Index Syllabus UNIT-I Study of Environment and Ecology : (a) Definition and Importance. Page No. 1. Study of Environment and Ecology ............................................. 01 2. Environmental Pollution ................................................................ 25 3. Natural Disaster ............................................................................ 67 4. Global Environmental Problems ................................................... 83 5. Environment and Social Problems .............................................. 103 6. Natural Resources ...................................................................... 127 (c) Water preservation – rain-water collection. 7. Energy Resources : Increasing Demand for Energy .................. 139 Role of mankind in conserving Natural Resources : 8. Land Resources .......................................................................... 161 9. Food Resources .......................................................................... 177 10. Environment Conservation Laws ............................................... 202 (b) Environmental Pollution and problems. (c) Public participation and Public awareness. UNIT-II S.No. Chapter Environmental Pollution : (a) Air, water, noise, heat and nuclear pollution. (b) Causes, effect and prevention of pollution. (c) Disaster management – Flood, Earthquake, Cyclones and Landslides. UNIT-III Environment and Social Problems : (a) Development – Non-sustainable to Sustainable. (b) Energy problems of cities. UNIT-IV (a) Food resources – World food problem. (b) Energy resources – Increasing demand for energy. (c) Land resources – Land as resources. UNIT-V Environment Conservation Laws : (a) Conservation laws for air and water pollution. (b) Wildlife conservation laws. (c) Role of information technology in protecting environment and health. lll lll Index Syllabus UNIT-I Study of Environment and Ecology : (a) Definition and Importance. Page No. 1. Study of Environment and Ecology ............................................. 01 2. Environmental Pollution ................................................................ 25 3. Natural Disaster ............................................................................ 67 4. Global Environmental Problems ................................................... 83 5. Environment and Social Problems .............................................. 103 6. Natural Resources ...................................................................... 127 (c) Water preservation – rain-water collection. 7. Energy Resources : Increasing Demand for Energy .................. 139 Role of mankind in conserving Natural Resources : 8. Land Resources .......................................................................... 161 9. Food Resources .......................................................................... 177 10. Environment Conservation Laws ............................................... 202 (b) Environmental Pollution and problems. (c) Public participation and Public awareness. UNIT-II S.No. Chapter Environmental Pollution : (a) Air, water, noise, heat and nuclear pollution. (b) Causes, effect and prevention of pollution. (c) Disaster management – Flood, Earthquake, Cyclones and Landslides. UNIT-III Environment and Social Problems : (a) Development – Non-sustainable to Sustainable. (b) Energy problems of cities. UNIT-IV (a) Food resources – World food problem. (b) Energy resources – Increasing demand for energy. (c) Land resources – Land as resources. UNIT-V Environment Conservation Laws : (a) Conservation laws for air and water pollution. (b) Wildlife conservation laws. (c) Role of information technology in protecting environment and health. lll lll Study of Environment and Ecology / 1 1 STUDY OF ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY Environment Environment literally means the surroundings of an object. Environment is a fairly new concept and viewed with the different angles by the human being/society. The environment is a composite word, which shows the conditions, in which organism lives-resides; which include-air, water, food, sunlight, which are the basic necessities of all the living beings, plants and animal life. They regularly perform their own functions and support and affect life in the biosphere. Environment includes all the forces, that may form proper and favourable conditions for existence and development of all the living beings. Environment is the sum of all the physical, chemical, biotic and cultural factors that affect the life of organism in any way. The term environment refers the surrounding of an organism which includes both living and non-living components. The word meaning of environment is to surround and to develop. The words- 'surround' and 'develop' raise two basic questions :Ø What is surrounded and developed? The answer is that man and other organisms. Ø Man and other living organisms are surrounded by what? The simple answer is that all living components are surrounded by air, water, atmospheric pressure, etc. Thus environment includes all the external conditions and influences affecting life and development of an organism. From different periods of life Botanists, Geographer, Environmentalists, Geologist, were trying to define the environment. Environment is viewed in different ways/angles