STUDIES + The Environment studies is a multi- disciplinary science because it comprises various branches of studies like chemistry, physics, medical science, life science, agriculture, public health, sanitary engineering etc. * Itis the science of physical phenomena in the environment. It studies about the sources, reactions, transport, effect and fate of physical and biological species in the air, water, soil and the effect of from human activity upon these. * As the environment is complex and actually made up of many different environments like natural, constructed and cultural environments, environmental studies is inter disciplinary in nature including the study of biology, geology, politics, policy studies, law, religion engineering, chemistry and economics to understand the humanity’s effects on the natural world. This subject educates the students to appreciate the complexity of environmental issues and citizens and experts in many fields. By studying environmental science, students may develop a breadth of the interdisciplinary and methodological knowledge in the environmental fields that enables them to facilitate the definition and solution of environmental problems.NATURAL RESOURCES 7 INTRODUCTION + Natural resources can be defined as ‘variety of goods and services provided by nature which are necessary for our day-to-day lives, + Eg:Plants, animals and microbes (living or biotic part), Air, water, soil, ‘minerals, climate and solar energy (non-living or abiotic part). * They are of two types of resources namely 1, Renewable 2, Non-Renewable Resources. 1, RENEWABLE RESOURCES * The resources that can be replenished through rapi are known as renewable resource. + These resources are able to increase their abundance through reproduction and utilization of simple substances. * Ex: Plants, (crops and forests) and animals. oy oS cere or z Lacan The resources that cannot be replenished through natural processes are known as non-renewable resources. + Theseare available in limited amounts, which cannot be increased. + These resources include fossil fuels (petrol, coal etc), metals (iron, copper, gold, silver, lead, zinc etc), minerals and salts (carbonates, phosphates, nitratesetc) * Once anon-renewable resource is consumed, itis gone forever. natural cyclesIndividuals can play a significant role in conserving natural resources by taking steps oe Reducing water usage: Turn off the tap when brushing teeth or washing dishes, and fill washing machines only with the amount of water needed. 2 Conserving energy: Turn off lights when leaving a room, and unplug appliances when notinuse. 2 Reducing air pollution: Use public transportation, walk, or cycle for short distances to reduce the amount of fuel used by vehicles. ¢ Using eco-friendly products: Avoid plastic bags, which can choke drainage systems and cause flooding. Instead, use cloth or jute lo} lea Recycling: Recycle products whenever possible. ¢ Using kitchen waste: Use kitchen waste as manure instead of fertilizers. 2 Planting trees: Plant trees or take care of the plants around you. 2 Promoting sustainable agriculture: Promote sustainable agriculture. 2Energy Tlow in an Ecosystem * Biological activities requires energy which ultimately comes from the sun. Solar energy is transformed into chemical energy by a process of photosynthesis this energy is stored in plant tissue and then transformed into heat energy during metabolic activities. * Thus in biological world the energy flows from the sun to plants and then to all heterotrophic organisms the flow of energy is unidirectional and non-cyclic. This one way flow of energy is governed by laws of thermodynamics which states that: (a) Energy can neither be created nor be destroyed but may be transformed from one form to another. (b) During the energy transfer there is degradation of energy from a concentrated form (mechanical, chemical, or electrical etc.) to a dispersed form (heat). * No energy transformation is 100 % efficient, it is always accompanied by some dispersion or loss of energy in the form heat. Therefore, biological systems Heat Heat a v Producer: ] a [gonsumers J Sun }— Inorganic " ~ ' Nutrient J--——______ Decomposts ] Pool . = HeatAir pollution is a combination of solid and liquid particles and gases suspended in the air. The main difference between natural and human-made air pollution is the source: ¢ Lael || Caused by nature, such as forest fires, dust storms, pollen, volcanic eruptions, and grass fires. Natural pollutants include ash, soot, sulfur dioxide, salt spray, and volcanic and combustion gases. Human-made Caused by human activities, such as burning fossil fuels in industries, vehicles, and thermoelectric plants. Other human-made sources include gaseous emissions from industries, mining, processing, and stone crushing. Air pollution is a major threat to health and climate. It can cause: 2 ¢ Strokes ¢ Heart diseases e Lung cancer e Acute and chronic respiratory diseasesThe term environment is derived