Unit I

Our Environment
What is Environment??

Term Environment is
Thomas Carlyle
coined the term
derived from old French
“Environment” word “environer” which
in South of means to “Surround,
Scotland in
1828. Encircle and Enclosed”
 Definition
According to Boring :

‘A person’s environment consists of the sum total of the stimulation

which he receives from his conception until his death.’

It can be concluded from the above definition that Environment

comprises various types of forces such as physical, intellectual,
economic, political, cultural, social, moral and emotional.

Environment is the sum total of all the external forces, influences

and conditions, which affect the life, nature, behavior and the
growth, development and maturation of living organisms.
According to Douglas and Holland:

The term environment is used to describe, in the

aggregate, all the external forces, influences and conditions,
which affect the life, nature, behavior and the growth,
development and maturity of living organisms.’

Generally, our surroundings are called as environment.

 The Environment must be either external or
internal.

External Environment Internal Environment

Everything surrounding us is Environment.

Every organism is surrounded by materials and forces that

constitutes its environment.

The natural environment encompasses all living and non-

living things.

Environment comprises interacting systems of physical,

biological and cultural elements which are interlinked
individually as well as collectively in different ways.
Elements of Environment

Physical Biological Cultural

Elements Elements Elements
Physical Elements:
Physical elements are space, landforms, water bodies,
climate, soils, rocks and minerals.

They determine the variable character of the human

habitat, its opportunities as well as limitations.
Biological Elements:
Biological elements such as plants, animals, microorganisms
and human constitute the biosphere.

Cultural Elements:
Cultural elements such as economical, social and political
elements are essentially man- made features, which make the
cultural background.
 Segments of Environment

Source: https://www.quora.com/What-is-meant-by-hydrosphere
Atmosphere:
The atmosphere implies the protective blanket of gases,
surrounding the earth:

(a) It is a layer of gases that envelope the planet and retained by

earth’s gravity

(b) It sustains life on the earth.

(c) It saves it from the hostile environment of outer space.

(d) It absorbs most of the cosmic rays from outer space and a
major portion of the electromagnetic radiation from the sun.
 (e) It transmits only ultraviolet, visible, near infrared radiation
(300 to 2500 nm) and radio waves (0.14 to 40 m) while
filtering out tissue-damaging ultraviolet waves below about
300 nm.
Composition: 78% Nitrogen,
21% Oxygen, and the rest is
composed of water vapour,
CO2, CH4, dust particles, pollen,
etc.

90% of the atmosphere's

mass is located closer to the
surface and the rest is spread in
a wide space. Source: https://1esonaturalscience.weebly.com/u-3-and-4-
hydrosphere-and-atmosphere.html
Source: https://www.google.com/search?q=layers+of+atmosphere&rlz=1C1GCEU_enIN870IN870&sxsrf=APq-WBsws7cgleskoQ8xmssjaFI31-
3Ofg:1648103851846&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwivnZGlkd72AhXgs1YBHauVAtkQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1024&bih=657&dpr
=1#imgrc=mZ0tgykSH5iDlM
There are five major layers of atmosphere:

Troposphere -

The layer of troposphere extend from 8 to 16 km.

It is the lower most region of atmosphere where weather

and life exist.

The temperature decreases with increasing altitude.

Top of the troposphere is termed as tropopause.

It contains about 80-90% of the total atmospheric mass.

Stratosphere -

The layer of stratosphere extend from 16 to 50 km.

The ozone layer is present in stratosphere.

Temperature increases with increasing altitude from -

60°C to 0°C.

Temperature increases due to absorption of solar radiation

from ozone layer.

Top of the stratosphere is termed as stratopause.

Mesosphere –

Mesosphere layer extend from 50 to 80 km.

This layer present directly upon stratosphere and below

thermosphere.

Temperature decreases with increasing altitude.

Topmost part of mesosphere is termed as mesopause.

The mesosphere layer contain the coldest region of

atmospheric layer surrounding the earth.
Thermosphere –

Thermosphere layer extend from 80 to 500 km.

Temperature of this region increases with increasing

altitude .

Ionosphere region resides in thermosphere.

Thermosphere absorbs UV radiation and X-ray emitted by

sun.

The aurora primarily occur in the thermosphere.

 Exosphere –

It is the outermost layer of the earth’s atmosphere.

It starts from 500 km above the earth’s surface.

Air extremely thin in exosphere.

Temperature is high in exosphere.

In general the atmosphere regulate temperature and climate to

protect earth and ensure the survival of living organisms by
maintaining vital gases.
Hydrosphere
Hydrosphere is the total amount of water the planet.

The Hydrosphere comprises all types of water resources oceans,

seas, lakes, rivers, streams, reservoir, polar icecaps, glaciers,
vapor and ground water.

