Environmental

Systems and
Societies (ESS)
DP1
 Content
• Syllabus
• First Unit
• Recap EVS
• Sub Unit 1.2 : Systems and Models

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 Syllabus Foundations
of ESS

Human
Ecosystems
Systems and
and Ecology
Resource use

Climate
Biodiversity
Change and
and
Energy
Conservation
Production

Water, Food
Atmospheric
Production
systems and
systems and
societies
societies

Soil systems
and societies

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 First Unit

Chapter 1: Foundations of ESS

1.1 Environmental Value Systems

1.2 Systems and Models

1.3 Energy and Equilibria

1.4 Sustainability

1.5 Humans and Pollution

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Foundations of ESS
1.2 Systems and Models
 What is a System?
• A system is a set of inter-related parts working together to make a complex
system

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 What is a System?

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 Types of System

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 Exchange of Matter and Energy

Transfers Transformation
• Occurs when energy or • Occurs when energy or
matter flows and changes matter flows and changes in
location but does not state
change its state
• Change occurs in the
chemical nature, state or
energy

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 Exchange of Matter and Energy

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 Flows and Storage

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 A forest ecosystem as an open system

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 Closed System

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 What is a Biosphere 2?
• It is an attempt at creating a habitable closed system on earth

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 Isolated Systems

• Isolated systems do not interact

with its surroundings
• In reality, complete isolate systems
do not exist. However some systems
may behave like an isolated system
for a finite period of time.

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 What is a biosphere 2?

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 What is a model?

A model is a simplified version of a real thing

• Aids in construction of a systematic diagram from given set of information.

• A tool for evaluation of data/situation i.e. for climate change predictions
• Examples include physical model, Computer/software model, Mathematical
Equations and Data Flow Models etc.

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 Models of Systems

Spheres of a sustainable model

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5r4loXPyx8

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 Earth as model for a super organism
Gaia Hypothesis
• Proposed by James lovelock in 1979
• Supports
• Constant temp despite increases in solar
energy
• Constant composition of atmosphere
• Constant salinity of oceans

https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tl5TrDDXw70

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 Activity
• Construct a system model of a burning candle
• Inputs? Outputs?
• Strengths?
• Limitations?

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 Models of System

Strengths Weaknesses
• User-friendly • Accuracy is lost because model is
• Simplified diagrams simplified
• If our assumptions are wrong the
• Can be used to predict the effect of
a change of input model will be wrong

• Can be applied to similar situations • Inaccurate predictions

without waiting for real events! • Different people might interpret in
• Patterns can be identified and different ways
results shown to people. • Can be hijacked for a vested political
interest

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 Thank you ! Any Questions?

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