Unit - I

INTRODUCTION
TO
ENVIRONMENTAL
STUDIES
 Environment Components/segments
 Derived from a French word "Environia" means to surround.
 All the components of the environment are divided into two
 It means surroundings, in which organisms live. categories-
 According to the Environment Protection Act, 1986,  Abiotic (non-living) and
“Environment is the sum total of land, water, and air, and the
 Biotic (living) environment
interrelationships that exists among and between water, air, land,
and also human beings, other living organisms, plants, micro-  Atmosphere - The air surrounding the earth.
organisms, and property”.  Hydrosphere- All the waters on the earth's surface, such as
 According to Dr. T.N. Kshoshoo, the environment is defined as lakes and seas, and sometimes including water over the
“The sum total of all conditions and influences that affect the earth's surface, such as clouds.
development and life of all organisms”.
 Lithosphere - The solid crust or the hard top layer of the
earth. It is made up of rocks and minerals and covered by a
thin layer of soil.

 Biosphere – The part of the Earth where living beings thrive

and live.
Components of Environment
Environmental Studies

 It is a study that focuses on the issues related to the environment. It can be defined as
the branch of the study concerned with environmental issues.

 It is also referred to a multidisciplinary field of study that focuses on looking at how

people interact with the environment in the interests of solving complex problems.
 Scope
 It enables environmentally literate citizens (knowing the
 The study creates awareness among the people to know about environmental acts, rights, rules, legislations, etc.) to make
various renewable and non-renewable resources of the region. appropriate judgments & decisions for the protection and
improvement of the earth.
 It provides the knowledge about ecological systems and cause
and effect relationships.  The study exposes the problems of over population, health, hygiene,
etc. and the role of arts, science and technology in eliminating/
 minimizing the evils.
It provides necessary information about biodiversity richness
and the potential dangers to the species of plants, animals and
microorganisms in the environment.  The study tries to identify and develop appropriate and indigenous
eco-friendly skills and technologies to various environmental issues.
 The study enables one to understand the causes and
consequences due to natural (flood, earthquake, landslide,  It teaches the citizens the need for sustainable utilization of
cyclones etc.,) and man induced disasters and pollutions; and resources as these resources are inherited from our ancestors to the
measures to minimize the effects. younger generating without deteriorating their quality.

 It enables one to evaluate alternative responses to environmental  The study enables theoretical knowledge into practice and the
issues before deciding an alternative course of action. multiple uses of environment.
 Importance
 To clarify modern environmental concept like how to conserve  The study motivates students to get involved in community
biodiversity. action, and to participate in various environmental and


management projects.
To know the more sustainable way of living.
 Involves a multidisciplinary approach to the study of human
 To use natural resources more efficiently.
interactions with the natural environment. It integrates
 To know the behaviour of organism under natural conditions.
different approaches of the humanities, social sciences,
 To know the interrelationship between organisms in populations and biological sciences and physical sciences and applies these
communities. approaches to investigate environmental concerns.

 To aware and educate people regarding environmental issues and  Environmental study is a key instrument for bringing about
problems at local, national and international levels. the changes in the knowledge, values, behaviours and
lifestyles required to achieve sustainability and stability
 The study enables the people to understand the complexities of the
within and among countries.
environment and need for the people to adapt appropriate activities
and pursue sustainable development, which are harmonious with the
environment.
Ecosystem
 An ecosystem is a community or group of living
organisms that live in and interact with each other in a
specific environment.

 It is a physically defined environment made up of two

inseparable components:

 Abiotic (includes physical characteristics such as

climate, temperature, humidity, air, water, sun, rock,
soil, etc.)

 Biotic (includes set of living organisms such as

animals, plants or micro-organisms)
 Structure/ Components of Ecosystem
 Producers include all autotrophs such as plants. Ecosystem

 Consumers or heterotrophs are organisms that depend on other organisms for

food. Abiotic Biotic

 Primary consumers are always herbivores as they rely on producers for

food Producers Consumers Decomposers

 Secondary consumers depend on primary consumers for energy. They can

either be carnivores or omnivores.
Primary Secondary Tertiary
 Tertiary consumers are organisms that depend on secondary consumers
for food. Tertiary consumers can also be carnivores or omnivores.
Abiotic components are the non-living components
 Decomposers include saprophytes such as fungi and bacteria. They directly of an ecosystem. It includes air, water, soil, minerals,
thrive on the dead and decaying organic matter. They are essential for the sunlight, temperature, nutrients, wind, altitude,
ecosystem as they help in recycling nutrients to be reused by plants. turbidity, etc.
 Functions of Ecosystem

 It regulates the essential ecological processes, supports life systems and renders stability.

