ROOTS DEGREE COLLEGE

I SEMESTER

2023

Environmental Science

UNIT - I : ECOSYSTEM, BIODIVERSITY & NATURAL RESOURCES

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Definition : Environmental Studies is field that draws
on ecology, geology, meteorology, biology, chemistry, engineering, and physics to study
environmental problems and human impacts on the environment.

Environmental science is a quantitative discipline with both applied and theoretical aspects and
has been influential in informing the policies of governments around the world.

The Environment is about the surrounding external conditions influencing development or

growth of people, animal or plants living or working conditions etc.

Environmental science is the academic field that takes physical, biological, and chemical
sciences to study the environment and discover solutions to environmental problems. Sciences
used in environmental science include geography, zoology, physics, ecology, oceanology, and
geology.

Environmental science promotes the study and understanding of natural and human-caused
processes in our natural environment. By researching and investigating complex environmental
issues, students develop and enhance essential skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving,
and creative thinking

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Scope of Environmental Studies :

The scope of environmental studies is very wide and it deals with many areas like
i) Conservation of natural resources, ii) ecological aspects, iii) pollution of the surrounding
natural resources, iv) controlling the pollution, v) social issues connected to it, and vi) impacts
of human population on the environment .

Environmental studies take a multidisciplinary approach to the study of human interactions

with the natural environment. It integrates different approaches of the humanities , social
sciences, biological sciences and physical sciences and applies these approaches to investigate
environmental concerns.

Importance of Environment Studies :

It provides food, shelter, air, and fulfils all the human needs whether big or small. Moreover,
the entire life support of humans depends wholly on the environmental factors. In addition, it
also helps in maintaining various life cycles on earth.

A home to animals and humans- Environment is the only home for various species to survive
and live. It plays a major role in the healthy being of humans, animals and other species. Life
Support System- Water, Air, Soil, Food and Plants are all part of our Environment. All these
things are necessities of life.

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Structure of Ecosystem :

Ecosystem structure is a network of interactions between abiotic and biotic components of the
system. The biotic structure of the ecosystem is characterized by the composition of the
biological community including species numbers, biomass, life-form, life-history and spatial
distribution of species

ecosystems need five basic components: energy, mineral nutrients, water, oxygen, and living
organisms

An ecosystem is a group or community composed of living and non-living things and their
interactions with each other. Every ecosystem has two components, namely, biotic
components and abiotic components.

An ecosystem is a group or community composed of living and non-living things and their
interactions with each other.

Biotic components refer to all living organisms in an ecology while abiotically refers to the
non-living things.

Abiotic means that a substance is devoid of life, it is physical and not derived from living
organisms.

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Producers are the plants in the ecosystem, which can generate their own energy requirement
through photosynthesis, in the presence of sunlight and chlorophyll.
Consumers include herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores.
Decomposers are the fungi and bacteria, which are the saprophytes.

In environmental science or ecology, decomposers are the organisms that are involved in the
process of decomposition of the dead, both animal as well as plant matter, in the ecosystem.
Major decomposers in the ecosystem include bacteria and fungi.

Bacteria and fungi are called decomposers because they break down the dead and decaying
organic matter into simpler substances such as carbon dioxide, water, simple sugars, and
mineral salts and provide the nutrients back to the soil.

Examples of decomposers include bacteria, fungi, some insects, and snails, which means they
are not always microscopic. Fungi, such as the Winter Fungus, eat dead tree trunks.
Decomposers can break down dead things, but they can also feast on decaying flesh while it's
still on a living organism.

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Food chain :

The food chain is an ideal representation of flow of energy in the ecosystem.

In food chain, the plants or producers are consumed by only the primary consumers, primary
consumers are fed by only the secondary consumers and so on.

The producers that are capable to produce their own food are called autotrophs.

Any food chain consists of three main tropic levels, viz., producers, consumers and
decomposers.

The energy efficiency of each tropic level is very low. Hence, shorter the food chain greater
will be the accessibility of food.

Food Chains, Food Webs, and Ecological Pyramids. A food chain is the simplest path that
energy takes through an ecosystem. Energy enters from the sun. Each level in the transfer of
energy is a tropic level. Organisms at each level use energy in cellular respiration and heat
loss and store the rest

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Tropic Levels in a Food Chain :

Trophic levels are different stages of feeding position in a food chain such as primary
producers and consumers of different types.

