56 Earth and Environmental Sciences
Environmental Science (EVS)
The Ecosphere and Environmental Issues
Sarah Sojka
2022
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
This textbook is designed for introductory environmental studies and science students. The goal is to teach essential ecological concepts by linking them to key environmental issues. The hope is that students can easily understand how firm grounding in these concepts can help them appreciate and hopefully address the biggest environmental threats of our time. After an initial section on the nature of science and an overview of ecology, the textbook is divided into four sections, each addressing a key environmental concern: global climate change, eutrophication, biodiversity loss and food supply and security.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, and PDF
Suggested for:
EVS 3101 Environmental Issues
Environmental Biology∗
Edited by Matthew R. Fisher (Oregon Coast Community College) (Open Oregon)
2018
Licence: CC BY 4.0
This world environmental biology text covers salient issues in the environment using a biological perspective. It covers introductory concepts in environmental biology, from climate change to ozone depletion.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, PDF, MOBI, and more
Includes: Review questions
Reviews: Open Textbook Library – BCcampus
Suggested for:
EVS 1101 Introduction to Environmental Science
Environmental Science: A Canadian Perspective∗ 
Bill Freedman (Dalhousie University)
2018
Licence: CC BY-NC 4.0
This textbook is intended to provide the core elements of a curriculum for teaching environmental science at the introductory level in Canadian colleges and universities. This book is suitable for students beginning a program in environmental science, environmental studies, or sustainability. It is also appropriate for arts students who require a science elective, and for science students who require a non-major elective. This book was written from the ground-up to provide Canadian information and examples. This national context is integrated throughout the text, along with North American and global data that provide a broader perspective.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, PDF, and MOBI
Reviews: BCcampus
Suggested for:
EVS 1101 Introduction to Environmental Science [as supplementary resource]
Environmental ScienceBites
Edited by Kylienne A. Clark, Travis R. Shaul, and Brian H. Lower and Edited by Kylienne A. Clark, Travis R. Shaul, and Brian H. Lower (Ohio State University)
2015
Licence: CC BY-NC 4.0
This book was written by undergraduate students at The Ohio State University (OSU) who were enrolled in the class Introduction to Environmental Science. The chapters describe some of Earth’s major environmental challenges and discuss ways that humans are using cutting-edge science and engineering to provide sustainable solutions to these problems.
Formats: Pressbook webbook, EPUB, PDF, and MOBI
Includes: glossary
Suggested for:
EVS 3101 Environmental Issues
Environmental ScienceBites Volume 2
Edited by Brian H. Lower, Travis R. Shaul, Kylienne A. Shaul, and Ella M. Weaver (Ohio State University)
2018
Licence: CC BY-NC 4.0
The second volume of the Environmental ScienceBites book was authored by 30 unique undergraduate students enrolled in the course Introduction to Environmental Science at The Ohio State University. The book highlights both articles and posters describing critical environmental issues important to the first-time authors.
Formats: Pressbook webbook, EPUB, PDF, and MOBI
Includes: glossary
Suggested for:
EVS 3101 Environmental Issues
Introduction to Environmental Science – 2nd Edition∗
Caralyn Zehnder, Kalina Manoylov, Samuel Mutiti, Christine Mutiti, Allison VandeVoort, and Donna Bennett (Georgia College and State University)
2018
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
This course uses the basic principles of biology and earth science as a context for understanding environmental policies and resource management practices. Our planet is facing unprecedented environmental challenges, from oil spills to global climate change. In ENSC 1000, you will learn about the science behind these problems; preparing you to make an informed, invaluable contribution to Earth’s future.
Formats: PDF and Word
Reviews: Open Textbook Library
Suggested for:
EVS 1101 Introduction to Environmental Science [as supplementary resource]
Introduction to Environmental Sciences and Sustainability
Emily P. Harris (University of West Florida)
2023
Licence: CC BY 4.0
Introduction to Environmental Sciences and Sustainability is a college-level Open Educational Resource (OER) that focuses on the most relevant environmental science issues and addresses ways to incorporate sustainable practices. This resource is targeted at environmental science students.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, and PDF
Includes: case studies, glossary
Suggested for:
EVS 1101 Introduction to Environmental Science
Geology (GEO)
Coastal Processes, Hazards and Society (EARTH 107N)∗
Tim Bralower (Pennsylvania State University), Dinah Maygarden (University of New Orleans), and Brent Yarnal (Pennsylvania State University)
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Has your attention recently been caught by news of coastal catastrophes such as hurricanes and tsunamis? Do you wonder why so many coastal communities in the world are vulnerable to flooding and other coastal hazards? Have you considered what coastal flood protections cities like Houston and Miami will need in the future to protect their residents? This course will provide a better understanding of these phenomena. We present a global perspective of coastal landscapes, the geologic processes responsible for their formation, and ways that society responds to hazards like sea-level rise and catastrophic weather events. You will participate in active learning exercises such as analyzing real-world datasets and applying critical thinking to real-world societal problems while investigating a coastal community.
