BCOM 110 – Environmental Science and Sustainability.pptx
- 1. BCOM 110 – Environmental Science and Sustainability By : Ms. Sudha Pandey Asst. Prof, JIMS
- 2. INTRODUCTION • Environmental Studies: Environmental studies (EVS or EVST) is a multidisciplinary academic field which systematically studies human interaction with the environment. Environmental studies connects principles from the physical sciences, commerce/economics, the humanities, and social sciences to address complex contemporary environmental issues. It is a broad field of study that includes the natural environment, the built environment, and the relationship between them. The field encompasses study in basic principles of ecology and environmental science, as well as associated subjects such as ethics, geography, anthropology, public policy (environmental policy), education, political science (environmental politics), urban planning, law, economics, philosophy, sociology and social justice, planning, pollution control and natural resource management.
- 3. Scope & Importance • Scope and Importance Environmental problems are always interrelated. Often solution to one problem actually creates another problem. The major environmental problems can be divided into following categories: 1. Over-population : It amplifies all other environmental problems. 2. Pollution : It makes vital resources less useful and reduces the quality of life. 3. Depletion of resources: It makes things that are vital to human existence more expensive. 4. Global changes : They result from human activities and may permanently alter the Earth in unpredictable ways; 5. War: This causes all other environmental problems. - Modern warfare which threatens the survival of the human species.
- 4. Function of an Ecosystem An ecosystem is a discrete structural, functional and life sustaining environmental system (Fig 1). The environmental system consists of biotic and abiotic components in a habitat. Biotic component of the ecosystem includes the living organism, plants, animals and microbes, whereas the abiotic component deludes inorganic matter and energy. Abiotic components provide the matrix for synthesis and perpetuation of organic components (protoplasm). The synthesis and perpetuate process involves energy exchange and this energy comes from the sun in the form of light or solar energy. Thus, in an ecosystem we have the following functional components: • Inorganic constituents (Air, water and mineral salts (Nitrogen, Phosphorous) • .Organisms (Plants, animals and microbes) • Energy input which enters from outside (the sun)
- 5. Diagrammatic Representation of Function of Ecosystem
- 6. • Above three components interact and form an environment system. Inorganic constituents are synthesized into organic structures by green plants (Primary producers) through photosynthesis and solar energy for renewals (Herbivores) which, in turn become source of energy for the flesh eating animals (Carnivores). These are known as secondary producers. Animals of all types grow and add organic matter to their body weight and their source of energy is complex organic compounds taken as food. All the living organisms whether plants or animals in an ecosystem have definite life span after which they die. The dead organic remains of plants and animals provide food for
- 7. • microbes such as bacteria, fungi and many other animals the saprophytes. Ultimately decomposition of the organic structure by breaking the complex molecules and liberating the inorganic components into their environment is carried out by organisms known as decomposers. During the process of decomposition of organic molecules, the energy which kept the inorganic components bound together in the form of organic molecules gets liberated and deposited into the environment as heat energy Thus in an ecosystem energy from sun, the input is fixed by plants and transferred to animal components. Nutrients re withdrawn from the substrate and deposited in the tissue of plants and animals, cycled from one feeding group to another, this can be released by decomposition processes to the soil, water and then recycled.
- 8. • The ecosystems operating in different habitats, such as deserts, forests, grasslands and seas are interdependent of one another. The energy and nutrients of one ecosystem may find their way in another so that ultimately all parts of the earth are interrelated, each, comprising a part of the total system that keeps the biosphere functioning.
- 9. Different types of ecosystems on the earth
- 11. • Biodiversity: It is the term given to the variety of life on earth and the natural patterns it forms. The bio-diversity we see today is the fruit of billions of years of evolution, shaped by natural processes and, increasingly, by the influence of humans. It forms the web of life of which we are an integral part and upon which we so fully depend.
- 12. • This diversity is often understood in terms of the wide variety of plants, animals and microorganism. So far, about 1.75 million species have been identified, mostly small creatures such as insects. Scientists reckon that there are actually about 13 million species, though estimates range from 3 to 100 million. Biodiversity is the combination of life forms and their interactions with each other and with the rest of the environment that has made earth a uniquely habitable place for humans. Bio-diversity provides a large number of goods and services that sustain our lives.
- 13. • Biodiversity is all the different kinds of life you'll find in one area—the variety of animals, plants, fungi, and even microorganisms like bacteria that make up our natural world. Each of these species and organisms work together in ecosystems, like an intricate web, to maintain balance and support life.
- 14. • Bio-diversity also includes genetic differences within each species for example, between verities of crops and breeds of livestock. Chromosomes, genes, and DNA the building blocks of life determine the uniqueness of each individual and each species. Yet another aspect of bio-diversity is the variety of ecosystems such as those that occur in deserts, forests, wetlands, mountains, lakes, rivers, and agricultural landscapes. In each ecosystem, living creatures, including humans, form a community, interacting with one another and with the air, water, and soil around them.
- 16. • Genetic Diversity It is basically the variety of species expressed at the genetic level by each individual in a species. No two individuals belonging to the same species are exactly similar. For example, in the species of human beings, each human shows a lot of diversity in comparison to another human. People living in different regions show a great level of variation.