Organisms in a food chain are categorized under different groups called trophic levels. They
are as follows.

Producers (First Tropic Level) − Producers otherwise called autotrophy prepare their food
by themselves. They form the first level of every food chain. Plants and one-celled organisms,
some types of bacteria, algae, etc. come under the category of Autotrophy. Virtually, almost
all autotrophy use a process called photosynthesis to prepare food.

Consumers − At the second tropic level, there are consumers who depend upon others for
food.

• Primary Consumers (Second Tropic Level) − Primary consumers eat the producers.
They are called herbivores. Deer, turtle, and many types of birds are herbivores.

• Secondary Consumers (Third Tropic Level) − Secondary consumers based at the

third trophic level eat plants and herbivores. They are both carnivores (meateaters) and
omnivores (animals that eat both animals and plants). In a desert ecosystem, a
secondary consumer may be a snake that eats a mouse. Secondary consumers may eat
animals bigger than they are. Some lions, for example, kill and eat buffalo. The buffalo
weighs twice as much as the lions do.

• Tertiary Consumers (Fourth Tropic Level) − Tertiary consumers are animals eating
other carnivores. The secretary bird in Africa and the King Cobra specialize in killing
and eating snakes but all snakes are carnivores. The leopard seal eats mostly other
carnivores - mainly other seals, squids, and penguins, all of which are carnivores.

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Function of an Ecosystem :

Ecosystem functions are natural processes or exchange of energy that take place in various
plant and animal communities of different biomes of the world.

For instance, green leaves prepare food and roots absorb nutrients from the soil, herbivores
feed on the leaves and the roots and in turn serve as food for the carnivores.

Decomposers execute the functions of breaking down complex organic materials into simple
inorganic products, which are used by the producers.

Fundamentally, ecosystem functions are exchange of energy and nutrients in the food chain.
These exchanges sustain plant and animal life on the planet as well as the decomposition of
organic matter and the production of biomass.

All these functions of the ecosystem take place through delicately balanced and controlled
processes.

Definition of Biodiversity :

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Biodiversity, a shortened form of Biological diversity, refers to the existence of number of
different species of plants and animals in an environment.

The Convention on Biological Diversity (1992) of the United Nations gives a formal definition
of biodiversity in its Article 2: "Biological diversity means the variability among living
organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine, and other aquatic
ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within
species, between species and of ecosystems."

Biodiversity is also defined as the existence of variability among living organisms on the earth,
including the variability within and between species, and within and between ecosystems.

Species Diversity

Species diversity refers to the variety of different species of plants, animals, fungi, and
organisms that are present in a region. It is estimated that there are above 30 million species
on the earth. Species diversity is a part of diversity. Even within a small pond, we can notice
a great variety of species. Species diversity differs from ecosystem to ecosystem.

Genetic Diversity

It is the variation in genes that exists within a species. Genetic diversity corresponds to the
variety of genes contained in plants, animals, fungi, and micro-organisms. It occurs within a
species as well as between species. The diversity in wild species make the ‘gene pool’ from
which crops and domestic animals have been developed over thousands of years.

Ecosystem Diversity

It is the diversity of ecosystems, natural communities, and habitats. ecosystem diversity refers
to the variety of ways that species interact with each other and their environment. Tropical or
temperate forests, grasslands, hot and cold deserts, wetlands, rivers, mountains, and coral reefs
are instances of ecosystem diversity.

Hot-spots of Biodiversity :

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Hotspots of biodiversity refer to bio-geographic regions where significant levels of
biodiversity with richness and unusual concentration of endemic species are found, they are
threatened with mindless exploitation and destruction.

A biodiversity is termed as a hotspot if

• It has at least 1,500 vascular plants as endemic.

• It must be threatened or under threat of destruction to a considerable extent.

Across the world, about 35 areas are marked as hotspots of biodiversity and they represent 2.3
percent of the Earth’s land surface but they support more than half of the world’s endemic
plant species and almost half of birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians as endemic.