from French word ‘ENVIRON’ which means encircle. So in other words everything that affects living organism is called as environment. Environmental science is called as Multidisciplinary as it brings about an interaction between our natural world (air, water, soil, and material) and living organism. Environmental study is an interdisciplinary study that utilizes information from physical science and social science. * Conservation of nature and natural resources. * Conservation/ protection of biological diversity. * Control of environmental and human pollution. * Social issues in relation to development and environment. * Development of non- polluting renewable energy system and provide new diamension to nature's security. » IMPORTANCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES * The importance of environmental studies is that, the current trend of environmental degradation can be reversed if people of educated communities are organized, empowered and experts are involved in sustainable development. + Environmental factors greatly influence every organism and their activities. * At present a great number of environmental issues, have grown in size and complexity day by day, threatening the survival of mankind on earth. These issues are studied besides giving effective suggestions in the environment studies. * The environment studies enlighten us, about the importance of protection and conservation of our natural resources, indiscriminate release of pollution into the environment etc.+ Water pollution can be defined as the contamination of water bodies. * Water pollution is caused when water bodies such as rivers, lakes, oceans, groundwater and aquifers get contaminated with industrial and agricultural effluents. * When water gets polluted, it adversely affects all lifeforms that directly or indirectly depend on this source. 7 SOURCES OF WATER POLLUTION * The key causative of water pollution in India are: ¥ Urbanization ¥ Deforestation ¥ Industrial effluents ¥ Social and Religious Practices i ~ CONTROL MEASURES OF WATER POLLUTION + Water pollution, to a larger extent, can be controlled by a variety of methods. * Rather than releasing sewage waste into water bodies, it is better to treat them before discharge. * Practising this can reduce the initial toxicity and the remaining substances can be degraded and rendered harmless by the water body itself. * Ifthe secondary treatment of water has been carried out, then this can be reused in sanitary systems and agricultural fields. * Avery special plant, the Water Hyacinth can absorb dissolved toxic chemicals such as cadmium and other such elements. * Establishing these in regions prone to such kinds of pollutants will reduce the adverse effects toa large extent.tropic levels Producer ne food chain wil be affected. Parasitic Food Chain: Ths type of food ll mportance of Food Chains: is Energy Transfer: Food chains illustrate how energy is transferred from one organism to another, demonstrating the flow of energy through an ecosystem. . Ecosystem Balance: They help maintain balance in ecosystems. Each level of the food chain plays a crucial role in controlling populations and ensuring biodiversity. . Nutrient Cycling: Food chains contribute to nutrient cycling, as decomposers break down organic matter, returning essential nutrients to the soil. . Understanding Ecosystems: Studying food chains helps ecologists understand the dynamics of ecosystems, including predator-prey relationships and the impact of environmental changes. . Conservation Efforts: Knowledge of food chains is vital for conservation efforts, as it helps identify critical species and their roles in maintaining ecosystem health.Food Web + Under natural co! f the linear ar in hardly occurs and they each gh different types 0 Aquatic food webs: Depict energy flow in an aquatic environment ¢ Terrestrial food webs: Depict energy flow on land ¢ Human food webs: Represent the food web for humans ¢ Agricultural food webs: Represent the food web for agricultural systems © Detrital food webs: Represent a type of food web ¢ Marine food webs: Represent a type of food web ¢ Soil food webs: Represent a type of food web ¢ Arctic (or polar) food webs: Represent a type of food web ¢ Microbial food webs: Represent a type of food webSOIL POLLUTION — + Soil pollution is defined as the presence of toxic chemicals (pollutants or contaminants) in the soil, in very high concentrations to pose a risk to human health and the ecosystem. > TYPES OF SOIL POLLUT + Agriculture soil pollution is caused due to the excessive use of pesticides and insecticides. * Soil Pollution by industrial discharges of chemicals from mining and manufacturing of goods. + Solid waste soil pollution/ Poor management or inefficient disposal of waste. Soil Pollution due to urban activities ete. > CAUSES OF SOIL POLLUTION > INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION + The discharge of industrial waste into > TT soils can result in soil pollution. * In India, as mining and manufacturing activities are increasing rapidly, soil degradation is also increasing. * The extraction of minerals from the earth is responsible for affecting soil fertility. * The use of insecticides and pesticides ; for a long period can cause soil pollution * Repetitive use can cause insects and pests to become resistant to it. * Instead of killing pests and insects, it degrades the soil quality.