Session Name:

BASIC CONCEPTS OF
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND
ITS MULTIDISCIPLINARY NATURE

Delivered By:
Dr. Abanikanta Bhadra
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Learning Objectives

By the end of this session, you will be able to:

 Define the Environment, Environmental Science, its definition, History and Components.

 Discuss how environmental science is multidisciplinary in nature.

 Define the aim, scope and importance of environmental science.

 Discuss the need for public awareness.

 Session Structure
 Introduction to Environmental Science  Components of Environment
 History  Biotic component
 Hunting and gathering  Producer
 Agriculture and conservationism  Consumer
 Industry and environmentalism  Decomposer
 Transition and sustainability  Abiotic component  Public awareness
 Multidisciplinary nature of Environmental Science
 Atmosphere  Air, soil and water
 Structure of atmosphere pollution
 Physics
 Troposphere  Growing population
 Chemistry
 Stratosphere  Poverty
 Biology
 Mesosphere  Preservation of Forests
 Atmospheric Science  Thermosphere  Public awareness through
 Ecology  Hydrosphere institutions
 Geo-science  Lithosphere
 Mathematics and Computer Science  Importance and Scope of Environmental Science
 Economics  Main objectives of environmental studies
 Law
 Social Science
Introduction to Environmental Science
• The term environment is derived from French word 'environ', means to encircle or surround. It is a composite word for the
surrounding in which organism or group of organisms live. The environment consists of both biotic (living) and abiotic
(non-living) substances, i.e., consist of air, water, food, sunlight, temperature, electricity etc. So, one can define the
environment as, "It is the sum total of all social, economical, biological, physical and chemical factors which constitute all
surroundings of men or living organism, who is both creator and modular of this environment".

• Environmental science is a field that integrates physical, chemical, biological, and information sciences to study the
environment and its solution of environmental problems. Environmental science emerged from different fields like natural
history and medicine. Environmental studies deal with working of earth, its life support system, its interactions, influences
its problems and solutions. Keeping in view the complex nature of environment, knowledge and information from various
disciplines of science, social sciences, laws and engineering have to be included in environmental studies.

• All organisms including human being are affected by environmental changes. These environmental changes in
environment may harm or benefit all organisms living in it. Environmental science is the application of natural science
towards the solving of environmental problems.
History
Our relationship with the environment has evolved as we and our technology have evolved. Environmental historians identified four basic stages in
the evolution. These stages are largely determined by the economic activity in which humans engage using a technologies available. These four stages
are:
i. Hunting and gathering: Early humans were depending upon the hunting and gathering of food for their nutrition. At that stage weather, predators,
food shortage and diseases were common threats.
ii. Agriculture and conservationism: As the rate of population increased day by day, food requirements had not fulfilled by only hunting and
gathering. So in this stage there was a shift from hunting and gathering to cultivating food is one of the most profound milestones in human evolution.
People began to view land as a resource to be exploited wherever needed. Towards the end of the agricultural stage, the loss of wilderness became so
great that alarmed citizens began conservation movement to set up preserves for the remaining wilderness.
iii. Industry and environmentalism: The industrial revolution had increased for the fulfilment of human need, conservation of time and rapid
productivity. As nation industrialized, population had grown faster and the environment was perceived more and more air and water pollution, as well
as problems with solid and hazardous waste pollution. Towards the end, pollution becomes so widespread that antipollution social movements emerge.
Therefore the rising problems concern led to the passage of landmark environmental legislation throughout the world.
iv. Transition and sustainability: Due to the increasing rate of pollution, remediation of environmental problems have become demanded in large
scale that involve many aspects of society. Beginning of the early nineties, a sustainability movement has emerge to try to deal with these problems.
Sustainability means meeting the present without compromising the quality of life for future generation.
Multidisciplinary nature of Environmental Science
Components of Environment

COMPONENTS OF THE ENVIRONMENT

ABIOTIC
BIOTIC

PRODUCER
CONSUMER DECOMPOSER ATMOSPHERE HYDROSPHERE LITHOSPHERE
The composition of earth atmosphere
Gas Parts per million Relative percentage
Nitrogen 780832.00 78.08
Oxygen 209460.00 20.95
Argon 9340.00 00.93
Carbon dioxide 403.00 00.03
Neon 18.0 00.0018
Ozone 0.07 00.000007

Elementary composition of earth's crust

Elements Percentage
1. Oxygen 46.6
2. Silicon 27.7
3. Aluminium 8.1
4. Iron 5.0
5. Calcium 3.6
6. Sodium 2.8
7. Potassium 2.6
8. Magnesium 2.0
9. Hydrogen 0.9
10. Titanium 0.41
11. Chlorine 0.20
12. Carbon 0.19 Composition of material in earth
13. Others 1.00
Importance and Scope of Environmental Science

Scope of environmental science is so wide that it has got relation with every science and scientific aspects. Both
the living and non-living objects contribute to the scope of this study in different fields such as:

i. Conservation of natural resources like forest, water, air, mineral etc. and its management.

ii. Conservation of bio-diversities like genetic diversity, ecosystem diversity, landscape diversity etc.

iii. Control of environmental pollutions like air, water and soil pollution, solid waste pollution, noise pollution,
electronic waste pollution etc.

iv. Replacement of development (like green revolution, urbanization, economic growth and industrialization etc.)
with sustainable development.

v. Control of human population.

vi. Helps in solving various other problems like weather effects, climatic changes, flood, earthquake, cyclones
etc.
Main objectives of environmental studies are

i. It acquires an awareness of the protection of environment and find out the solution for its related problems.

ii. Gains a variety of experiences and acquire a basic understanding and knowledge about the environment and its
allied problems.

iii. The requirements of good environment such as for pure air, pure water and pure food.

iv. To avoid global environmental issues like climate change, global warming, ozone depletion, acid rain, marine
pollution and threatening of biodiversity.

