Urban Environment

Our Urbanizing World

Sprawl

Creating Livable Cities

Urban Sustainability

14. Environmental Health and Toxicology

Environmental Health

Toxic Substances and Their Effects on Organisms

Toxic Substances and Their Effects on Ecosystems

Studying Effects of Hazards

Risk Assessment and Risk Management

Philosophical and Policy Approaches

15. Freshwater Systems and Resources

Freshwater Systems

Solutions to Depletion of Fresh Water

Freshwater Pollution and Its Control

16. Marine and Coastal Systems and Resources

The Oceans

Marine and Coastal Ecosystems

Marine Pollution

Emptying the Oceans

Marine Conservation

17. Atmospheric Science, Air Quality, and Pollution Control

The Atmosphere

Outdoor Air Quality

Ozone Depletion and Recovery

Addressing Acid Deposition

Indoor Air Quality

18. Global Climate Change

Our Dynamic Climate

Studying Climate Change

Current and Future Trends and Impacts

Responding to Climate Change

19. Fossil Fuels

Sources of Energy

Fossil Fuels: Their Formation, Extraction, and Use

Reaching Further for Fossil Fuels

Addressing Impacts of Fossil Fuel Use

Energy Efficiency and Conservation

20. Conventional Energy Alternatives

Alternatives to Fossil Fuels

Nuclear Power

Bioenergy

Hydroelectric Power

21. New Renewable Energy Alternatives

“New” Renewable Energy Sources

Solar Energy

Wind Power

Geothermal Energy

Ocean Energy Sources

Hydrogen and Fuel Cells

22. Managing Our Waste

Approaches to Waste Management

Municipal Solid Waste

Industrial Solid Waste

Hazardous Waste

23. Minerals and Mining

Earth’s Mineral Resources

Mining Methods and Their Impacts

Toward Sustainable Mineral Use

24. Sustainable Solutions

Sustainability on Campus

Strategies for Sustainability

Precious Time

About the Book

• Updated Integrated Central Case Studies begin and are woven throughout each chapter, highlighting the real people, real places, and real data behind environmental issues. Revised throughout and updated with current stories, the Central Case Studies draw students in, providing a contextual framework to make science memorable and engaging. New topics include:
• Chapter 9:  Farm to Table–And Back Again: The Commons at Kennesaw State University
• Chapter 10:  Can Organic Farming and GMOs Coexist?
• Chapter 15:  Conserving Every Drop in California
• Chapter 18:  From the Maldives to Miami, Rising Seas Take a Toll
• Chapter 22:  A Mania for Recycling on Campus
• Updated Science behind the Story essays provide a current and fascinating selection of examples of real research that delves into environmental issues. Each essay highlights how scientists develop hypotheses, test predictions, and analyze and interpret data. These fascinating profiles of current research help students understand “how we know what we know” about environmental issues. New topics include:
• Chapter 2:  Are the Earthquakes Rattling Oklahoma Caused by Human Activity? 
• Chapter 10:  What Are the Impacts of GM Crops?
• Chapter 11:  Can Forensic DNA Analysis Help Save Elephants?
• Chapter 15:  Are We Destined for a Future of “Megadroughts” in the United States?
• Chapter 23:  Can Acid Mine Drainage Reduce Fracking’s Environmental Impact?
• “Closing the Loop” features bring Central Case Studies full circle by revisiting the Case Study from the start of the chapter at the end of every chapter. This new feature will encourage students to think critically about the issue laid out within the chapter and summarize the relationship between concepts in the chapter and the case study itself.
• Case Study Connection questions at the end of every chapter will allow instructors to assign questions specific to the case study example that prompt students to think about both the problems and solutions to the environmental issue explored in the chapter.
• A new overview in Chapter 1 examines how and why scientists use different types of graphs to convey scientific information.
• Reviewing Objectives sections at the end of each chapter align with chapter-opening learning objectives and provide new visual cues to help make review more accessible to students.
• A new chapter opener design will more readily engage students in the contents of the course and help students to better visualize the global nature of environmental issues with a new approach to each map.
• Expanded Data Qs are data analysis questions paired with figures in each chapter that help students develop their scientific literacy skills.
• Additional content updates include the latest on the fracking debate, changes to China’s one child policy, the drought in the western United States, the latest coverage global climate policy including the Paris Agreement, sea level rise in Florida, and more.

Mastering ^™  Environmental Science is an online homework, tutorial, and assessment system designed to improve results by helping students quickly master concepts. Students benefit from self-paced tutorials that feature personalized wrong-answer feedback and hints that emulate the office-hour experience and help keep students on track. With a wide range of interactive, engaging, and assignable activities, students are encouraged to actively learn and retain tough course concepts.

• Case Study Tours use Google Earth and striking images delivered in a 2 to 3 minute, highly engaging video to bring each chapter opening case study to life. Over 20 video tours encourage students to immerse themselves in the theme of the chapter and allow instructors to assign the experience through Mastering Environmental Science.
• GraphIt activities are designed to help students read, interpret and create graphs that explore real environmental issues and real data. All 10 interactive activities explore current topics such as ocean acidification, nutrient cycling, freshwater availability, the carbon footprint of the average American diet, and more and are mobile-friendly, and assignable in Mastering. 
• Everyday Environmental Science video activities connect environmental science course topics with current stories in the news. Produced by the BBC, these high-quality videos can be assigned for pre- and post-lecture homework, or can be shown in class to engage students in the topic at hand.
• Interpreting Graphs and Data activities and Process of Science activities help students practice quantitative literacy and scientific reasoning skills. Students learn to analyze data, develop a hypothesis or make a prediction. Each activity includes personalized feedback for wrong answers.

Also new to Mastering Environmental Science:

• Dynamic Study Module
• Instructors can now remove questions from Dynamic Study Modules to better fit their course
• Learning Catalytics updates include:
• Upload a full PowerPoint^® deck for easy creation of slide questions
• Team names are no longer case sensitive
• eText 2.0 now offers a mobile optimized eText, includes features such as note-taking, highlighting, bookmarking, and search in an entirely accessible (screen-reader ready) format.The etext 2.0 offers offline access on iOS or Android phones and tablets through the etext 2.0 mobile app.