Unit –I

Environment Studies
 Environment:
Introduction: Environment means surrounding.it can we defined as follows :

“The social cultural and physical conditions the surround affect and influence the survival
growth and development of people animals and plant.

Environment studies deal with every issue that affects an organism

It is essentially multidisciplinary approach that brings appreciation of our natural world and
human impact on its integrity

It is an applied science as it seeks practical answers to making human civilization sustainable on

the earths finite resources
 Goals Too develop a world population that is aware
of and concerned about environment as whole
of and the problems associated with it and
Environment committed to work individually as well as
collectively towards solutions of current
problems and prevention of future problem
 Atmospher
e

Components
Biosphere of Hydrosphere
Environment

Lithosphere
 Components of Environment

These are four components of Environment

1. Atmosphere: Blanket of gases surrounding on the earth

2. Hydrosphere : Various water bodies present on the earth

3. Lithosphere: Contains various types of soils and rocks on

the earth

4. Biosphere : Composed of all living organisms and their

interactions with environment
 Atmosphere
• The atmosphere from a protective shell over the an earth
• The lowest layer the troposphere the only part warm
enough for us to survive in is only 12 km thick
• The stratosphere is 50 km thick and contains a layer of
sulphates which is which is important for the formation
of rain
• It also contains a layer of ozone which absorbs ultra –
violet light
 Hydrosphere :
• The hydrosphere covers three quarters of the
earth s, surface
• A major part of the hydrosphere is marine
ecosystem in the ocean while only a small part
occurs in fresh Water
• Fresh water in rivers lakes and glaciers is
perpetually being renewed by a process of
evaporation and rainfall
• Some of this fresh water in under ground
aquifers
• Human activates such as deforestation create
serious changes in the hydrosphere
 Lithosphere

• The crust of the earth is 6 or 7 km thick and

lines under the continents.
• Rocks when broken down from soil on
which man is dependent for his agriculture
their minerals are also the raw material
used in various industries.

47% - O
27%- Si
8% - Al
5%- Fe
4%- Ca
2% -Mg K Na
 Biosphere
• This is the relatively thin layer on the earth in
which life can exist
• Within the air water rocks and soil and the living
creatures from structural and functional
ecological units which together can be
considered as one giant global living system that
of our earth itself
• Within this framework those characterised by
broadly similar geography and climate as well as
communities of plant and animal life can be
divided for convenience into different
biogeographically realms.
 Multidisciplinary nature of Environmental studies
• The environmental studies is a multidisciplinary science because it comprises various
branches of studies like chemistry physics medical science life science agriculture public
sanitary engineering.
• It is the science 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 affect of from human activity.
• As the environment is complex and actually mad e up of many different environment 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 .
 Scope of EVS
Environmental studies as a subject has a wide scope .it includes a large number of areas
and aspects which may be summarized as follows

• Natural resources their conservation and management

• Ecology and biodiversity

• Environmental pollution control

• Human population and environment

• Social issues relation to development and environment

Several career option have emerged in these fields
that are broadly
• R & D in environment
• Green advocacy
• Green media
• Green marketing
• Environmental consultancy
Concept of sustainability and sustainable development
• Sustainability and sustainable development are extremely topical issues for
modern society

• The concept of sustainability was brought to the attention of humanity during

the 20th century when the increasing development of some countries originated
environment concerns and stimulated humans to gain a deeper understanding
of natural resources their dynamics of overexploitation
 Ecology
• The meaning of the world ecology was given by German biologist Ernst Haeckel
in 1869.
• The word ecology is derived from Greek words oikos meaning house habitat or
place of living and Logos meaning to study
• Ecology is defined as the study of interrelationship with and interaction of
different organisms with the each other and with their environment .it is concerned
with the general principles that apply both animal and plants.
• Ecology of the study of ecosystem
Ecosystem : The term ecosystem is made up of two Greek words Eco means
ecological sphere or house or place of living or surrounding or Environment .
Where living organism does exist while system means group of organism joined in
regular and interdependent manner

Definition of Ecosystem : A group of organisms which

are interacting among them self and also interacting with
the environment it called as ecosystem.
 Classification of Ecosystem

The ecosystem can be generally classified into two types

a. Natural ecosystem
b. Artificial ecosystem
 Ecosystem

Man- Made Ecosystem

Eg . Cropland Aquarium etc. Natural Ecosystem

Aquatic Ecosystem Terrestrial Ecosystem

Land Ecosystem
Eg: forest Desert , Grassla

Marine Ecosystem Fresh water Ecosystem

Eg . Sea Ocean River, lake, pond, pool
 Natural Ecosystem
A natural ecosystem is development and governed by nature. These are
capable of operating and maintaining themselves without any major
interference by man.The following are two types of natural ecosystem based
on their habitat .
Terrestrial Ecosystem : this ecosystem is related to land.
Examples : Grassland ecosystem, Forest ecosystem and desert ecosystem etc
 Aquatics Ecosystem: This ecosystem is related to water, it is
further sub divided into two types based on salt content.

