Modeling - Field Sampling: Principles and Practices in Environmental Analysis - page 189

into carbon dioxide and water.
Figures 7.9 and 7.10 show situations that are not sustainable and are not common,
although they may appear to be over short periods of time. Figure 7.9 shows a linear
increase or decrease in a component. Components, however, cannot be continuously
added or subtracted from the environment. Eventually a level will be reached at which
dissipation equals
FIGURE 7.5 Logarithmic increase in component in environment.
addition, or else in the case of dissipation the component either is present in very low
concentrations or is not present at all.
FIGURE 7.6 Increase followed by decrease of component in the environment.
Figure 7.10 shows a slow increase followed by a logarithmic increase in a component.
It also shows a logarithmic decrease in a component followed by a slow decrease. This