by different groups of people, but it may be safely argued that "environment is an inseparable whole and is constituted by the interacting systems of physical, biological and cultural elements which are inter-related individually as well as collectively in different ways. Environment word is derived from the French the "environner", which means to 'encircle' or 'surround'. Which can be defined as (i) The 2 / Environmental Studies (Semester-III) conditions or circumstances that surround an organism or group of organisms; or (ii) The complex of social or cultural conditions that affect an individual or community. Environment is the translation of english word, which is formed by two words: Environe and ment, which means to envelope or surround on all sides. The dictionary meaning of the environment is a surrounding, which means all around surroundings, such as - Earth is enveloped by atmosphere, similarly Lithosphere is surrounded by water, air and by its different components or Environment consists sum total of all, which affects life style and working of human beings and living beings throughout life. All the views concerning man and living beings are included in the environment. Environment can be defined by many ways such as : Ø Environment is the representative of physical components of the earth, wherein man is the representative of physical components of the earth. Ø Environment is the sum of all social, economical, biological, physical or chemical factors, which constituted the surroundings of man, who is both creator and moulder of his environment. In addition to the above definitions many well known scientists have defined the environment. Main definitions are as follows : (i) "Environment is the totality of milieu factors of an organisation. " - Fitting (ii) "Environment is the sum total of those conditions, mechanisms and effects which affect the development, birth and death of species of living organisms." - Universal Encyclopaedia (iii) "The surface of earth and all its natural conditions - natural resources, land, water, mountains, plains, minerals, plants, animals and all natural forces which exist on earth and affect human life come under the purview of environment." - Maclver (iv) "In relation to human beings, the word 'environment' means all those physical forms and the surroundings on the earth's surface by which he is constantly affected." - Dr. Davis (v) "The term environment is used to describe, in the aggregate, all the external forces, influences and conditions, which affect the life, nature, behaviour and the growth, development and maturity of living organisms." - Douglass and Holland Study of Environment and Ecology / 1 1 STUDY OF ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY Environment Environment literally means the surroundings of an object. Environment is a fairly new concept and viewed with the different angles by the human being/society. The environment is a composite word, which shows the conditions, in which organism lives-resides; which include-air, water, food, sunlight, which are the basic necessities of all the living beings, plants and animal life. They regularly perform their own functions and support and affect life in the biosphere. Environment includes all the forces, that may form proper and favourable conditions for existence and development of all the living beings. Environment is the sum of all the physical, chemical, biotic and cultural factors that affect the life of organism in any way. The term environment refers the surrounding of an organism which includes both living and non-living components. The word meaning of environment is to surround and to develop. The words- 'surround' and 'develop' raise two basic questions :Ø What is surrounded and developed? The answer is that man and other organisms. Ø Man and other living organisms are surrounded by what? The simple answer is that all living components are surrounded by air, water, atmospheric pressure, etc. Thus environment includes all the external conditions and influences affecting life and development of an organism. From different periods of life Botanists, Geographer, Environmentalists, Geologist, were trying to define the environment. Environment is viewed in different ways/angles by different groups of people, but it may be safely argued that "environment is an inseparable whole and is constituted by the interacting systems of physical, biological and cultural elements which are inter-related individually as well as collectively in different ways. Environment word is derived from the French the "environner", which means to 'encircle' or 'surround'. Which can be defined as (i) The 2 / Environmental Studies (Semester-III) conditions or circumstances that surround an organism or group of organisms; or (ii) The complex of social or cultural conditions that affect an individual or community. Environment is the translation of english word, which is formed by two words: Environe and ment, which means to envelope or surround on all sides. The dictionary meaning of the environment is a surrounding, which means all around surroundings, such as - Earth is enveloped by atmosphere, similarly Lithosphere is surrounded by water, air and by its different components or Environment consists sum total of all, which affects life style and working of human beings