(i) Nature 97% of the earth’s water supply is in the oceans,

(ii) About 2% of the water resources are locked in the polar
icecaps and glaciers.
(iii)Only about 1% is available as fresh surface water-rivers,
lakes streams and ground water that can be used for human
consumption.
https://course.oeru.org/eths101/learning-pathways/earth-systems/hydrosphere/
Hydrosphere maintains the hydrological cycle.

“Water moves in hydrosphere in a cyclic manner. It gets

collected in clouds, transport and precipitate back to earth
in form of rain, snow, fog, hail etc. this water collects in river,
lakes, oceans and evaporate again to start the cycle.”

It is a good transportation medium.

It plays crucial role in maintaining the climate of earth.

The total amount of water on earth is about 1386 million

cubic kilometers.
Water is essential for survival as it support life by transporting
necessary substances and regulating temperature.

It is always in motion which is visible in rivers and streams.

Solar radiation is required for change of state of water.

It provide major benefits for human beings, other than

drinking water it is utilized for domestic as well as industrial
purpose.

It is also used in agriculture and generation of electricity using

hydropower.
Hydrosphere provides a place for many plants and animals to
live in.

Many gasses like CO2, O2, nutrients like ammonium and

nitrite(NO–2) as well as other ions are dissolved in water. The
presence of these substances is essential for life to exist in
water.

The specific heat of water is its unique characteristics. This

shows that water takes a lot of time to heat up and a lot of time
to cool down that helps in regulating temperatures on earth.

The places surrounded by water bodies like oceans and lakes

tend to have a balanced climate, they does not exhibit extreme
temperature difference.
Any water storage area on the Earth that holds liquid water, we
consider it to be a part of the hydrosphere. Because of this, there is an
extensive list of formations that make up the hydrosphere including:

Oceans: Most of the water on our planet is salt water, and the vast
majority of this saltwater is present in the oceans.

Freshwater: Freshwater is much less abundant than saltwater, and is

present in a variety of different places.

Surface water: Surface sources of freshwater consist of lakes, rivers,

and streams.

Groundwater: Freshwater stored beneath ground makes up a small

portion of the fresh water on Earth.

Glacial water: Water that melts off of glaciers.

Human Impacts on Hydrosphere:

Humans are having a great impact on the environment and the same
happens with hydrosphere.

It has changed drastically because of water pollution, river damming,

wetland drainage, climate change and irrigation.

Release of fertilizers and sewage into water storage areas, results in

eutrophication which causes aquatic environments to be artificially
enriched with nutrients.

Excessive algal blooms can cause harmful hypoxic conditions in the water.

Acid rain from SOx and NOx emissions from fossil fuel combustion has
caused the acidification of components of the hydrosphere.

Human activities also change the natural flow of water in the hydrosphere
when we divert and dam rivers. In other words, it harms surrounding
ecosystems which are reliant on the water source.
Lithosphere:

Lithosphere is the outer mantle of the solid earth.

It has been derived from Greek word “LITHOS” which means
rocky/stone.

The concept of lithosphere as strong outer layer of earth was

given by A.E.H. Love in his monograph “Some problems of
Geodynamics” in 1911.

It was further developed by Joseph Barrell in 1914 who introduced

the term “Lithosphere”. He inferred that there must be an existence
of a strong, solid upper layer above a weaker layer which can flow.

Reginald Aldworth Daly further expanded these ideas in 1940 in

his seminal work “Strength and Structure of the Earth.”
 It is made up of brittle crust and the top part of the upper
mantle.

It contains minerals occurring in the earth’s crusts and the

soil e.g. minerals, organic matter, air and water.

One of the example of lithosphere is the rocky mountain

range in western North America.

The lithosphere reacts to the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and

biosphere to initiate the soil-forming process called the
pedosphere.

It can extend to a depth of more than 100 km (or 60 miles)

but generally has a thickness between 35 to 50 km in the
continental regions.
Importance of Lithosphere
The lithosphere provides our forests, grasslands and is responsible for agriculture,
human settlements, and is a rich source of minerals.

Without the movement of tectonic plates, no mountain ranges and continents

would have been formed on earth.

Numerous types of rocks such as igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks are
also found in the lithosphere.

The shifting of tectonic plates is responsible for the formation of mountains,

volcanoes, and even the continents.

Volcanoes and earthquakes help in the growth of new vegetation and life as they
give rise to fertile soil and lands.

Organic compounds such as coal, natural gas, oil, etc are biotic remains buried in
the lithosphere for millions of years. They curb our energy needs and are integral
for producing power.

Useful minerals and elements, such as iron, aluminum, copper, magnesium, and
more are also extracted from the lithosphere.
Composition of Lithosphere

The crust of the earth is not a homogenous substance.

It has different layers of rocks which include sedimentary rocks

on the top, granitic and metamorphic rocks in the middle and
finally, at the bottom, there are basaltic rocks.

