Summer Assignment AICE Environmental

Welcome to AICE Environmental Management. This course will help you develop scientific
knowledge, understanding of global environmental issues and theories, and of the polices and
strategies for managing the environment. The course covers the sustainable use and management
of resources, and strategies that aim to protect environments. You will learn to interpret and
analyze data and complete investigative work.
During this course you will be completing case studies on environmental topics that may be
local, regional, or global on managing the environment and resources. These case studies will be
used in class discussions and help prepare students for the AICE end of the year test.
The AICE Environmental Management end of year test will include 2 tests. Paper one will
include an essay where students need to list real life examples on managing the environment and
resources based on the test prompt. This summer assignment will help you get familiar with
topics that will be covered in class and start preparing you for the end of year test.
Summer Assignment
The summer assignment will include choosing 5 topics listed below that will be covered in class
and completing an annotated bibliography for each topic.
Requirements for the 5 Annotated Bibliographies/ Due 1st day of class
Annotated Bibliographies are short summaries or an evaluation of each resource. It is preferred
that you use scientific journals that are peer reviewed (google scholar is a good resource). This
will make sure the information that you are reading and using is accurate and true. You may also
use books, websites, and other articles but use caution because they might not be true/reliable
resources.
 You will need to complete 5 annotated bibliographies.
 Summarize the source. What are the main arguments? What is the point of the article,
book, or website? What topics are covered?
 After summarizing a source, you should evaluate the source. Was it a useful source? Is
the information reliable? Is this source biased or objective?
List of topics for annotated bibliographies
Human Populations:
Population dynamics between high-income countries (HIC) and low-income countries (LIC).
-Improved education and opportunities for women.
-Improved education about contraception/ improved availability of contraception.
-Improved heath care.
-Local, national, and global policies: pronatalist and anti-natalist polices, United Nations Agenda
21, The Club of Rome.
Managing Ecosystems and Biodiversity
-Explain the impacts of invasive species on biodiversity.
-Describe and explain the benefits of conserving biodiversity.
-Resources of potential medicines, food, wood, fibers, oils and fuels, diversity in genes,
ecological services, cultural and recreational value.
-Protection of species and regulation of sustainable harvesting.
-Deforestation leading to fragmentation
-Agricultural expansion
-Protected areas
-Fisheries regulation
-Prohibited activities such as mineral extraction.
-Tourism control and permits for travel.
Managing Resources
Food Security
-increase food production by intensification and extensification
-improved agricultural techniques and efficiency
– aquaculture and hydroponics
– use of selective breeding and genetically modified (GM) crops to developing pest resistant
crops and crops with a higher yield
– controlling limiting factors, e.g. use of fertilizers in areas short of nutrients
– increasing productivity by removing competition from weeds using herbicides, reducing
fungal disease by use of fungicides, reducing pest species by use of biological control
Energy Resources
-increasing energy efficiency
-increasing energy production
-educing reliance on fossil fuels
-investing in renewable resources and carbon neutral fuels
-development of alternative energy technologies
-investment in local energy projects
Managing Water Supply
-sustainable water extraction and improved supply (piped supply, aquifers and artesian wells,
boreholes, gravity-fed schemes, reservoirs, and dams)
-reduction in water usage (improved irrigation techniques, growing crops less dependent on high
water supply, recycling, and rainwater catchment)
-education on sustainable water use
-international agreement and water-related aid
Managing the Atmosphere
-Acid deposition effects on fish gills and fish populations, defoliation, and reduced crop yield,
enhanced chemical weathering.
-Effects of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) on the ozone and alternatives such as
hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) or fluorinated gases (F-gases).
-reduction of global and individual carbon footprint (fewer children per woman, eating a plant-
based diet, adopt an energy-efficient lifestyle)
-switching to low-carbon fuels
-reducing the use of fossil fuels
-using alternative forms of energy
-use of carbon capture and storage
-reducing deforestation, increasing reforestation and afforestation
-energy efficient buildings and infrastructure
Example of Annotated Bibliography
Frank Jensen, Hans Frost, Jens Abildtrup. 2016. Fisheries regulation: A survey of the literature
on uncertainty, compliance behavior and asymmetric information.
This paper covers the economic literature on fisheries regulation, focusing on the challenges of
uncertain information about enforcing fishing policies and fish stocks. It shows the importance of
regulating fish stocks where individual fishermen do not consider their impact of the harvest on
overall stock size. The survey covers three main areas: the choice of regulatory instruments
under uncertainty, compliance and enforcement issues, and alternatives to traditional
enforcement policies of fishing regulations. The paper identifies findings in these areas and
suggests directions for future research.
This article contributes to the field of fisheries economics. The articles overview of the literature
and summarizing the findings over several areas affecting fish populations and the effect on the
economy. The article creates a helpful resource for researchers and policymakers. Policymakers
looking to understand the fishery regulations and the effect on the economy can receive
important information from this article.
The information in this article suggests it is reliable. The article incorporates different studies
and summarizes information based on environmental and economical principles. The article
appears to be unbiased due to it being peer reviewed and published in an academic journal. The
article could have included more information on future understanding and management of the
fish stocks.