“+ WASTE DISPOSAL * Disposal of plastics and other solid waste is a serious issue that causes soil pollution, disposal of electrical items such as batteries causes an adverse effect on the soil due to the presence of harmful chemicals. Eg: lithium present in batteries can cause the leaching of soil. It is caused when pollutants present in the air mix with the rain and fall back on the ground. * The polluted water could dissolve away some of the essential nutrients found in soil and change the structure of the soil thus making it unsuitable for agriculture * The presence of heavy metals (such as lead and mercury) in very high concentrations present in soils can cause them to become highly toxic for | human beings. | > OILSPILLS * Oilleaks can happen during the storage or transport of chemicals, the chemicals present in the fuel deteriorates the quality » of soil and make them unsuitable for | further cultivation, chemicals can also enter into the groundwater through the soil, and hence it will make water undrinkable.ENERGY RESOURCES v Energy distribution in the world * Developed countries like USA and Canada constitute only 5% of the world’s population but consume 25% of the world’s available energy. + Energy consumed by a person in a developed country for a single day is equal to energy consumed by a single person in a poor country for one year. * Developed country GNP increases and energy consumption increases. In the poor country GNP and energy consumption are less. 7 TYPES OF ENERGY RESOURCES 1, Renewable energy resource (or)Non conventional energy resources 2, Non renewable energy resources (or) Conventional energy resources WATER RESOURCES * Water claims to be an important resource. + An important use of water in our country is for irrigation. + Besides, water is also required in large amounts for industrial and domestic consumption. > USES + Many uses of water include agricultural, industrial, household, recreational and environmental activities. Virtually, all of these human uses, require fresh water. + No plant or animal species can survive without water. If water in our body drops by 1% we feel thirst, ifit drops by 10% we face death. > HYDROLOGICAL CYCLE + Water from various water bodies Evaporated by solar energy Enters in to the atmosphere as clouds Falls again on earth as rain or snow ultimately returns to the ocean, > DISTRIBUTION OF WATER RESOURCES FRESH WATER RESOURCES ————_| Surface water Underground water | Standing water bodiesMINERAL RESOURCES + Naturally occurring inorganic crystalline solids with uniform chemical composition are called as minerals. > USES AND EXPLOITATION OF MINERALS wn . Development of industrial plants and machinery. - Fe, Al & Cu Construction work - Fe, Al &Ni . Generation of energy - coal, lignite, uranium Designing defense equipments like weapons and ornaments Agricultural purposes - fertilizers and fungicides - Zn & Mn Jewellery -Au, Ag & Pt . Making alloys for various purposes Medicinal purposes, particularly in ayurvedic system FOOD RESOURCES + Food is an essential requirement for survival of life. + Main components are carbohydrates, fats, proteins, minerals and vitamins. ~ IYPESOF FOOD SUPPLY 1.CROP PLANTS: Grains mostly constitute about 76% of the world’s food. Ex: Rice, Wheat and Maize PNANFONe 2.Range lands: Produces 17% of world’s food from trees and grazing animals. Ex: Fruits, milk and meat 3. Ocean: Fisheries 7% of world’s food ~ TYPES OF NUTRITION 1, NUTRITIOUS NUTRITION: To maintain good health and disease resistance, we need large amount of carbohydrate, proteins, fats and smaller amount of micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals such as Fe, Ca and iodine. 2. UNDER NUTRITION: People who cannot buy enough food to meet their basic energy needs suffer from under nutrition. They receive less than 90% of this minimum dietary calorie. Effect of under nutrition: Suffer from mental retardation and infectious diseases. 3.MAL NUTRITION: Besides minimum calorie intake we also need proteins, minerals, vitamins, iron and iodine. Deficiency leads to malnutrition resulting in several diseases.| - FUNCTIONS OF ECOSYSTEM * The functions of the ecosystem are as follows: 1. It regulates the essential ecological processes, supports life | systems and rer s stabil 2. Itis also responsible for the cycling of nutrients between siotic components 3. It maintains a balance among the in the ecosystem. 4. It cycles the minerals through the biosphere. 