and living beings throughout life. All the views concerning man and living beings are included in the environment. Environment can be defined by many ways such as : Ø Environment is the representative of physical components of the earth, wherein man is the representative of physical components of the earth. Ø Environment is the sum of all social, economical, biological, physical or chemical factors, which constituted the surroundings of man, who is both creator and moulder of his environment. In addition to the above definitions many well known scientists have defined the environment. Main definitions are as follows : (i) "Environment is the totality of milieu factors of an organisation. " - Fitting (ii) "Environment is the sum total of those conditions, mechanisms and effects which affect the development, birth and death of species of living organisms." - Universal Encyclopaedia (iii) "The surface of earth and all its natural conditions - natural resources, land, water, mountains, plains, minerals, plants, animals and all natural forces which exist on earth and affect human life come under the purview of environment." - Maclver (iv) "In relation to human beings, the word 'environment' means all those physical forms and the surroundings on the earth's surface by which he is constantly affected." - Dr. Davis (v) "The term environment is used to describe, in the aggregate, all the external forces, influences and conditions, which affect the life, nature, behaviour and the growth, development and maturity of living organisms." - Douglass and Holland Study of Environment and Ecology / 3 (vi) "Environment refers to the sum total of conditions which are around man at a given point in space and time." - Chris Park, (vii) "Environment consists of all elements which surround or cover living forms or objects closely and affect them directly. - Gisbert (viii) "Environment is the sum total of all external conditions and influences on development cycle of biotic elements over the earth's surface." - Herkovits (ix) "A person's environment consists of the sum total of the stimulation which he receives from his conception until his death. - Boring (x) "Environment is the sum total of those influencing conditions in which organisms live." - Transley Man shares a close association with his environment. It is not possible to isolate man from his environment. Scope of Environment: The environment is a fairly new concept of study, and viewed with different angles by the human society. Hence the scope of this subject has not been defined completely up till now. The study of environmental components is entirely multidisciplinary in nature as its study of area is very vast or there may be recognised several major areas of study in environmental study. The point of study of environment is to explain the damage or destruction of its natural quality and its effects, and also to study the ill effects or bad effects of environmental problems, also the study of natural resources, and the study of human health. From the study point view the scope of environment has six subdivisions: (i) Hindrance or damage from ecosystem : This is concerned with the study of hindrance or damage to ecosystem, and causes of hindrance in the food chain and energy flow etc.; and its control. (ii) Environmental problems and hazards : This includes the study of preventive and curable measures of the problems arising due to exploitation of natural resources and also the study of environmental quality, deterioration and the problems arising therefrom. Beside this, the problems arising from the natural calamities- Heat and cold waves, earthquakes, volcano eruption, floods, cyclones, drought, desertification and Tsunami currents and their prevention are studied. 4 / Environmental Studies (Semester-III) (iii) Environmental degradation: This topic includes the study of ill effects of polluted water, air, soil, atmospheric pollution, nuclear pollution on the health, development, growth of human beings and their control measures. The study also includes pollutants, toxic agents and deforestation etc. (iv) Damage of Natural Resources: The study include the study of bad effects of exploitation of natural resources- Forest, Minerals, Agriculture and Water and their prevention. (v) Hindrance and damage of Bio-diversity: The topic includes the study of the causes of extinction and conservation of various species and their population. (vi) Hindrance/ Inhibition in natural bio-chemical cycles: The study includes the water cycles, oxygen cycle, phosphorus cycle, nitrogen cycle, carbon cycles occuring in the nature. The environment study includes the study of different aspects of different components and their various effects, environment degradation, problems, hazards and their prevention and control measures. Importance of Environment Environment is very essential in every aspect of life. All the living beings depend upon the environment. All the components required for survival of living organisms are obtained through environment. Air, water, soil, food etc. required for survival are acquired through the environment.The development of all living creatures is done in Environment. Human beings utilize the natural resources for the development of their civilization. Plant and animals also depend upon the environment. Therefore the survival, reproduction, growth and development etc. of all living organisms is done by the Environment. Characteristics of Environment : The characteristics of environment are as follows: 1. It includes physical (radiation, heat, rain) chemical (water, gases, acids, inorganic elements, organic substances etc.) and biological (plants, animals including man and his several functions, organisations and various institutions) components. 