Formats: Website and HTML files downloadable as a .zip file (after completing the “Course Download Questionnaire”)
Suggested for:
GEO 1301 Earth: Natural Disasters Explained
Digging into Canadian Soils: An Introduction to Soil Science∗
Edited by Maja Krzic (University of British Columbia), Frances L. Walley (University of Saskatchewan), Amanda Diochon (Lakehead University), Maxime C. Paré (Université du Québec à Chicoutimi), and Richard E. Farrell (University of Saskatchewan)
2021
Licence: CC BY-NC 4.0
Written entirely by members of the Canadian Society of Soil Science, Digging into Canadian Soils: An Introduction to Soil Science provides an introduction to the core disciplines of soil science, and introduces the concepts and vocabulary needed by students just beginning their soil science journey. The textbook provides supplementary materials that are specific to regions in Canada, or may be of specific interest beyond what might be considered introductory soil science material. Importantly, the textbook also is intended to introduce students to the Canadian System of Soil Classification by providing examples from across the length and breadth of Canada.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, and PDF
Suggested for:
GEO 1115 Introduction to Earth Materials
Earth in the Future: Predicting Climate Change and Its Impacts Over the Next Century (EARTH 103N)∗
David Brice and Tim Bralower (Pennsylvania State University)
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Our planet is becoming hot. In fact, Earth may be warming faster than ever before. This warming will challenge society throughout the 21st century. How do we cope with rising seas? How will we prepare for more intense hurricanes? How will we adapt to debilitating droughts and heat waves? Scientists are striving to improve predictions of how the environment will change and how it will impact humans. Earth in the Future: Predicting Climate Change and Its Impacts Over the Next Century is designed to provide the state of the art of climate science, the impact of warming on humans, as well as ways we can adapt. Every student will understand the challenges and opportunities of living in the 21st century.
Formats: Website and HTML files downloadable as a .zip file (after completing the “Course Download Questionnaire”)
Suggested for:
GEO 2316 Introduction to Climate Science
Environmental Geology (Instructor Course Pack)
Steven Earle (Thompson Rivers University)
2023
Licences : CC BY 4.0, CC BY-SA 4.0, and CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
This environmental geology course is about how geological processes affect the environment as well as humans and their infrastructure, and also about how humans affect geological processes. The course covers the typical environmental geology topics (earthquakes, volcanoes, slope failures, etc.) but has a strong emphasis on Earth systems and especially on climate change.
Formats: Pressbooks webbooks, EPUB, PDF, and Word
Includes: course syllabus template, instructor guide, student guide
Suggested for:
GEO 2307 Environmental Geology
Geological Structures: A Practical Introduction∗
John Waldron (University of Alberta) and Morgan Snyder (Acadia University)
2020
Licence: CC BY-NC 4.0
This manual is about structures that occur within the Earth’s crust. Structures are the features that allow geologists to figure out how parts of the Earth have changed position, orientation, size and shape over time.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, PDF, and MOBI
Includes: Labs
Reviews: Open Textbook Library
Suggested for:
GEO 1115 Introduction to Earth Materials [as supplementary text]
An Introduction to Geological Field Trips: Case Study Avonlea Badlands, Saskatchewan
Monica Cliveti and Maria Velez (University of Regina)
2022
Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0
An Introduction to Geological Field Trips: Case Study Avonlea Badlands, Saskatchewan is trying to fill the gap between the student and the fieldwork. Most commonly, the geology student is thrown into the fire while in the field trips and has to process a lot of information on the fly. Consequently, sometimes is hard to see the full picture. This book wants to be the starting point for every student looking to embark in that first geological field trip. How to prepare? What to do? How to approach the field work? Which data should be collected? Where to start?
Format: Pressbooks webbook
Suggested for:
GEO 1115 Introduction to Earth Materials
GEO 2020 Études de terrain I / Field Studies I
Introduction to Geology∗
Chris Johnson, Matthew D. Affolter, Paul Inkenbrandt, and Cam Mosher (Salt Lake Community College)
2017
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
An open textbook for introductory geology courses created by instructors at Salt Lake Community College.
Format: Online
Includes: Review quizzes
Suggested for:
GEO 1111 Introduction to Earth Systems
GEO 1115 Introduction to Earth Materials
GEO 1301 Earth: Natural Disasters Explained
Introduction to Ocean Sciences – 4th Edition∗
Douglas A. Segar and Elaine Stamman Segar
2018, last updated December 2021
Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 (Note: assigning sections is permitted, but adaptations are not allowed without permission)
The online version of the textbook is a fully peer-reviewed publication that has been adopted for classes in over 100 colleges in 16 countries and 26 US States.