5. The © components help in the synthesis of organic components that involve the exchange of energy. STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF AN ECOSYSTEM The y is characterized by the organization of both biotic and abiotic components. This includes the distributio n ofen in our environment. | It also includes the prevailing in that particular environment. * The structure of an ecosystem can be split into namely An ecological pyramid is a diagram that shows the dis- tribution of energy, organ- isms, or other resources in an ecosystem. It's also known as a trophic pyramid, energy pyr- amid, food pyramid, or Estonian pyramid. ¢Ecological pyramids are made up of trophic levels, which are the different layers of an lecosystem. The bottom level of the pyramid lis made up of producers, which are lorganisms that create their own energy, like plants, algae, and bacteria. The next level is ithe primary consumers, which are lorganisms that eat producers. The levels continue to increase, with secondary consumers eating primary consumers, and tertiary consumers eating both primary and secondary consumers. iThere are three types of ecological pyramid: Seu Rt escent ned eMC Me Rte aust cloae esate el Se duce mut eg) biomass is present in the organisms at each Sree eM SUC Rar usy ASN a ome oN ecu Cte WA user g Sirol aoa ENTE Energy pyramids are usually upright because the total amount of energy available in each layer is less than the energy available in the lower level. Only about 10% of the total energy is transferred from one trophic level toanother. 2 Ecological pyramids have some limitations, including: eRe en Scouse at aoe ho Rua Rea R ce sated el See E aoa Rer mcd Cente Bin Ac lah e-lneo Miele 1 Bilero Re} Bena nee ES cosmo) Ore SUeU Ta Rune eventINTRODUCTION | + Eco-system is defined as a self regulating group of biotic communities of species interacting with their non living environment exchanging energy and matter. CONCEPT OF AN ECOSYSTEM * Living organisms cannot live isolated from their non-living environment be-cause the latter provides materials and energy for the survival of the former ie. there is interaction between a biotic community and its environment to produce a stable system; a natural self-sufficient unit which is known as an ecosystem. + Ecosystem are the parts of nature where living organism interact among themselves and with their physical environment. STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF AN ECOSYSTEM | * The structure of an ecosystem is characterized by the organization of both biotic and abiotic components. * This includes the distribution of energy in our environment. » It also includes the climatic conditions prevailing in that particular environment. » The structure of an ecosystem can be split into two main components, namely ¥ Biotic Components ¥_Abiotic Components > FUNCTIONS OF ECOSYSTEM * The functions of the ecosystem are as follows: 1. It regulates the essential ecological processes, supports life systems and renders stability. 2. Itis also responsible for the cycling of nutrients between biotic and abiotic components. 3. It maintains a balance among the various trophic levels in the ecosystem. 4. It cycles the minerals through the biosphere. 5. The abiotic components help in the synthesis of organic components that involve the exchange of energy.~ TYPES OF ECOSYSTEM + An ecosystem ean be as small as an oasis in a desert, or as bigas an ocean, spanning thousands of miles, + There are two types of ecosystens v Terrestrial Ecosystem Aquatic Ecosystem + Terrestrial ecosystems are exclusively land-based ecosystems. + Thore are different types of terrestrial ecosystems distributed around various geological zones. + They are as follows: 1. Forest Ecosystem 2. Grassland Ecosystem 3. Tundra Ecosystem 4. Desert Ecosystem FOREST ECOSYSTEM + Aforest ecosystem consists of several plants, particularly trees. animals and microorganisms that live in coordination with the abiotic (actors ofthe environment + Forests help in maintaining the temperature of the earth and are the major carbon sink. GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEM + Ina grassland ecosystem, the vegetation is dominated by grasses and herbs. + Temperate grasslands and tropical or savanna grasslands are examples of grassland ecosystems, DESERT ECOSYSTEM + Deserts are found throughout the world. + These are regions with little rainfall and scarce vegetation. + Thedaysare hot, and the nights are cold. AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM S Rapatilaeaftoes ore; conten mol present ina body of water. ad «Then canbe farther divide into 0 types, namely: ¥ Freshwater Ecosystem a ¥- Marine Ecosystem fault rystet om Freshwater Ecosystem ee Cama + The freshwater ecosystem is an aquatic ecosystem that includes lakes, ponds, rivers, streams and wetlands. * These have no salt content in contrast with the marine ecosystem. ¥ Marine Ecosystem + The marine ecosystem includes seas and oceans. + These have amore substantial salt content and greater biodiversity in comparison to the freshwater ecosystem.