Summary

Environmental science emerged from the fields of natural history and medicine during the Enlightenment. Today, it provides an integrated, quantitative, and interdisciplinary approach to the study of environmental systems. Environmental studies are incorporating more of the social sciences in order to understand human relationships, perceptions and policies towards the environment. This entry collection features information about design and technology for improving environmental quality in every aspect.

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Topic Review
Biofouling on Stainless Steel
In humid environments, the formation of biofilms and microfouling are known to be the detrimental processes that first occur on stainless steel surfaces. This is known as biofouling. Subsequently, the conditions created by metabolites and the activity of organisms trigger corrosion of the metal and accelerate corrosion locally, causing a deterioration in, and alterations to, the performance of devices made of stainless steel. The microorganisms which thus affect stainless steel are mainly algae and bacteria.
  • 2.8K
  • 24 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Mapping Green Infrastructure Based on Multifunctional Ecosystem Services
Most sustainable planning frameworks assess natural and social–economic landscape systems as separate entities, and the understanding of the interrelationships between them is incomplete. Landscape classification in urbanizing environments requires an integrated spatial planning approach to better address the United Nation’s sustainable development challenges.
  • 987
  • 28 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Human–Environment Relationships: Culture and Pedagogy
Human culture can be regarded as the general context where the human–environment relationships take place and develop. Interestingly, studies on human culture and cultural evolution have been enriched with some novel perspectives that appear to dovetail with recent developments in evolutionary biology. All this allows a fresh and promising understanding of the fundamentals of human-environment interaction, according to which the environment can be shown to exert a pedagogical role for humanity, and humanity can be understood as a species modifying the environment to the aim of modifying itself.
  • 3.1K
  • 23 Feb 2022
Topic Review
People’s Perception of Experimental Installations for Sustainable Energy
Nuclear facilities are a main milestone in the long way to sustainable energy. Beyond the well-known fission centrals, the necessity of cleaner, more efficient and almost unlimited energy reducing waste to almost zero is a major challenge in the next decades. This is the case with nuclear fusion. Different experimental installations to definitively control this nuclear power are proliferating in different countries. However, citizens in the surroundings of cities and villages where these installations are going to be settled are frequently reluctant because of doubts about the expected benefits and the potential hazards.
  • 1.2K
  • 24 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Determination of Psychoactive Drugs in Air
Understanding of the levels of psychoactive drugs in air is important for assessing both occupational and environmental exposure. Intelligence on the usage and manufacture of illegal drugs can also be gained. Environmental analysis and determination of air quality has recently expanded from its traditional focus to new pollutant categories that include illicit and psychoactive drugs. 
  • 1.5K
  • 22 Feb 2022
Topic Review
The Production of Rare Earth Elements
Rare earth elements (REE) are less than 20% of all elements naturally occurring in the environment. They are defined as a group of 17 elements comprising scandium (Sc), yttrium (Y), and lanthanum (La) elements of group 3B of Periodic Table, and the 14 elements of the lanthanides series, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu.
  • 1.6K
  • 23 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Boosting C Sequestration through Forest Management
Soil has a major role in sequestering atmospheric CO2. This has further benefits and potential to improve soil fertility and food production, mitigate climate change, restore land degradation, and conserve ecosystem biodiversity. However, its health is increasingly being threatened by the growing population, land degradation and climate change effects. Despite its importance, soil organic carbon (SOC) is understudied in the tropics.
  • 1.2K
  • 24 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Food Consumption Water Footprint in Tunisia- MENA Region
Tunisia, like most countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, has limited renewable water resources and is classified as a water stress country. The effects of climate change are exacerbating the situation. The agricultural sector is the main consumer (80%) of blue water reserves. These dietary water footprint estimates can be used to assess potential water demand scenarios as food consumption patterns change. Analysis at the geographic and socio-demographic levels helps to inform policy makers by identifying realistic dietary changes.
  • 1.2K
  • 24 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Artificial Light at Night and Associated Neuronal Changes
Artificial light at night (ALAN) has changed the pattern of the natural day-night environment. In recent times, a good amount of focus has been put on the research related with changes in night illumination due to rapid urbanization. It has shown to affect circadian rhythms that regulate almost all physiological processes in animals including sleep and cognition. In the early 2010s, most behavioural and molecular studies of light at night were focused on nocturnal rodents. However, until recently, songbirds have taken the front seat, as most are diurnal and show higher cognitive behaviour like mammalian model systems. Artificial light at night (ALAN) affects circadian rhythms and physiology in songbirds. Most of the studies, both in wild and captive birds, have shown negative consequences of ALAN on daily timing, sleep, physiology and higher brain functions.
  • 1.2K
  • 24 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Transformation Pathway in a Model Organism
The scientific community has increasingly focused on forming transformation products (TPs) from environmental organic pollutants. However, there is still a lot of discussion over how these TPs are generated and how harmful they are to living terrestrial or aquatic organisms. Potential transformation pathways, TP toxicity, and their mechanisms require more investigation. 
  • 816
  • 22 Feb 2022
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