2. Environment consists of physical, social, cultural, moral, intellectual, economic, emotional and political forces which affect the life and nature of man's behaviour. Study of Environment and Ecology / 3 (vi) "Environment refers to the sum total of conditions which are around man at a given point in space and time." - Chris Park, (vii) "Environment consists of all elements which surround or cover living forms or objects closely and affect them directly. - Gisbert (viii) "Environment is the sum total of all external conditions and influences on development cycle of biotic elements over the earth's surface." - Herkovits (ix) "A person's environment consists of the sum total of the stimulation which he receives from his conception until his death. - Boring (x) "Environment is the sum total of those influencing conditions in which organisms live." - Transley Man shares a close association with his environment. It is not possible to isolate man from his environment. Scope of Environment: The environment is a fairly new concept of study, and viewed with different angles by the human society. Hence the scope of this subject has not been defined completely up till now. The study of environmental components is entirely multidisciplinary in nature as its study of area is very vast or there may be recognised several major areas of study in environmental study. The point of study of environment is to explain the damage or destruction of its natural quality and its effects, and also to study the ill effects or bad effects of environmental problems, also the study of natural resources, and the study of human health. From the study point view the scope of environment has six subdivisions: (i) Hindrance or damage from ecosystem : This is concerned with the study of hindrance or damage to ecosystem, and causes of hindrance in the food chain and energy flow etc.; and its control. (ii) Environmental problems and hazards : This includes the study of preventive and curable measures of the problems arising due to exploitation of natural resources and also the study of environmental quality, deterioration and the problems arising therefrom. Beside this, the problems arising from the natural calamities- Heat and cold waves, earthquakes, volcano eruption, floods, cyclones, drought, desertification and Tsunami currents and their prevention are studied. 4 / Environmental Studies (Semester-III) (iii) Environmental degradation: This topic includes the study of ill effects of polluted water, air, soil, atmospheric pollution, nuclear pollution on the health, development, growth of human beings and their control measures. The study also includes pollutants, toxic agents and deforestation etc. (iv) Damage of Natural Resources: The study include the study of bad effects of exploitation of natural resources- Forest, Minerals, Agriculture and Water and their prevention. (v) Hindrance and damage of Bio-diversity: The topic includes the study of the causes of extinction and conservation of various species and their population. (vi) Hindrance/ Inhibition in natural bio-chemical cycles: The study includes the water cycles, oxygen cycle, phosphorus cycle, nitrogen cycle, carbon cycles occuring in the nature. The environment study includes the study of different aspects of different components and their various effects, environment degradation, problems, hazards and their prevention and control measures. Importance of Environment Environment is very essential in every aspect of life. All the living beings depend upon the environment. All the components required for survival of living organisms are obtained through environment. Air, water, soil, food etc. required for survival are acquired through the environment.The development of all living creatures is done in Environment. Human beings utilize the natural resources for the development of their civilization. Plant and animals also depend upon the environment. Therefore the survival, reproduction, growth and development etc. of all living organisms is done by the Environment. Characteristics of Environment : The characteristics of environment are as follows: 1. It includes physical (radiation, heat, rain) chemical (water, gases, acids, inorganic elements, organic substances etc.) and biological (plants, animals including man and his several functions, organisations and various institutions) components. 2. Environment consists of physical, social, cultural, moral, intellectual, economic, emotional and political forces which affect the life and nature of man's behaviour. Study of Environment and Ecology / 5 3. It refers to sum total of conditions, which surrounds a man at a given point in space and time. 4. It is the everything which affects the individuals. 5. It consists of all the external forces which affect the growth, development of living organisms. 6. It involves social, physical, biological, chemical, economic, political and cultural processes. 