The crust of the earth also comprises of various large dynamic

tectonic plates.

These tectonic plates move slowly but constantly. They keep

moving at an average rate of around 10 cm.

Mount Everest is the highest point of the continental lithosphere.

Conversely, the Mariana Trench is the deepest part of this
oceanic lithosphere.
Types of Lithosphere:

Oceanic Lithosphere:

It is composed of magma that erupts on the seafloor to create

basalt lava flows or cools deeper down to create the intrusive
igneous rock gabbro.

Sediments, primarily muds and the shells of tiny sea creatures, coat
the seafloor.

Sediment is thickest near the shore where it comes off the

continents in rivers and on wind currents.

It is more denser than continental crust mainly due to the process

of thermal contraction.
Continental Lithosphere:

It is made up of many different types of igneous, metamorphic,

and sedimentary rocks.

The average composition is granite, which is much less dense than

the igneous rocks of the oceanic crust.

Because it is thick and has relatively low density, continental crust

rises higher on the mantle than oceanic crust, which sinks into the
mantle to form basins.

It encompasses all of the continents and areas designated above

sea level.

Continental lithosphere comes into direct contact with the

atmosphere.
The lithosphere is broken up into seven very large continental-
and ocean-sized plates, six or seven medium-sized regional
plates, and several small ones.

These plates move relative to each other, typically at rates of 5 to

10 cm (2 to 4 inches) per year, and interact along their
boundaries, where they converge, diverge, or slip past one
another. Such interactions are thought to be responsible for most
of Earth’s seismic and volcanic activity, although earthquakes and
volcanoes can occur in plate interiors.

Plate motions cause mountains to rise where plates push

together, or converge, and continents to fracture and oceans to
form where plates pull apart, or diverge. The continents are
embedded in the plates and drift passively with them, which over
millions of years results in significant changes in
Earth’s geography.
 Biosphere

Biosphere indicates the realm of living organisms and their

interactions with environment such as atmosphere,
hydrosphere and lithosphere.

The biosphere is made up of the parts of Earth where life

exists including all ecosystems.

It is the global sum of all ecosystems and also termed as

zone of Life on earth, a self-regulating system.

The biosphere is a global ecosystem composed of living

organisms (biota) and the abiotic (nonliving) factors from
which they derive energy and nutrients.
The term “biosphere” was coined by Eduard Suess in 1875,
an Austrian geologist who defines biosphere as “the place on
earth’s surface where life dwells”.

It extend from 8 km above earth’s surface to 11 km below

the ocean surface.

The biosphere extends from the deepest root systems of

trees, to the dark environments of ocean trenches, to lush
rain forests, high mountaintops and transition zones (where
ocean and terrestrial ecosystems meet).

Biosphere, is a relatively thin life-supporting stratum of

Earth’s surface, extending from a few kilometres into
the atmosphere to the deep-sea vents of the ocean.
Since it is a system that collects the areas of the planet where life exists it is more
difficult to set limits where the biosphere begins and ends.
The biosphere consists of three components: (1) lithosphere, (2) atmosphere,
and (3) hydrosphere.

For example, the part of the sky where birds are seen flying is part of the
biosphere. In contrast, higher up the atmosphere that cannot sustain life is not
considered part of the biosphere.

Abiotic components

Lithosphere

The lithosphere is known as the terrestrial component of the biosphere. For

instance, it contains solid landmasses like our continents and islands.

The part that does not sustain any life, and therefore, not a part of the
biosphere, is its lower mantle and core. All the other parts aside from this
support lives, from the smallest bacteria to the large mammals and tall trees,
by providing them shelter, and food.
Atmosphere

The atmosphere is the gaseous covering above the Earth.

It contains different gases like carbon dioxide, oxygen, and other

gases to help living organisms like plants, animals, and humans
sustain life.

However, the upper region of the atmosphere has a low

composition of oxygen; that is why it is possible to find the flying
birds under the region of 200 meters of the Earth.

The atmosphere that is part of the biosphere plays a specific role

in protecting living organisms from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet
radiation apart from providing them gases for respiration.
Hydrosphere

The hydrosphere refers to all the waters on Earth.

Thus, it is also called the aquatic region.

However, it also includes solid forms, like glaciers.

The hydrosphere where life is sustained plays an important role

in regulating the temperature on Earth.

Moreover, it supplies the water necessary for all living things.

Biotic components
As for the biotic components, they include plants, animals, and
microorganisms. These biological components are also the
builder of the food chain of the ecosystem.

Plants
Plants are the primary producers.

They produce their food through photosynthesis.

Moreover, they are also known as autotrophs.

They also take part in recycling waste material.

However, they are the only primary source for every living
organism, including animals and humans.
Animals

These are the consumers.

They cannot produce their food from inorganic sources.

They depend upon other sources like plants or other small

animals.