The main objectives of environmental studies are to develop an environment friendly world in which peoples are
aware and concerned about environment and the problems associated with it, and committed to work individually
as well as collectively towards the solution of current problems and prevention of future problems.
Public awareness
Increasing population growth, urbanization, industrialization, mining and smelting of ores contributes towards air,
water, soil and noise pollution. The polluted environment causes health hazards and exerts threats on economic,
aesthetic and cultural activities of the human beings. It is therefore essential to make the public aware of the
alarming consequences of the environmental degradation. As we are facing various problems, it is of much
importance to make the public aware of these problems so as to act eco-friendly. Some of these challenges are:
i. Air, soil and water pollution: As air, soil and water are the essential components for the survival of the living
organisms, it is a great challenge for solving the problems of air, soil and water pollution.
The primary sources of air pollution are vehicular emission, industrial emission, burning of fossil fuel etc. Because
of industrialization, urbanization is growing rapidly. Hence a major challenge is to cope with rapid urbanization.
There is agricultural growth in the high yielding varieties. But, due to this, the physical structure of the soil and
nature of soil has been spoiled. In view of this, we must use all the organic matters instead of using any chemical
fertilisers for better growth and yield. Similarly, water and wind are the major factors for soil erosion. Pasture lands
are overgrazed by livestock. Such degradation is to be avoided.
The human activities like discharge of community waste, industrial waste, pesticides and chemical fertilizer used in
agriculture have polluted surface water and affected the quality of ground water. It is an important challenge to
restore the water quality of the water bodies for the benefit of the living system.
ii. Growing population: Population is growing at the rate of 2.11% every year which exploits natural resources and
hampers in the development. Hence, the greatest challenge is to limit the population growth for sustainable
development.

iii. Poverty: The population growth is related with poverty. The poverty and environmental degradation are
interrelated. Environmental degradation adversely affects all the peoples who depend on the resource of their
environment. Thus, these are the greatest challenge before us.

iv. Preservation of Forests: Due to increased population, industrialization and urbanization, forests are destroyed.
Due to deforestation, Peoples are suffering many problems such as famine, drought and damage of flora and fauna
for which development is hampered. The strategies for the management of forests should be evolved so as to
develop the economic growth of the country.
v. Public awareness through institutions: Public awareness should be developed through institutions where the people
would be educated and learn about the harmfulness of environmental degradation and various problems regarding the
management of resource, waste and disaster.
There are several organizations in India such as Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), Mumbai, World Wide Fund for
Nature (WWF-I), New Delhi; Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), Ahmadabad; Bharati Vidyapeeth Institute of
Environment Education and Research (BVIEER), Pune; Uttarakhand Seva Nidhi (UKSN), Almora; Wildlife Institute of India
(WII), Dehradun; Botanical Survey of India (BSI), Kolkata; Zoological Survey of India (ZSI).
There are several number of internationally known environmentalists, scientist, administrators, legal experts, educationalists
and journalists who have contributed a lot to the environmental activities. Among them Salim Ali, Indira Gandhi, S. P.
Godrej, M.S. Swaminathan, M. Gadgil, M. C. Mehta, Anil Agarwal, Medha Patkar and Sunderlal Bahuguna. Medha Patkar
supported the Narmada Bachao Andolan and Sunderlal Bahuguna started Chipko Movement as regards the Tehri Dam.
Since all the essential necessities of life are derived from the environment, we should therefore be educated about our
responsibilities towards the environment. That is why the study of environment as the name of Environmental Science or
Environmental education or Environmental studies is compulsory for all of us.
Academic Poll
Q.1 Which one of the following is not an objective of Environmental studies?
a. To acquire an awareness of protection of environment
b. To create pollution of environment
c. To avoid global environmental issues
d. To develop the environment friendly world
Q.2 Environmental science is the study of _______.
a. Physical sciences
b. Chemical sciences
c. Biological sciences
d. All of these above
Q.3 Which has the highest percent of composition in earth's atmosphere?
a. Carbon dioxide
b. Nitrogen
c. Oxygen
d. Ozone
Q.4 Who is known as father of green revolution in India?
a. Indira Gandhi
b. Sunderlal Bahuguna
c. M.S. Swaminathan
d. Medha Patkar
Case Study / Business Application

Explanation

Environmental Science is the application of natural science towards the solving of environmental

issues, challenges and problems.

Session Summary
In this session, we have discussed about:

 Environment is the sum total of all social, economical, biological, physical and chemical factors which constitute
all surroundings of men or living organism, who is both creator and modular of this environment.
 Environmental historians identified four basic stages in the evolution. The science of Environmental studies is
associated with multiple disciplines as it depends on various disciplines like physics, chemistry, and medical
science, etc.
 The basic components of environment are generally consisting of two components such as biotic (living)
component and abiotic (non-living) component. Scope of environmental science is so wide that it has got relation
with every science and scientific aspects.
 The main objectives of environmental studies are to develop an environment friendly world in which peoples are
aware and concerned about environment and the problems associated with it, and committed to work individually
as well as collectively towards the solution of current problems and prevention of future problems.
 Since all the essential necessities of life are derived from the environment, we should therefore be educated about
our responsibilities towards the environment.
Happy Learning!