Format: PDF
Suggested for:
GEO 2166 Oceanography
Introductory Physical Geology Laboratory Manual – First Canadian Edition∗
Joyce McBeth, Karla Panchuk, Tim Prokopiuk, Lyndsay Hauber, and Sean Lacey (University of Saskatchewan)
2020
Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0
Adapted from Laboratory Manual from Introductory Geology (2015) by Deline, Harris, and Tefend, this manual is designed to ease new students into the often complex topics of Geology and the study of our planet and its makeup. The book assists readers through the beginning topics and nomenclature of Geology to familiarize them with Geology’s version of the scientific methods. This is an adaptation designed for students at the University of Saskatchewan.
Format: Pressbooks webbook
Includes: Exercises
Suggested for:
GEO 1115 Introduction to Earth Materials [would require adaptation for uOttawa]
Laboratory Manual for Introductory Geology∗
Bradley Deline, Randa Harris and Karen Tefend (University of West Georgia)
2015
Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0
This textbook is a comprehensive lab manual for the core curriculum Introductory Geosciences classes with both informational content and laboratory exercises. Topics include basic laws and theories in Geology, the Earth’s interior and plate tectonics, water and climate change, igneous rocks and volcanoes, and earthquakes.
Format: PDF
Reviews: Open Textbook Library
Suggested for:
GEO 1115 Introduction to Earth Materials [chapters 1-2, 7-8, 10-12; would require adaptation for uOttawa]
Physical Geology – 2nd Edition∗
Steven Earle (Thompson Rivers University)
2019
Licence: CC BY 4.0
Physical Geology is a comprehensive introductory text on the physical aspects of geology, including rocks and minerals, plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanoes, glaciation, groundwater, streams, coasts, mass wasting, climate change, planetary geology and much more. It has a strong emphasis on examples from western Canada, especially British Columbia, and also includes a chapter devoted to the geological history of western Canada. The book is a collaboration of faculty from Earth Science departments at Universities and Colleges across British Columbia and elsewhere.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, PDF, MOBI, and more
Includes: Applications, chapters summaries, exercises, and solutions
Reviews: BCcampus – Open Textbook Library (first edition)
Suggested for:
GEO 1115 Introduction to Earth Materials
A Practical Guide to Introductory Geology∗
Siobhan McGoldrick (Mount Royal University)
2021
Licence: CC BY 4.0
A Practical Guide to Introductory Geology is a comprehensive laboratory manual covering the physical aspects of geology, including rocks and minerals, plate tectonics, streams, structural geology, and much more. This manual provides ample background information to assist students learning remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. The text has a strong emphasis on examples from western Canada, especially Alberta and British Columbia, and includes a diverse set of exercises intended to accompany the GEOL 1101 curriculum at Mount Royal University. This laboratory manual is an adaptation of Physical Geology – 2nd Edition by Steven Earle.
Format: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, PDF, and MOBI
Includes: Practice and lab exercises and solutions, summaries, and glossary
Suggested for:
GEO 1115 Introduction to Earth Materials
GEO 2020 Études de terrain I / Field Studies I
The Story of Earth: An Observational Guide∗
Daniel Hauptvogel and Virginia Sisson (University of Houston)
2021
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
This lab manual for historical geology focuses on student observations and is written in a casual tone.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, PDF, and MOBI
Suggested for:
GEO 1115 Introduction to Earth Materials
GEO 2165 Stratigraphy and Sedimentation
Virtual field trip to the Whitefish Falls area, ON, Canada: a virtual geological journey through the deformed rocks of the Huronian Supergroup and nearby igneous intrusions∗
Alexander Peace, Jeremy Gabriel, and Carolyn Eyles (McMaster University)
2021
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
This openly available virtual field trip (VFT) focuses on the Huronian rocks at Whitefish Falls, near Manitoulin Island, Ontario. Here, we examine a rock record spanning more than 2 billion years of Earth’s history. This multimedia VFT combines 3D imagery, georeferenced data on integrated maps, and multi-scale imagery (outcrop plus thin section images). The Whitefish Falls VFT comprises 5 parts, each focusing on a slightly different topic. The following topics are introduced: the regional geological setting, key lithologies, concepts of geological field mapping, stratigraphic analysis of outcrops, and the identification, documentation, and interpretation of geological structures in the field.
Format: Website
Suggested for:
GEO 1115 Introduction to Earth Materials
GEO 2020 Études de terrain I / Field Studies I