7. The sum total of all processes from birth till death. Types of Environment : Environment can be conveniently divided into two categories: (a) Natural Environment: The natural environment system operates through self-regulating mechanism called as the homeostatic environment mechanism- any change in any natural ecosystem brought about by natural process is counter balanced by changes in other components of the environment or by the opposing changes in the other components of the environment. These components are- air, water, soil, land, forests, radiation, wild life, noise, living space, flora and fauna etc. The natural environment has never been static and changes sometimes slowly and sometimes drastically which may be harmful or beneficial to living organisms. (b) Man-made or Anthropogenic Environment: Man is the most powerful and intelligent, dillgent environment agent and is capable of modifying the environment according to his need to a great extent by the application of modern technology and thus created an Anthropogenic Environment in the biosphere. Physical Environment The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species. The concept of the natural environment can be distinguished by its components. Biosphere - This is the region of the earth where life exists and includes a global girdle extending from about 10,000 m below sea level to 6000 m above sea level. Thus the biosphere covers the entire realm of living organisms and their interactions with the other segments of the environment, namely the lithosphere, the hydrosphere and the atmosphere. 6 / Environmental Studies (Semester-III) Biosphere all the ecosystem of the world each ecosystem is made up to the living component the non-living component Organic Climatic Inorganic factors component component Producers Consumers Decomposers The environment may broadly be considered to comprise of the following three segments.:1. Lithosphere - The mantle of rocks constituting the earth’s crust is called lithosphere. The soil covering the rocks (which result from physical, chemical and biological processes during weathering) is also considered to be an important part of the lithosphere. 2. Hydrosphere - This include all the surface and ground water resources viz oceans, seas, rivers, streams, lakes, reservoirs, glaciers, polar ice caps, ground water and the water locked in rock crevices and minerals lying deep below the earth’s crust. Earth is called the blue planet because about 80% of its surface is covered by water. 3. Atmosphere - The atmosphere comprises of a mixture of gases (e.g N2 , O2 , CO2 etc.) and it extends upto about 500 Kms above the surface of the earth. A constant exchange of matter takes place between the atmosphere, biosphere and hydrosphere.The atmosphere surrounding the earth acts as a gaseous blanket, protecting the earth from dangerous cosmic radiations from outerspace and helps in sustaining life on the earth. The Atmosphere is divided into four layers : (i) Troposphere : It is about 20 km above the earth surface. In this sphere important events such as cloud formation, lightening and thunder storms take place. Study of Environment and Ecology / 5 3. It refers to sum total of conditions, which surrounds a man at a given point in space and time. 4. It is the everything which affects the individuals. 5. It consists of all the external forces which affect the growth, development of living organisms. 6. It involves social, physical, biological, chemical, economic, political and cultural processes. 7. The sum total of all processes from birth till death. Types of Environment : Environment can be conveniently divided into two categories: (a) Natural Environment: The natural environment system operates through self-regulating mechanism called as the homeostatic environment mechanism- any change in any natural ecosystem brought about by natural process is counter balanced by changes in other components of the environment or by the opposing changes in the other components of the environment. These components are- air, water, soil, land, forests, radiation, wild life, noise, living space, flora and fauna etc. The natural environment has never been static and changes sometimes slowly and sometimes drastically which may be harmful or beneficial to living organisms. (b) Man-made or Anthropogenic Environment: Man is the most powerful and intelligent, dillgent environment agent and is capable of modifying the environment according to his need to a great extent by the application of modern technology and thus created an Anthropogenic Environment in the biosphere. Physical Environment The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species. The concept of the natural environment can be distinguished by its components. Biosphere - This is the region of the earth where life exists and includes a global girdle extending from about 10,000 m below sea level to 6000 m above sea level. Thus the biosphere covers the entire realm of living organisms and their interactions with the other segments of the environment, namely the lithosphere, the hydrosphere and the atmosphere. 