List of Biodiversity Hotspots in the World :

North and Central America − California Floristic Province, Madrean pine-oak woodlands,
Mesoamerica

The Caribbean − Caribbean Islands

South America − Atlantic Forest, Cerrado, Chilean Winter Rainfall-Valdivian Forests,

Tumbes-Chocó-Magdalena, Tropical Andes

Europe − Mediterranean Basin

Africa − Cape Floristic Region, Coastal Forests of Eastern Africa, Eastern Afromontane,
Guinean Forests of West Africa; Horn of Africa; Madagascar and the Indian Ocean Islands;
Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany; Succulent Karoo

Central Asia − Mountains of Central Asia

South Asia − Eastern Himalaya, Nepal; Indo-Burma, India and Myanmar; Western Ghats,
India; Sri Lanka

Conservation of Biodiversity :

There are two main methods for the conservation of biodiversity.

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In-situ Conservation :

In-situ or on-site conservation refers to the conservation of species within their natural
habitats. This is the most viable way of biodiversity conservation. It is the conservation of
genetic resources through their maintenance within the environment in which they occur.

Examples − National Parks, Wild Life sanctuaries, Biosphere Reserves, Gene Sanctuaries

Ex-situ Conservation :

Ex-situ conservation means the conservation of components of biological diversity outside

their natural habitats. In this method, threatened or endangered species of animals and plants
are taken out of their natural habitat and placed in special settings where they can be protected
and provided with natural growth.

In ex-situ conservation methods, the plants and animals taken away from their habitats are
taken care of in an artificially created environment.

Examples − Captive Breeding, Gene Banks, Seed Banks, Zoos, Botanical gardens, Aquaria,
In vitro fertilization, Cryopreservation, Tissue Culture.

Renewable & Non – renewable resources :

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Renewable resources can be replaced by natural processes as quickly as humans use them.
Examples include sunlight and wind.

They include energy generated from solar, wind, geothermal, hydropower and ocean
resources, solid biomass, biogas and liquid biofuels.

Nonrenewable resources exist in fixed amounts. They can be used up. Examples include fossil
fuels such as coal.

Water Conservation :

Water conservation is the practice of using water efficiently to reduce unnecessary water
usage. Water conservation is more important than ever, and the world is looking for tips on
saving water.

Conserving water is important because it keeps water pure and clean while protecting the
environment. Conserving water means using our water supply wisely and be responsible.
..This requires the use of strategies that includes reducing wastage, prevent damaging water
quality, and improve water management.

• Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth.

• Only run the washing machine and dishwasher when you have a full load.
• Use a low flow shower head and faucet aerators.
• Fix leaks.
• Install a dual flush or low flow toilet or put a conversion kit on your existing toilet.

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 Rain water harvesting :

Rainwater harvesting (RWH) is the collection and storage of rain, rather than allowing it to
run off. Rainwater is collected from a roof-like surface and redirected to a tank, cistern, deep
pit (well, shaft, or borehole), aquifer, or a reservoir with percolation, so that it seeps down and
restores the ground water.

Methods of Rainwater Harvesting - How to Save Rain Water

• Surface runoff harvesting. In urban area rainwater flows away as surface runoff.
• Rooftop rainwater harvesting. It is a system of catching rainwater where it falls.
• Rooftop Rainwater Harvesting System.
• Catchments.
• Transportation.
• First Flush.
• Filter.
• Sand Gravel Filter.

Watershed management is the study of the relevant characteristics of a watershed aimed at

the sustainable distribution of its resources and the process of creating and implementing
plans, programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect theplant,
animal, and human communities .

The land area that drains to a stream, lake or river affects the water quality in the water body
that it surrounds. Healthy watersheds not only help protect water quality, but also provide
greater benefits than degraded watersheds to the people and wildlife that live there.

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UNIT – II : ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION , GLOBAL ISSUES & LEGISLATION

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Air Pollution :
Air pollution refers to any physical, chemical or biological change in the air. It is the
contamination of air by harmful gases, dust and smoke which affects plants, animals and
humans drastically.

There is a certain percentage of gases present in the atmosphere. An increase or decrease in the
composition of these gases is harmful to survival. This imbalance in the gaseous composition
has resulted in an increase in earth’s temperature, which is known as global warming.

Types of Air Pollutants

There are two types of air pollutants:

Primary Pollutants

The pollutants that directly cause air pollution are known as primary pollutants. Sulphur-
dioxide emitted from factories is a primary pollutant.

Secondary Pollutants

The pollutants formed by the intermingling and reaction of primary pollutants are known as
secondary pollutants. Smog, formed by the intermingling of smoke and fog, is a secondary
pollutant.