They are also known as heterotrophs.

The food they intake is used to release energy and store it for
future use.

The energy is used for growth and development.

Microorganisms

Microorganisms are a major part of the ecosystem.

They include fungi, algae, bacteria, viruses, etc.

Moreover, they serve as decomposers by decomposing the

amount of waste or dead materials.

They use this process of decomposing as their food source.

Importance of Biosphere

The biosphere is the connection between the healthy life of the living
organisms and their interactions.

The little change in the biosphere can cause a large impact on the lives of
living organisms. However, this connection makes the biosphere important for
every living thing. Some of them are listed below:

Promote life on Earth. The main reason and importance of the biosphere are
that it promotes life on the Earth. Adapting to various environmental change,
favorable climatic conditions, and the source of energy as food, all the living
organisms on the Earth uphold the life on earth surface.

Organic matter:

The biosphere helps in recycling nutrients, like oxygen and nitrogen, to sustain
life on Earth.

Provide food or raw material. Every living thing needs food to survive; thus,
the biosphere plays an important role in providing food to different animals
and plants.
There are many interesting facts and figures regarding the biosphere. Some of
them are as follows:

The biosphere evolution through the process of biopoiesis and biogenesis.

Biopoiesis is known as the process of evolving life from the non-living thing,
whereas biogenesis refers to the process of life evolving from the living matter.

Scientists have estimated the total amount of 8.7 million different species in the
biosphere. About 2.2 million live under the water and 6.5 million are on land.

The actual depth of the biosphere remains unclear. It is estimated that some of the
fishes live under 8,300 meters deep.

The hydrosphere is the largest part of the biosphere. It covers 71% of the Earth’s
surface.
The biosphere is estimated to be 21,500 meters from the Earth’s surface to the
deep in the ocean.
What is Environmental Studies??
 Environmental studies is a multidisciplinary academic field that
systematically studies human interaction with the environment.

 It is multi-disciplinary because it includes various branches of

studies such as chemistry, physics, medical science, life science,
agriculture and public health.

 It deals with every issue that affects an organism.

It is an applied science as its seeks practical answers to making

human civilization sustainable on the earth’s finite resources.
 Scope of Environmental Studies
Environmental studies discipline has multiple and multilevel scopes which is
crucial for each age group of people residing on earth.

It provides information about ecological systems as well as cause and effect
relationships.

The study creates awareness among the people to know about various
renewable and non-renewable resources of the region.

The potential, patterns of utilization and the balance of various resources

available for future use in the state of a country are evaluated in this study.

It provides necessary information about biodiversity richness and the

potential dangers to the species of plants, animals and microorganisms in the
environment.
The study enables people to perceive the causes and outcomes of natural
and man-made disasters (floods, earthquakes, landslides, cyclones, oil spills,
gas tragedies, and so on) and pollutions, as well as mitigation methods.

It evaluate alternative responses to environmental issues before deciding

an alternative course of action.

The study enables environmentally literate citizens (by knowing the

environmental acts, rights, rules, legislations, etc.) to make appropriate
judgments and decisions for the protection and improvement of the earth.

The study exposes the problems of over population, health, hygiene, etc.
and the role of arts, science and technology in eliminating/ minimizing the
evils from the society.
The study tries to identify and develop appropriate and native eco-friendly
skills and technologies to various environmental issues.

It explains the need for sustainable utilization of resources as these

resources are inherited from our ancestors and should be passed to the
younger generation without deteriorating their quality.

The study enables theoretical knowledge into practice and the multiple
uses of environment.
 Importance of Environmental Studies

Environmental study is based upon extensive view of various

environmental systems.

Its goal is to make the citizens competent to do scientific work

and to explore practical solutions to current environmental
problems.

The people acquires ability to analyze the environmental

parameters such as aquatic, terrestrial and atmospheric systems
and their interactions with the biosphere as well as
anthrosphere.
To understand the impacts of development on the environment:

The result of development is urbanization, industrial growth,

expansion of telecommunication, transport system, high-tech
agriculture and expansion of housing.

Global environmental problems:

The global environmental problems include climate change, acid

rains, impacts on biodiversity and marine life. To tackle these
problems there is a needed effort from all over world.
Discovery of sustainable ways of living:

“Sustainability means when you utilize present resources in a

manner that conserves their supplies for the future.”

•Minimizing household energy consumption

•Eat locally
•Car pool
•Growing your own food
•Use public transport
•Conserve household water
Utilization of natural resources efficiently:

Environmental science teaches us to use natural resources

efficiently and effectively by using the appropriate tools to explore
resources.
Addition of values to our resources through significant human
resources.
Using the right techniques to minimize exploitation.

To highlight on contemporary concepts like how to conserve

biodiversity:

The major goal is to educate individuals and provide learners with

the required environmental skills to pass on to others in the
community in order to raise environmental awareness.