READING IN THE CONTENT AREA - SCIENCE
While looking over my
reading list, I was reminded that there was a book I had read, which was not on
my list. When I looked up the book on Goodreads, I discovered that
no one had written a review, so I am taking it upon myself to provide a review
because The Human Environment by Michael Treshow is a book
that I highly recommend for a variety of reasons. I also wanted to
review the book because I actually knew and worked with Dr.
Treshow. The book and the writing in it reflect his talent in
teaching environmental biology.
Dr. Treshow was a highly
admired professor of botany for 35 years at the University of Utah. He
received his biological training at UCLA and earned a Ph.D. at UC Davis.
He also taught other courses from time-to-time, including Mycology and Human Ecology.
He wrote The Human Environment as the text book that he used
to teach Human Ecology. Additionally, Dr. Treshow studied the effects of
gaseous air pollution and he served as a consultant to US Steel in assisting to
mitigate damage to vegetation from air pollution. His research was
internationally recognized and helped us to understand the effects of acid rain
and air pollution.
As a student of Dr.
Treshow’s, I took his Field Botany, Mycology, and Human Ecology courses and I
was a graduate student in his laboratory where I studied the causes of the
decline of the Cattail population in marshes adjacent to the Great Salt Lake.
The book is a perfect
example of an introductory textbook. The writing is conversational,
thoughtful, and thought provoking. The ideas are presented, in
brief, with classic examples of basic concepts in environmental and human
biology. There are relevant black-and-white photographs, and
graphic illustrations to assist with understanding. The beginning of
each Chapter begins with an interesting author’s quote. Each chapter
is summarized with a brief conclusion. At the end of each chapter,
there are a few selected readings, which are original source articles that have
become classic and must-read papers and books in environmental
science. I’ve kept my copy of the book because it contains valuable
resource material and excellent explanations of humans and their relationship
with Earth’s ecosphere. The book is also a superb example of scientific
writing for the purposes of teaching. One of the most valuable
explanations in the book is the explanation of The Laws of Thermodynamics and
how these laws apply to living systems. I have never found a better
explanation. I was witness to many days of discussions about the
book between Dr. Franklin K. Anderson who was Dr. Treshow’s Ph.D. student at
the time; they took great care to make sure every sentence, word, and
especially the section on thermodynamics, was perfectly written. They also made
sure the writing was factually correct and checked all the references.
This book does need an
improvement. Because it was published in 1976, it is out-of-date by
nearly 50 years. It would be helpful to publish an updated edition,
if someone had a mind to do it and could get permission to update the material
in the same style in which the book was written. As it is, the book can
be a good teaching lesson. A teacher could have students read a chapter as
science history, and students could present in some way what has happened, since
the 1970’s, to add to our understanding of the given topic. The
book can be read on the Internet Archive https://archive.org/details/humanenvironment0000tres/mode/2up
The contents of the book
begin with:
Preface
Introduction
PART ONE/FROM OUR BEGINNINGS
Here are the titles of
the chapters:
CHAPTER 1/The Unity of Life
Energy
Order
Environmental Perturbation
Ecosystems
Entropy
Conclusions
Selected Readings
CHAPTER 2/The Exchange of Information
Communication
Information
Error Control
Higher-Order Systems
Proteins
Chromosomes and Genes
DNA
Conclusions
Selected Readings
CHAPTER 3/Stability and Variation
Variation
Natural Selection
Variability versus Reliability
Cybernetic Systems
Fire as a Regulating Mechanism
Predictive Information
Ecological Niche
Regulation in Ecosystems
Conclusions
Selected Readings
CHAPTER 4/The Behavior Strategy
Survival
Behavior and Environment
A Model: Dog Drinking Water
A Generalized Model
READ Subprogram
Conclusions
Selected Readings
CHAPTER 5/Emergence of Culture
Living in Groups
Parent-Infant Bond
The Emergence of Homo Sapiens
Conclusions
Selected Readings
CHAPTER 6/Agriculture and Population Growth
Meeting Basic Energy Needs
Primitive Agriculture
Population Surges
Growth and limits to Biological
Populations
Cultural Influences on Population
Projections
Conclusions
Selected Readings
PART TWO/TOWARD ENVIRONMENTAL HOMICIDE
CHAPTER 7/Industry and Agriculture
The Rise of Technology
The Labor Supply
Environmental Effects
Agricultural Growth
Conclusions
Selected Readings
CHAPTER 8/Carrying Capacity of the Land
Malthus’s Dismal Theorem
Food Needs
Improving Productivity
Water Limitations
Farming Practices and Land Use
World Production Potential
Conclusions
Selected Readings
CHAPTER 9/Seafood, Synthetics, and Other Protein
Sources
Producers and Consumers of the Sea
Increasing Yields
Potential Protein Sources
Conclusions
Selected Readings
CHAPTER 10/Agricultural Pest Control
Plant Pests as Part of the
Environment
The Need for Pest Control
Pesticides in the Ecosystem
Conclusion
Selected Readings
CHAPTER 11/The Energy Era
Energy “Needs”
The rise of Industry
The Emergence of Electricity
The Internal Combustions Engine
Technological Man
Fossil Fuel Resources
Nuclear Power
Winds and Water
Geothermal Power
Solar Energy
Conclusions
Selected Readings
CHAPTER 12/The Pollutions Associated with Energy
Production
Power Generation
Sources of Pollution
Conclusions
Selected Readings
CHAPTER 13/Mineral Wealth and Waste
Historical Significance
Environmental
Impact
Mineral Resource Depletion
Mineral Reserves of the Sea
Conclusions
Selected Readings
CHAPTER 14/The Environment of the City
Historical Background
The Urban Environment
Conclusions
Selected Readings
CHAPTER 15/The Transportation Spiral
The Railway
The Automobile
Conclusions
Selected Readings
PART THREE/THE PRICE OF SURVIVAL
CHAPTER 16/Happiness is an Elusive Quality
Measures of Quality
Conclusions
Selected Readings
CHAPTER 17/The Economics of Growth
Economic Dependence
The Bases for Economic Systems
Economic Growth
Gross National Product
Steady-State Economy
Conclusions
Selected Readings
CHAPTER 18/Quality of Life in the City
The Character of the City
Urban Limitations
Solutions
The Stability of the City
Conclusions
Selected Readings
CHAPTER 19/The Need for Nature
Biological Need
The Conquest of Nature
Further Description
Conclusions
Selected Readings
CHAPTER 20/The Utopian Dream
Spirit of Cooperation
Utopian Thinking
The Supernatural as a Governing Force
Emergence of Free Thought
Sharing the Profits of Technology
Conduct between the Individual and
the Species
Solutions
Conclusions
Selected Readings
CHAPTER 21/Our Genetic Future
The Gene Pool
The Social Environment
Genetic Manipulation
Psychological Control
The Future
Moral Judgements
Conclusions
Selected Readings
CHAPTER 22/Confidence of Tomorrow
The Stages of Civilization
Resource Adjustment
Social Conditions
Competition and Cooperation
The Individual, the Unit of Society
Environmental Conscience
Future Quality of Life
Ecological Laws
Conclusions
Selected Readings
APPENDIX
Background Information
The Laws of
Thermodynamics
Entropy
Essential Amino Acids
The Productive
Capacity of a Nation
GLOSSARY
INDEX
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