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Causes of Air Pollution :

Burning of Fossil Fuels

The combustion of fossil fuels emits a large amount of sulphur dioxide. Carbon monoxide
released by incomplete combustion of fossil fuels also results in air pollution.

Automobiles
The gases emitted from vehicles such as jeeps, trucks, cars, buses, etc. pollute the environment.
These are the major sources of greenhouse gases and also result in diseases among individuals.

Agricultural Activities
Ammonia is one of the most hazardous gases emitted during agricultural activities. The
insecticides, pesticides and fertilizers emit harmful chemicals in the atmosphere and
contaminate it.

Factories and Industries

Factories and industries are the main source of carbon monoxide, organic compounds,
hydrocarbons and chemicals. These are released into the air, degrading its quality.

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Water Pollution :
Water pollution may be defined as alteration in physical, chemical, and biological
characteristics of water, which may cause harmful effects on human and aquatic life.

Pollutants of Water

Following are some of the reasons for water pollution.

• Disposal of sewage and sludge into water bodies such as river, streams, and lakes.

• Inorganic compounds and minerals by mining and industrial activities.

• Use of chemical fertilizers for agricultural purposes.

• Synthetic organic compounds from industrial, agricultural, and domestic garbage.

• Oil and petroleum from tankers’ accident, offshore drilling, combustion engine, etc.

• Radioactive wastes.

Water Pollution Control

• Environmental Education − Individuals and the masses should be educated about the
significance of quality of water and its impact on the economy, the society, and
ecology.

• Sewage Treatment − The household water should be treated properly to make it

environmentally safe. Necessary steps should be taken to ensure that effective sewage
treatment process is put in place and contaminated water doesn’t get mixed with the
fresh water bodies.

• Accountability of Industrial Units − The industrial setups should make provisions

for treatment of waste materials and water, and for its safe drainage.

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Solid Waste Management :

Solid waste management refers to the collecting, treating, and disposing of solid material that
is discarded or is no longer useful. Solid waste management is an important aspect of urban
area management. Improper disposal of municipal solid waste can create unsanitary
conditions, which can lead to environmental pollution and the outbreak of vector-borne
disease.

The task of solid waste management presents complex technical challenges. They also pose
various economic, administrative, and social problems which need urgent attention.

The major sources of solid waste are households; agricultural fields; industries and mining,
hotels and catering; roads and railways; hospitals and educational institutions; cultural centers
and places of recreation and tourism, etc. Plastic waste is also a solid waste .

Global Warming & Ozone layer depletion :

Global warming is caused primarily by putting too much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere
when coal, oil, and natural gas are burned to generate electricity or to run our cars. Ozone sits
in the upper atmosphere and absorbs ultraviolet radiaton, another type of solar energy that's
harmful to humans, animals and plants.

Ozone layer depletion causes increased UV radiation levels at the Earth's surface, which is
damaging to human health. Negative effects include increases in certain types of skin cancers,
eye cataracts and immune deficiency disorders. UV rays also affect plant growth, reducing
agricultural productivity.

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Fireworks cause extensive air pollution in a short amount of time, leaving metal particles,
dangerous toxins, harmful chemicals and smoke in the air for hours and days. Leftover rock
is discarded into valleys, blocking and polluting flowing streams.

Fireworks can burn down houses, damage entertainment venues such as nightclubs, frighten
children and adults, cause bushfires, and terrify pets and wildlife. Noise from fireworks can
cause distress, especially as fireworks can sound like gunfire.

Increase in the sound levels can lead to restlessness, temporary or permanent hearing loss,
high blood pressure, and sleep disturbance. Fireworks can also cause respiratory problems
such as: chronic or allergic bronchitis, bronchial asthma, sinusitis, rhinitis, pneumonia and
laryngitis

Disaster management :
Disaster Management can be defined as the organization and management of resources and
responsibilities for dealing with all humanitarian aspects of emergencies, in particular
preparedness, response and recovery in order to lessen the impact of disasters .

Disaster management involves organizing resources for dealing with the immediate needs
when disaster occurs, including the humanitarian aspects, and the long-term management,
which involves mitigation and rehabilitation.

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The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted for
protection of plants and animal species. Before 1972, India had only five designated national
parks. Among other reforms, the Act established schedules of protected plant and animal
species; hunting or harvesting these species was largely outlawed. The Act provides for the
protection of wild animals, birds and plants and for matters connected therewith or ancillary
or incidental thereto.

