Environmental Systems is a component of Encyclopedia of Environmental and Ecological Sciences, Engineering and Technology Resources in the global Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS), which is an integrated compendium of twenty one Encyclopedias. Environmental Systems is something about data handling, modeling and decision making in the field of environmental systems. It includes related basic knowledge on measurement techniques, modeling techniques and models and their applications for decisions making. Environmental engineering / research are based on measurement techniques and related knowledge of natural and life sciences. Developed mathematical and numerical simulation models are tools and strictly purpose oriented, that means suitable for decision making. The three volumes on Environmental Systems are aimed at the following five major target audiences: University and College students Educators, Professional practitioners, Research personnel and Policy analysts, managers, and decision makers and NGOs.

Environmental modelling has enjoyed a long tradition, but there is a defined need to continually address both the power and the limitations of such models, as well as their quantitative assessment. This book showcases modern environmental modelling methods, the basic theory behind them and their incorporation into complex environmental investigations. It highlights advanced computing technologies and how they have led to unprecedented and adaptive modelling, simulation and decision-support tools to study complex environmental systems, and how they can be applied to current environmental concerns. This volume is essential reading for researchers in academia, industry and government-related bodies who have a vested interest in all aspects of environmental modelling. Features include: A range of modern environmental modelling techniques are described by experts from around the world, including the USA, Canada, Australia, Europe and Thailand; many examples from air, water, soil/sediment and biological matrices are covered in detail throughout the book; key chapters are included on modelling uncertainty and sensitivity analysis; and, a selection of figures are provided in full colour to enable greater comprehension of the topics discussed.

Environmental Systems is a component of Encyclopedia of Environmental and Ecological Sciences, Engineering and Technology Resources in the global Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS), which is an integrated compendium of twenty one Encyclopedias. Environmental Systems is something about data handling, modeling and decision making in the field of environmental systems. It includes related basic knowledge on measurement techniques, modeling techniques and models and their applications for decisions making. Environmental engineering / research are based on measurement techniques and related knowledge of natural and life sciences. Developed mathematical and numerical simulation models are tools and strictly purpose oriented, that means suitable for decision making. The three volumes on Environmental Systems are aimed at the following five major target audiences: University and College students Educators, Professional practitioners, Research personnel and Policy analysts, managers, and decision makers and NGOs.

Sustainability is a new, important discourse aimed at promoting a new strategy in the development of energy, water and environmental (EWE) systems ? the key components that affect the quality of life on our planet. It is becoming increasingly clear that the quest for sustainable development requires integrating economic, social, cultural, political and ecological factors. The behavior and properties of an EWE system arise not merely from the properties of its component elements, but also to a large degree also from the nature and intensity of their dynamic interlinkages. This volume helps clarify the complexity of these problems by providing a deeper understanding of the implications of the different aspects of sustainability.This work contains a collection of selected, peer-reviewed and state-of-the-art reflecting papers that were presented at the Third Dubrovnik Conference on Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems that was held in June 5?10, 2005 in Dubrovnik, Croatia.

A primer on modeling concepts and applications that is specifically geared toward the environmental field. Sections on modeling terminology, the uses of models, the model-building process, and the interpretation of output provide the foundation for detailed applications. After an introduction to the basics of dynamic modeling, the book leads students through an analysis of several environmental problems, including surface-water pollution, matter-cycling disruptions, and global warming. The scientific and technical context is provided for each problem, and the methods for analyzing and designing appropriate modeling approaches is provided. While the mathematical content does not exceed the level of a first-semester calculus course, the book gives students all of the background, examples, and practice exercises needed both to use and understand environmental modeling. It is suitable for upper-level undergraduate and beginning-graduate level environmental professionals seeking an introduction to modeling in their field.

A rigorous and in-depth approach to environmental systems and processes Concern over environmental changes resulting from oversubscription and exploitation of Earth's resources is mounting. Acid rains from power generation and industrial process emissions to the atmosphere, contamination of water resources by spills and discharges of hazardous chemicals, the greenhouse and global warming effects of carbon dioxide generated by consumption of organic fuels, and the depletion of ecosystem stabilizers such as oxygen in lakes and streams overfertilized by human wastes; these are a few of the considerations facing environmental engineers and scientists today. These are complex and confounding processes and phenomena, and their effects vary widely among the virtually limitless number of environmental systems and subsystems on Earth. Environmental Systems and Processes: Principles, Modeling, and Design is the first book to explain that, although environmental systems are virtually limitless in number, change is controlled by a relatively small set of fundamental processes. Written by one of the initiators and foremost proponents of the "first principles" approach to environmental system characterization and problem solving, this informative volume details how three fundamental issues lie at the base of every environmental process; i.e., the amount and form of available energy, the rate at which that energy can be exercised, and the configuration and dynamics of the system in which the process occurs. The author demonstrates how the mastering of relatively few fundamental principles can provide the reader with the tools necessary to solve a broad range of environmental problems. Topics discussed in Environmental Systems and Processes: Principles, Modeling, and Design include: fluid flow and mass transport; passive and reactive interphase mass transfer; elementary and complex process rates; ideal, hybrid, and nonideal system modeling and design; and multiphase and interfacial process dynamics and design. The unique and highly effective format of presenting several simple but essential fundamentals first, followed by detailed illustrative examples and explanations of how these principles describe various complex specific environmental systems and processes, makes Environmental Systems and Processes: Principles, Modeling, and Design a requisite for environmental sciences and engineering classrooms, and a staple for the bookshelves of all environmental professionals.

