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Scientific Method and the Problem-Solving Approach

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Scientific Method and the Problem-Solving Approach

The term "environment" refers to the sum total of our surroundings, including biotic and abiotic factors. Environmentalism is a social movement dedicated to protecting the natural world from undesirable changes brought about by human choices. In contrast, Environmental Science refers to the pursuit of knowledge about the workings of the environment and our interactions with it. It incorporates the study of both "hard" science subjects such as biology, chemistry, and ecology and social sciences, such as economics and policy. In this paper, I will review an environmental situation and attempt to apply methods of study from both the "hard" and social sciences.

Consider this. A dairy farmer in Wisconsin loves to fish in a tiny lake adjacent to his property. In recent weeks, he has had terrible luck, catching few or no fish every time he goes out. He also notices that the lake has an unusually high amount of algae in it.

Clearly, the reason for a short supply of fish and an increased amount of algae in the lake is contributed to algae blooms. These blooms are caused by “loads” of nitrogen flowing into the canal. Based on this information, I predict large amounts of chemical fertilizers are being applied on nearby farms and subsequent run-off enters the lake (Withgott & Laposata, p. 9). This occurrence then produces massive algae growth which not only obstructs sunlight, but also starves the water of oxygen, resulting in the death of the fish living in the tiny lake.

To resolve this situation, the nitrogen run-off must be reduced and the lake will eventually return to normal. To test this prediction or hypothesis linking algae growth to fertilizer, a simple experiment would be to construct two identical separate pools of water (representing the lakes). After that, introduce a small quantity of algae into

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