..Fresh water Ecosystem

Running water ecosystem example. River, Stream(small
narrow rivers
standing water ecosystem examples lakes ponds & well
Marine ecosystem examples seas and sea shores
 Man Made or artificial Ecosystem
An artificial ecosystem is created and maintained by man for his different needs.
Examples : reservoirs, Artificial lakes and gardens etc
Structure (OR) Components of An Ecosystem
Ecosystem

Abiotic Components Abiotic Components

EG.climate factors Edaphic Factors
Rain light wind Temperature soil pH minerals Topography
Producers
(Autotrophs) Consumers Decom
(Heterotrophs)
(Saprotrophs)

Primary Consumers Secondary Consumers

 The living component of an
Biotic ecosystem is called Biotic
components component

Classification of Biotic component

They are of three types based on how they get their food.
Producers plant
Consumers animals
Decomposers micro organisms
Producers (OR) autotrophs
self food producing organisms are know as autotrophs
E.g.: all green plants and trees producers synthesize their food themselves through
photosynthesis. Hence they are also called photo autotrophs photo = light
 Consumers are organisms which can not
prepare their own food and depend
Consumers or directly or indirectly on the producers
heterotrophs Eg insects rabbit ,cow , goat , fish lions
tigers etc

Classification of Consumers : Depending upon the food

habits the consumers are divided into four types

Herbivores (or) Primary consumers (plant eaters )

Carnivores (or) Secondary consumers (meat eaters)
Omnivores (or) Tertiary consumers (with plant & meat
eaters )
Detritivores (dead organism
 Decomposers (or) saptrotrophs
sapros= rotten,tropphos = feeder

• Decomposers attack the dead bodies of producers and consumers

and decomposers then into simple compounds.
• During the decomposition inorganic nutrients are released
• The organisms which break down the complex compounds into
simple products are called decomposers or reducers
• Eg micro-organisms such as bacteria and fungi etc
 Types of functions
Functions of an ecosystem are of three types
Primary functions : the producers plant can we make their food
themselves photosynthesis .The process of is called primary functions of
ecosystem. Example green plants and trees
Secondary functions: The consumers (animal and plant ) can not make
their own food. They are always depending upon the producers for their
energy. This called secondary functions of ecosystem
Tertiary functions : Decomposers attack the dead bodies consumers and
producers and decomposers then into simple compound. During the
decomposition inorganic nutrients are released. Examples Microorganism
bacteria and fungi etc
 Abiotic components

The non living component of an ecosystem is called abiotic component. These

non living components enter the body of living organism take part in metabolic
activities and then return to the environment. The abiotic component of the
ecosystem. The abiotic component of the ecosystem divided into three portions
Climate factors : solar radiation , temperature, wind ,water current , rainfall etc.
Physical factor light , fire , soil , air , etc.
Chemical factor organic and inorganic substances
 Food chain
• The process of transfer of food energy from one organism to a series called
as food chain
• A food chain always starts with a plant life and with animal life. Thus a food
chain is a picture or model that shows the flow of energy from autotrophs to
series of organisms in an environment as shown in the following figure

Sun
Grass Grasshopper Frog Snake Eagle

Decomposed
 Types of food chain
Three basic types of food chains are found ion a typical ecosystem. They are
o Grazing food chain
o Detritus food chain
o Parasitic food chain
Grazing food chains: grazing food chain
starts with green plant (producers) and goes
to decomposer food chai or detritus food
chain through herbivores and carnivores
Terrestrial food chain
aquatic food chain
 Detritus food chain
Detritus food chain starts with dead organic matter (plant animal)and
goes to decomposer through consumer
Detritus food chains independent of solar energy but they depend on
influx of dead organic matter

Litter Earthworm Chicken Hawk

 Parasitic food chain

• Parasitic food chain operates in many ecosystem . In this food chain either
consumers or producers is parasitized and the food passes to smaller
organisms. A parasitic food chain involves host parasites links

Fruit
Trees eating Lice and
bugs Bacteria Fungi
birds
 Food web
• In a food web many food chain are inter connected where different
types of organisms are connected different tropic level so that there
are a number of options of eating and being eaten at each tropic level
 Ecological pyramids
The concept of ecological pyramids was first proposed by English zoologist and
animal ecologist Charles Elton in 1927. Ecological pyramids are also known as
Eltonian pyramids.
An ecological pyramid is a graphical representation of the relationship that every
living creature present at different levels of the ecosystem shares with each other.
Ecological Pyramids represent the different forms of bio-productivity of an
ecosystem i.e. how much biomass, energy, or number of individuals each trophic
level accounts for. In this article, we will learn about the ecological pyramid types,
their significance, and limitations.
 Types of ecological pyramids
• On the basis of the number of organisms the biomass of
organisms and energy flow in organism population. Three
types of ecological pyramids
• Pyramid of number
• Pyramid of biomass
• Pyramid of energy
 Pyramid of number
• it is the graphic representation of the arrangement of number of
individuals of different tropic level in a food chain in an ecosystem
• The pyramids of numbers deals with the relationship between the
number of primary producers, herbivores and carnivores at successive
tropic level
• In mast case the pyramid of numbers is upright or starting in shape or
may be inverted also
• The base of all such pyramids always represent the number of primary
producers.
• The successive structures on the base are represented by the number
of consumer
 PYRAMID OF BIOMASS
It represent the total amount of biomass mass or weight of biological
material or organism present in each tropic level.
It is expressed in gram per unit area.
Depending upon the types of ecosystem we have two types of pyramid
of biomass
• Upright pyramid of biomass
• Inverted pyramid of biomass
 Upright pyramid of biomass

• The pyramid of biomass gradually decreases from the producers level or

first tropic level to consumer level higher tropic level is called upright
pyramid of biomass
• A forest ecosystem showed an upright pyramid of biomass. In this
ecosystem the producers level to consumer levels
Inverted pyramid of biomass
• The pyramid of biomass gradually increases from producer level to
consumer level called as inverted pyramids of biomass.
Example: the pond ecosystem show an inverted pyramids of biomass
In this ecosystem the biomass increases from producers level to
consumers levels as show in the following