Principles of Environmental Science

This book is intended for use in a one- or two-semester course in environmental science, human ecology, or environmental studies at the college or advanced placement high school level. Because most students who will use this book are freshman or sophomore nonscience majors, the authors have tried to make the text readable and accessible without technical jargon or a presumption of prior science background. At the same time, enough data and depth are presented to make this book suitable for many upper-division classes and a valuable resource for students who will keep it in their personal libraries after their formal studies are completed. The goal of this book is to provide an up-to-date, introductory view of essential themes in environmental science along with emphasis on details and case studies that will help students process and retain the general principles.

Table of Contents:
1 Understanding Our Environment 2 Principles of Ecology: Matter, Energy, and Life 3 Populations, Communities, and Species Interaction 4 Human Populations 5 Biomes and Biodiversity 6 Environmental Conservation: Forests, Grasslands, Parks, and Nature Preserves 7 Food and Agriculture 8 Environmental Health and Toxicology 9 Air: Climate and Pollution 10 Water: Resources and Pollution 11 Environmental Geology and Earth Resources 12 Energy 13 Solid and Hazardous Waste 14 Sustainability and Human Development 15 Environmental Science and Policy Appendix 1 Vegetation Map Appendix 2 World Population Density Map Appendix 3 Temperate Regions and Ocean Currents Map Appendix 4 Periodic Table of Elements Appendix 5 Units of Measurement Metric/English Conversion

About the Author :
William Cunningham is a professor of cell biology at the University of Minnesota. He received a B.S. degree in biology from Southwest Texas State College in 1959 and a Ph.D. in botany from the University of Texas in 1963. He was a Postdoctoral Fellow at both the Wenner Gren Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, and Purdue University. He holds memberships in many biological/educational societies and organizations and has received numerous honors and awards. Dr. Cunningham has devoted himself to education and teaching development at the undergraduate level in biology. He began his educational career in structural biology but for the last 10-15 years has concentrated on environmental science, teaching courses such as Social Uses of Biology; Garbage, Government, and the Globe; Environmental Ethics; and Conservation History. Within the past four years, he has received both of the two highest teaching honors that the University of Minnesota bestows -- The Distinguished Teaching Award and a $15,000 Amoco Alumni Award. This year he is serving as Faculty Mentor for younger faculty at the university, sharing the knowledge and teaching skills that he has gained during his distinguished career.