6 / Environmental Studies (Semester-III) Biosphere all the ecosystem of the world each ecosystem is made up to the living component the non-living component Organic Climatic Inorganic factors component component Producers Consumers Decomposers The environment may broadly be considered to comprise of the following three segments.:1. Lithosphere - The mantle of rocks constituting the earth’s crust is called lithosphere. The soil covering the rocks (which result from physical, chemical and biological processes during weathering) is also considered to be an important part of the lithosphere. 2. Hydrosphere - This include all the surface and ground water resources viz oceans, seas, rivers, streams, lakes, reservoirs, glaciers, polar ice caps, ground water and the water locked in rock crevices and minerals lying deep below the earth’s crust. Earth is called the blue planet because about 80% of its surface is covered by water. 3. Atmosphere - The atmosphere comprises of a mixture of gases (e.g N2 , O2 , CO2 etc.) and it extends upto about 500 Kms above the surface of the earth. A constant exchange of matter takes place between the atmosphere, biosphere and hydrosphere.The atmosphere surrounding the earth acts as a gaseous blanket, protecting the earth from dangerous cosmic radiations from outerspace and helps in sustaining life on the earth. The Atmosphere is divided into four layers : (i) Troposphere : It is about 20 km above the earth surface. In this sphere important events such as cloud formation, lightening and thunder storms take place. Study of Environment and Ecology / 7 (ii) Stratosphere : It is next to troposphere. It is about 30 km above the troposphere. In this area, ozone formation takes place under the influence of ultraviolet component of sunlight. (iii) Mesosphere : The area about 40 km in height above stratosphere is called mesosphere. In this zone, temperature shows again a decrease upto 80oC. (iv) Ionosphere : The portion above the mesosphere upto height of 500 km above the earth's surface is ionosphere. Most of the gases are present in the form of ions. 8 / Environmental Studies (Semester-III) Ø The scientific study of the interactions of the organisms with their physical environment and with each other is called as ecology. Ø The study of animals and plants in their relation to each other and to their environment is called as ecology. Ø The study of the ecosystem or the totality of the reciprocal interactions between living organisms and their physical surrounding is called as ecology. Ø The science of the relations of all organisms to all their environment is ecology. Ø A multidisciplinary science which deals with the organisms and its place to live and which focuses on the ecosystem. Ø The study of relations between organism and totality of the biological and physical factors affecting them or influenced by them. Ø The scientific natural history concerned with the sociology and economics of animals is called as Ecology. Ø The study of science which investigate organism in relation to their environment, a philosophy in which the world of life is interpreted in terms of natural process. Ø According to Taylor- "The way of the study in which individual organism, population of some species and communities respond to the changes is termed as the ecology." Ø According to Penguin biology dictionary : Ecology is the study of relationship of groups of living animals and plants with the surrounding of the living organism and non-living factors. ECOLOGY Ecology was first defined as the study of organisms in their natural homes. As the science of ecology developed, the emphasis kept on shifting, and Ecology is now known as the science of inter-relation between living organisms and their environment. Firstly the word of ecology was used by German Scientist Ernst Haeckel in the year 1869. The word ecology comes from the Greek word - "oikos" which means' "habitat"/ "home" and "logos" means "study". Ecology/oikologie = Gr. oikos = house/home, + logos = study. Since the modern emphasis is more on the study of population and communities and their functional processes, ecology has been defined as the totality or pattern of relations between organisms and their environment. Because the science of ecology is in itself a very broad subject, the shortest technical definition of ecology is "Environmental biology." Ecology has been defined as follows : Ø Ecology is the study of an organisms and its environment. The brief, clear and a vast accepted definition of Ecology is as follows: "Ecology is the study of relations between animal kingdom and plant kingdom with environment." or "The study of plants and animals and their inter-relation with each other and with environment." In the end it will not be wrong to say, that ecology is the scientific interactions among individuals, populations, and communities, and also the relationship/ interrelations of living (biotic) components with their nonliving (abiotic) components of environment. In the above definitions, the term organisms refer to an individual unit constituted to carry on the activities of life. The term environment, for a given organism includes all the external conditions i.e. all the surrounding physical, chemical and biological factors; which have a direct influence on Environmental Studies (Second Year : Semester III) 20% OFF Publisher : Kailash Pustak Sadan Author : S M Saxena And Seema Mohan Type the URL : http://www.kopykitab.com/product/9658 Get this eBook
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