The Indian Forest Act, 1927 was largely based on previous Indian Forest Acts implemented
under the British. The most famous one was the Indian Forest Act of 1878. Both the 1878 act
and the 1927 act sought to consolidate and reserve the areas having forest cover, or
significant wildlife, to regulate movement and transit of forest produce, and duty leviable
on timber and other forest produce. It also defines the procedure to be followed for declaring
an area to be a Reserved Forest, a Protected Forest or a Village Forest. It defines what is a
forest offence, what are the acts prohibited inside a Reserved Forest, and penalties leviable on
violation of the provisions of the Act. Reserved Forest is an area mass of land duly notified
under the provisions of India Forest Act or the State Forest Acts having full degree of
protection. In Reserved Forests, all activities are prohibited unless permitted.

Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 is a comprehensive legislation that
regulates agencies responsible for checking on water pollution and ambit of pollution control
boards both at the centre and states. The Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974
was adopted by the Indian parliament with the aim of prevention and control of Water Pollution
in India. Section 17 of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 clearly lists all
functions of the respective state boards for countering water pollution.

The Air Act (CAA) (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.) is a comprehensive Federal law that regulates
all sources of air emissions. The 1970 CAA authorized the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) to establish National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) to protect public
health and the environment. The States were directed to develop State implementation plans
(SIPs), which consist of emission reduction strategies, with the goal of achieving the NAAQS
by the legislated date.

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 Human Rights :
Human rights include the right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom
of opinion and expression, the right to work and education, and many more. Everyone is
entitled to these rights, without discrimination.
Human rights are the basic rights and freedoms that belong to every person in the world, from
birth until death. These basic rights are based on shared values like dignity, fairness, equality,
respect and independence. These values are defined and protected by law.

• Marriage and Family. Every grown-up has the right to marry and have a family if they want to.
• The Right to Own Things.
• Freedom of Thought.
• Freedom of Expression.
• The Right to Public Assembly.
• The Right to Democracy.
• Social Security.
• Workers' Rights

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Women and Child welfare :

Women Welfare Organization (WWO) is a Non-Profit, Non-Governmental

Organization which was founded by a group of female volunteers. Female from various spheres
of life such as education, health and women activism are the members of Board. WWO was
registered under Social Welfare Ordinance of 1961 in January 2007.
A child one who is below 18 years of age or one who is over 18 years of age but who cannot
take care of himself fully because of a physical or mental disability or condition.

The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) of 1978 is a Federal law that governs the removal and
out-of-home placement of American Indian children. The law is one of the key components in
protecting the rights and culture of American Indian and Alaska Native children and families.

The goal of child welfare is to promote the safety, permanency, and well-being of children and
families. Even among children who enter foster care, most children will leave the child welfare
system safely in the care of their birth family, a relative, or an adoptive home.

Role of Information technology in environment and human health :

Database on the Environment System

information technology, it has a significant hand in improving the status in the fields of
environmental education and human health as compared to that of the other respective
areas such as business, economics, and culture or politics. The emerging growth of the
internet services and facilities, geographic information system or GIS, and the data that
gets transmitted through satellites, etc. have generated a higher affluence of the updated
information on several aspects of the environment as well as health. When you look for
the variety of software in the market, you will come across a number of them that
created for the health and environment studies in a better way. They are quite user-
friendly and certainly help a learner to understand the respective subject with ease.

It is a collection of connected data on some subjects. It comes in a computerized form, and you
can retrieve the data at any hour of the day whenever needed. The information of database can

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easily extract in a computer. When it comes to comprehensive databases, things that include in
it are wildlife database, forest cover database, and conservation database, etc. the databases are
also available for some diseases which include malaria, fluorosis, HIV/AIDS, etc.

• National management information system (NMIS).

• Environmental information system (ENVIS).
• Remote sensing and geographical information system (GIS).
• Geographical information system (GIS).
• The World Wide Web (WWW).

Student-Friendly Aspects:

It includes tips how to study smartly, detailed information and hyperlinks on every important
topic, practice quiz, web exercises, case studies, key-terms, career information, current
affairs, an interactive encyclopedia, environmental maps, current articles, and tips to contact
your elected officials.

Teacher-Friendly Aspects:

It includes additional case studies, solutions to critical thinking, questions, answers to web
exercises, editing facility to imply or delete the items and make multiple versions of the same
test, etc.

*** ALL THE BEST ***

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