- 17. • Species Diversity It is the biodiversity observed within a community. It stands for the number and distribution of species. The number of species in a region varies widely depending upon the varied environmental conditions. For example, it is usually observed that civilizations residing beside water bodies show more species than the one compared to the areas away from water bodies.
- 18. • Ecological diversity It defines the diversity observed among the ecosystems in a particular region. Different ecosystems like mangroves, rainforests, deserts, etc., show a great variety of life forms residing in them.
- 21. ENERGY FLOWS
- 23. Biogeographic Zones of India • What are Biogeographical Zones? • The scientific study of the distribution of species and ecosystems throughout geological time and space is known as biogeography. Geographic gradients of height, isolation, latitude, and habitat area often cause biological communities and living organisms to differ in a predictable way. • The basic definition of biogeographic regions is “those dominant divisions of the earth’s surface of estimated continental extent, which are attributed by distinct assemblages of animal types.” Having said that, a biogeographic region is essentially a geographic area where plants and animals are categorized and have characteristics in common....
- 24. • 10 Indian Biogeographical Zones • India’s recognised biological variety makes up 8% of the known global biological diversity despite occupying only 2.4% of the total land area. India has been split into 10 biogeographic zones based on its terrain. • Trans-Himalayan Region • It makes up 5.6% of the overall geographical area and consists of the high-altitude, cold, and arid mountain regions of Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, North Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh’s Lahaul, and Spiti areas. The largest numbers of wild sheep and goats in the world, as well as other unconventional animals like the Snow Leopard and the migratory Black Necked Crane (Grus nigricollis), may all be found in this area. • Himalayan Zone • It makes up 6.4% of the entire geographical region and has some of the highest peaks on Earth. India is one of the regions with the greatest diversity of habitats and species due to the Himalayan region. For endangered species, a variety of habitats are available in the alpine and subalpine forests, grassy meadows, and moist deciduous forests.... Read more at: https://www.adda247.com/teaching-jobs-exam/biogeographical-zones-of-india/
- 25. • Indian Desert Zone • Large expansions of grassland in the Indian Desert Zone, which makes up 6.6% of the world’s landmass and is home to the Thar and Kutch deserts, provide habitat for several endangered mammal species. These include the wolf (Canis lupus), caracal (Felis caracal), desert cat (Felis libyca), and birds of conservation.
- 26. • Semi-Arid Region • The semi-arid region, which makes up 16.6% of the overall geographic area, is in between the desert and the Western Ghats’ lush forests. There are two sizable semi-arid zones in Peninsular India. Several man-made and natural lakes, as well as marshy areas, may be found in this semi-arid area. The maximum wildlife biomass is found in this zone’s dominating grass and shrub layer. Sambar (Cervus unicolour) and Chital (Axis axis) are two species that are only found in better-forested hills and moist valley regions, respectively.
- 27. • Western Ghats • These make up 4% of the entire geographical area. It is one of India’s main areas of tropical evergreen forests and one of the two “hotspots” for biodiversity. Along with a distinctive fauna component of its own, the Western Ghats are home to healthy populations of the majority of the vertebrate species present in peninsular India....
- 28. • Deccan Plateau • India’s largest biogeographic region, accounting for 42% of the country’s total land area, is the Deccan Plateau. It is a semi-arid terrain that is situated in the Western Ghats’ rain shadow. The best forests in India are found in this bio-geographic region of peninsular India, which is by far the largest region. This plateau includes the states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Odisha. The majority of the woodlands are deciduous....
- 29. • Gangetic Plain • About 10.8% of the geographical land is made up of the Gangetic plain. The Gangetic plain stretches for hundreds of kilometres and is topographically uniform. Rhinos (Rhinoceros unicornis), Elephants (Elephas maximus), Buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis), Swamp Deer (Cervus duvauceli), Hog-Deer (Axis porcinus), and Hispid Hares (Carprolagus bispidus) are some of the region’s distinctive animals....
- 30. • North East Region • The North East Region makes up 5.2% of the entire geographical region. This area serves as a merging place for peninsular India and the Himalayan Mountains as well as the transition between the Indian, Indo-Malayan, and Indo-Chinese bio-geographical zones. Thus, the North-East serves as both a biodiversity hotspot and the biogeographical “gateway” for India’s flora and fauna. ... Read more at: https://www.adda247.com/teaching-jobs- exam/biogeographical-zones-of-india/
- 31. • Coastal Region • The coastal region constitutes 2.5% of the country’s total land area. Meanwhile, its sandy beaches, mangroves, mud flats, coral reefs, and marine angiosperm pastures make it one of India’s wealthiest and healthiest regions. There are 5,423 kilometres of coastline between Gujarat and the Sunderbans. The Lakshadweep is made up of 25 islets that feature a typical reef lagoon system with a wealth of species....
- 32. • Andaman and Nicobar Islands • One of India’s three tropical moist evergreen forest zones, it comprises 0.3% of the country’s total land area. The islands are home to a variety of plants and animals that are unique to them. These islands sustain a broad variety of corals and house some of India’s best evergreen forests. Only the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in India have endemic island biodiversity....