Publisher's Synopsis
"Saplings of Environmental Science" is intended to give a reasonably complete introduction to the study of ecology. The first four chapters are provide the basic concepts needed for the understanding of the ecosystem related questions and the remaining as ecological effects, environment impact assessment. This book is unique in the sense that it contains separate chapters in which all the following chapters we describe successively how components of the Earth's form, operate and ultimately become an environment, for flora, for fauna for livings for non livings. Chapter 1 is a introduction of fundamental concepts underpinning environmental science with a broad glossary. We expect all readers who need will pick up these glossary. The stress in each of the following chapters is poles apart sparkly the spacious range of reactions that occur in near-surface Earth environments. In terrestrial environments (see Chapters 4 & 5), a huge range of solid and fluid processes interrelate. The emphasis here is on weathering processes and their influence on the chemical composition of sediments, soils and continental surface waters. Human influence in the contamination of soils and natural water is also a strong theme. Terrestrial weathering links through to the oceans (see Chapter 6) as the major input of constituents to seawater. It soon becomes clear, however, that the chemical composition of this vast water reservoir is controlled by a host of other physical, biological and chemical processes. Chapter 7 examines environmental chemistry on a global scale, integrating information from earlier chapters and, in particular, focusing on the influence of humans on global chemical processes. The short-term carbon and sulphur cycles are examples of natural chemical cycles disconcerted by human activities. Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are used as examples of exotic chemicals that persist for years to decades in soils or sediments and for several days in the atmosphere. In all of these chapters we have chosen subjects and case studies that demonstrate the description involved. To help clarify our main themes we make available information boxes that explain in straightforward terms, some of the laws, assumptions and techniques .