At 170 billion barrels, Canada's Oil Sands are the third largest reserves of developable oil in the world. The Oil Sands now produce about 1.6 million barrels per day, with production expected to double by 2025 to about 3.7 million barrels per day. The Athabasca Oil Sands Region (AOSR) in northeastern Alberta is the largest of the three oil sands deposits. Bitumen in the oil sands is recovered through one of two primary methods - mining and drilling. About 20 per cent of the reserves are close to the surface and can be mined using large shovels and trucks. Of concern are the effects of the industrial development on the environment. Both human-made and natural sources emit oxides of sulphur and nitrogen, trace elements and persistent organic compounds. Of additional concern are ground level ozone and greenhouse gases. Because of the requirement on operators to comply with the air quality regulatory policies, and to address public concerns, the not-for-profit, multi-stakeholder Wood Buffalo Environmental Association (WBEA) has since 1997 been closely monitoring air quality in AOSR. In 2008, WBEA assembled a distinguished group of international scientists who have been conducting measurements and practical research on various aspects of air emissions and their potential effects on terrestrial receptors. This book is a synthesis of the concepts and results of those on-going studies. It contains 19 chapters ranging from a global perspective of energy production, measurement methodologies and behavior of various air pollutants during fossil fuel production in a boreal forest ecosystem, towards designing and deploying a multi-disciplinary, proactive, and long-term environmental monitoring system that will also meet regulatory expectations. Covers measurement of emissions from very large industrial sources in a region with huge international media profile Validation of measurement technologies can be applied globally The new approaches to ecological monitoring described can be applied in other forested regions

This is a comprehensive presentation of the theory and practice of time series modelling of environmental systems. A variety of time series models are explained and illustrated, including ARMA (autoregressive-moving average), nonstationary, long memory, three families of seasonal, multiple input-single output, intervention and multivariate ARMA models. Other topics in environmetrics covered in this book include time series analysis in decision making, estimating missing observations, simulation, the Hurst phenomenon, forecasting experiments and causality. Professionals working in fields overlapping with environmetrics - such as water resources engineers, environmental scientists, hydrologists, geophysicists, geographers, earth scientists and planners - will find this book a valuable resource. Equally, environmetrics, systems scientists, economists, mechanical engineers, chemical engineers, and management scientists will find the time series methods presented in this book useful.

The goal of Sustainable Human and Environmental Systems (SHES) education is to prepare students to facilitate social learning in communities that builds knowledge of, capacity for, and commitment to sustainability to facilitate the emergence of sustainable societies. The SHES approach to sustainability education relies on complexity-based systems thinking that transcends disciplinary boundaries. This book provides a comprehensive guide to the SHES approach, including its rationale and theoretical foundation, its pedagogy and practical applications in curricula, and ways to support the approach through institutional administration. This book will be of great interest to academics and students of education, environmental sciences and studies, sustainability and sustainable development, natural resource management, conservation, environmental policy, environmental planning, and related fields in higher education. Educators can use this book as a guide to SHES pedagogy, curriculum design, sustainability, environmental studies, sustainable development, and sustainable well-being. Administrators will find the book useful in establishing, evaluating, staffing, and promoting programs based on the SHES approach.

Environmental Monitoring and Characterization is an integrated, hands-on resource for monitoring all aspects of the environment. Sample collection methods and relevant physical, chemical and biological processes necessary to characterize the environment are brought together in twenty chapters which cover: sample collection methods, monitoring terrestrial, aquatic and air environments, and relevant chemical, physical and biological processes and contaminants. This book will serve as an authoritative reference for advanced students and environmental professionals. - Examines the integration of physical, chemical, and biological processes - Emphasizes field methods and real-time data acquisition, made more accessible with case studies, problems, calculations, and questions - Includes four color illustrations throughout the text - Brings together the concepts of environmental monitoring and site characterization