BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, Pilani

Pilani Campus
Instruction Division

SECOND SEMESTER 2019-20

Course Handout Part II Date: 06/01/2020

In addition to part I (general handout for all courses appended to the timetable) this portion gives
further specific details regarding the course.

Course No. : BIO F241

Course Title : Ecology and Environmental Sciences
Instructor-In Charge : B.VANI
Co-instructor : None

Scope and objectives of the course:

In the past few decades, man has achieved mental development that has translated into
scientific and technological innovations to improve/manipulate life and environment. As a
consequence the science of ecology, dealing with organism-environment relationships, has become
more and more an integrated discipline that links the natural and the social sciences. As an
integrated science ecology has a vast potential of application to human welfare, merging natural
science with its with social, economic and political counterparts. In short, ecology helps us
understand our planet – Mother Earth – better and devise sustainable methods to preserve it.
The objective of this course is to make the students aware of the various segments of our
environment, interaction between abiotic and biotic components of ecosystems, energy and material
utilization strategies, anthropogenic activities leading to ecosystem imbalance, depletion of natural
resources and the impact of ‘greedy’ and polluting technological developments on the ecosystem.
The course culminates by suggesting pertinent solutions to some current environmental problems
and looking at the Indian scenario on the protection of local environments.

1. Text Book (TB): “Fundamentals of Ecology”, by E. P. Odum & G. W. Barrett, Brooks/Cole

Cengage Learning, 5th edition, 2005

2. Reference Books (RB):

RB1 - “Concepts of Ecology” by E. J. Kormondy, Prentice Hall of India Pvt. Ltd., 4th ed, 1996.
RB2 – “Introduction to Biology”, Unit 9 (Ecology), Interactive e-textbook, Nature Publishing
Group, 2011.

3. Suggested Reading: “Down to Earth”, a fortnightly magazine published by the Society for
Environmental Communications, India.

Course Plan:
Module No. Lecture Session Reference Learning Outcome
to chapter*
1 Scope of Ecology TB Ch 1 Student can get an idea
Introduction what he can do in future
by learning ecology.

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 BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, Pilani
Pilani Campus
Instruction Division
2-3
Beginning the science of
ecology: Segments of
environment
4 Minimum & Tolerance Laws
Principles pertaining to
limiting factors
5, 6, 7
Principles and concepts of
ecosystem
8,9,10,11
Regional ecology: Major
ecosystem types
12
Nutrient budgets
13,14,15,16,17,18,19
Energy in ecological systems
20,21,22,23
Population ecology
Soil, nutrients and other factors
Concept and structure
Biodiversity
Cybernetic nature and stability of
ecosystems
Marine ecosystems
Fresh water ecosystems
Terrestrial ecosystems; Desert
ecology
Nutrient budgets corresponding to
nutrient cycles
Global production and
decomposition
Radiant energy and photosynthesis;
Measuring primary production
Early estimates of primary
production:
Comparison of primary productivity
Autotroph based ecosystems
Detritus based ecosystems
Energy flow models, Food chain and
food webs, Food Chain Length (FCL)
Ecological Pyramids
Properties of population
Age structures, Population
fluctuations, Population regulation
Intrinsic rate of natural increase, r-
and K-selection, Carrying capacity
Allee principle, Territoriality,
Dispersion
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TB Ch 5 Will provide an
understanding of types
of soils, their suitability
for cultivation. Student
will be able to judge
how and why to protect
from harmful radiation.
TB Ch 5 Student will learn about
various environmental
factors and their
influence on organisms.
Student will learn
TB Ch 2 different theories about
ecosystems and how
different organisms live
in harmony with each
other and with nature.
Student will learn how
TB Ch 10 different ecosystems in
the world operate and
also the unique curious
organisms present in
them.
TB Ch 4, Student will understand
RB1 Ch 9 the cycling of various
elements among
different components of
biosphere.
Student will understand
about the energy
balances in nature. And
TB Chs 2 & also by studying about
3, the food chains and
RB1 Chs 6 & ecological pyramids, he
7 can analyze how he can
contribute to prevent
misbalances in nature.
Student will understand
the implications of
TB Ch 6 population explosion
and its effect on growth
and development of a
country. Theories
associated with it can be
appreciated.
 BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, Pilani
Pilani Campus
Instruction Division

24,25,26,27,28 Types of interactions among species The student can

Community ecology
Cooperation and competition TB Ch 7, appreciate the
Positive and negative interactions Class notes interdependence of
Ecological niches, Guilds, organisms on each
Paleoecology other and consequences
Optimal foraging models of such interactions

29,30,31 Ecosystem development & Help in understanding

succession TB Ch 8 the process of
Succession in communities: Stages of succession development of a
Evolution Concept of climax community.

32-34 Anthropogenic impact on RB2, Class Student can understand

Pollution ecology
35-36
Environmental Biotechnology
37-38
The Indian environmental
movement
*As the subject is vast and continuously updated, the lectures may also include material from sources other than
those mentioned above.
For Self Study: Insolation, precipitation and climate from RB1 Chapter4 and Biogeochemical cycles.
ecosystems and waste management
A brief introduction to the topic
with relevant examples
Viewing Indian society from an
ecological perspective
notes about the devastating
effects of pollutants in
different parts of the
biosphere so that he can
motivate himself and
others too towards
elimination of pollution.
Class notes Student will be able to
appreciate how the
modern biotechnology
can help to contribute
to elimination /cleaning
of pollution in the
environment.
Class notes Students as individuals
and groups can be
motivated to help in the
societal development.
At the end of this
course, a student can be
motivated to take up
research career in the
field of environmental
upliftment or become
responsible towards
protecting the
environment and may
even become leaders in
this direction.

Evaluation scheme:

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 BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, Pilani
Pilani Campus
Instruction Division

Component Duration Weightage Date & Time Remarks

(%)
Mid-term Test 1 ½ hrs 30 CB
Assignments - 10 - -
Quizzes - 20 - -
Comprehensive 3 hrs 40 CB/OB*
Exam
*Xerox of class notes will not be allowed for open book examination.

Chamber consultation hour: To be announced.

Notices: Notices will be displayed on Biological Sciences Notice Board.

Assignments and quizzes: Details regarding these will be notified in class. The quizzes will be
mostly of surprise nature.

Make up Policy: Make up for test/compre will be granted only under extreme circumstances
such as hospitalization (with prior permission). No make up for quizzes/assignments.

Instructor In Charge
(BIO F241)

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