 It is also responsible for the cycling of nutrients between biotic and abiotic components.

 It maintains a balance among the various trophic levels in the ecosystem.

 It cycles the minerals through the biosphere.

 The abiotic components help in the synthesis of organic components that involve the exchange of
energy.
 Types of Ecosystem
 Forest Ecosystem consists of several plants, particularly trees, animals and
microorganisms that live in coordination with the abiotic factors of the
environment.
 Grassland Ecosystem- Here, vegetation is dominated by grasses and herbs.
Temperate grasslands and tropical or savanna grasslands are examples of Ecosystem
grassland ecosystems.
 Tundra Ecosystem are devoid of trees and are found in cold climates or
where rainfall is scarce. These are covered with snow for most of the year. Aquatic Ecosystem Terrestrial Ecosystem
Tundra type of ecosystem is found in the Arctic or mountain tops.
 Desert Ecosystem are found throughout the world. These are regions with
Freshwater Marine
little rainfall and scarce vegetation. The days are hot, and the nights are cold. Ecosystem Ecosystem

 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. Forest Grassland Tundra Desert
Ecosystem Ecosystem Ecosystem Ecosystem
 Marine Ecosystem includes seas and oceans. These have a more substantial
salt content and greater biodiversity in comparison to the freshwater
ecosystem.
Energy flow
 The chemical energy of food is the main source of energy required by all living organisms.

 This energy flow is based on two different laws of thermodynamics:

 Energy can neither be created nor destroyed, it can only change from one form to another.

 As energy is transferred, more and more of it is wasted.

Energy Flow in Ecosystem

 The energy flow is one of the major factors that support the survival of such a great number of organisms.

 For almost all organisms on earth, the primary source of energy is solar energy.

 In a food chain, the energy flow follows the 10 percent law. According to this law, only 10 percent of energy
is transferred from one trophic level to the other; rest is lost into the atmosphere.
 Trophic Level
 The producers and consumers in the ecosystem can be arranged into different feeding groups and are
known as trophic level or the feeding level .

 The producers (plants) represent the first trophic level.

 Herbivores (primary consumers) present the second trophic level.

 Primary carnivores (secondary consumers) represent the third trophic level

 Secondary carnivores (tertiary consumers) represent the last level.

Ecological Pyramid
Food Chain
Food Web
Ecological Succession
 The process of ecological change in an ecosystem where one community is replaced by another
community over time.
 Two types of succession:
 Primary Succession – Formation of a brand new ecosystem
 Secondary Succession - Recovery of an old ecosystem
Nutrient Cycle
 “A nutrient cycle is defined as the cyclic pathway by which nutrients pass-through, in order to be recycled and reutilized. The
pathway comprises cells, organisms, community and ecosystem.“

 In the process, nutrients get absorbed, transferred, released and reabsorbed. It is a natural recycling system of mineral
nutrients.

 Nutrients consumed by plants and animals are returned to the environment after death and decomposition and the cycle
continues.

 Soil microbes play an important role in nutrient recycling. They decompose organic matter to release nutrients.

 They are also important to trap and transform nutrients into the soil, which can be taken up by plant roots.

 Examples of a nutrient cycle: carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle, water cycle, oxygen cycle, etc.
 Carbon Cycle
 Carbon is the main constituent of all the living cells. All the organic
matter and biomolecules contain carbon.
 Carbon is present mainly as carbon dioxide and methane in the
atmosphere.
 There is a continuous exchange of carbon between biotic and abiotic
components by the process of photosynthesis and respiration.
 Atmospheric carbon dioxide is fixed by plants in the process of
photosynthesis.
 All the living organisms release carbon dioxide during respiration.
 Carbon is released into the atmosphere by burning of fossil fuels and
auto emissions.
 Organic carbon from dead and decaying organisms and waste products
is released into the atmosphere after decomposition
 Nitrogen Cycle
 Nitrogen is also an essential component of life. Nitrogen cannot be directly utilised by

living organisms and has to be converted to other forms.

 By the process of nitrogen fixation, nitrogen-fixing bacteria fix atmospheric nitrogen to

ammonia and nitrifying bacteria convert ammonia to nitrate. It is then taken up by plants.

 Atmospheric nitrogen is converted to nitrates directly by lightning and assimilated by

plants.

 Decomposers break down proteins and amino acids of dead and decaying organic matters

and waste product.

 Denitrifying bacteria convert ammonia and nitrates to nitrogen and nitrous oxide by the

process of denitrification.

 In this way, nitrogen is released back into the atmosphere.