GANDHI INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY, GUNUPUR-765022

Department of chemical engineering

Sub-Environmental Engineering & Safety
Assignment-1
Short questions
1. What are the principles of environmental education?
2. Mention the Scope and importance of Environmental studies.
3. Define Ecology?
4. Bring out the functional features of an ecosystem.
5. What is the structure of the atmosphere?
6. What is a biosphere?
7. What are the processes that autotrophic beings use to produce organic material
from inorganic substances?
8. What is a biome?
9. What are the major terrestrial biomes?
10. What is hydrologic cycle?
11. What is precipitation?
12. What is the difference between an ecological niche and a habitat?
13. How are the heterotrophic beings divided in the ecological study of food interactions?
14. What are trophic levels? How many trophic levels can a food chain have?
15. What is the difference between the concepts of food chain and food web?
16. What are Ecological Pyramids? Give examples.
17. What is the gross primary production of an ecosystem? How does GPP relate to
photosynthesis?
18. What are the importance of water, carbon and nitrogen for living beings?
19. What is biodiversity?
20. How does biological diversity relate to the characteristics of the abiotic factors of an
ecosystem?
21. What is Ecological Succession? Mention its types.
22. Write two objectives of Air Act, 1981 and what is its jurisdiction?
23. What is humus? What is its significance?
24. What are the effects of noise on human health?
Long questions
1. Explain the structure and functional features of aquatic, desert and grassland
ecosystems.
2. Explain energy flow in ecosystem?
3. Explain Carbon, Nitrogen and Phosphorus Cycles.

Issue Date:-24/07/2015 Date of Submission: 27/7/2015

“Doing easily what others find difficult is talent, doing what is impossible
for talent is genius.”
Prepared by
Pedina Sibakrishna
Deptt. Of chemical engg
G.I.E.T., Gunupur
 GANDHI INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY, GUNUPUR-765022
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
Sub-Environmental Engineering & Safety(HSSM 3303)
Assignment-1 (solution)

Short Questions

1. The principle of environmental education is to educate people about various

environmental issues, creating awareness and to preserve the quality of our
environment.
2. The scope of environmental studies are
a. Studying the interrelationships among biotic and abiotic components for
Sustainable ecosystem.
b. Working out a way to use our resources in a sustainable manner.
c. Studying and curbing the pollution from existing and new industries.
d. Stopping the use of biological and nuclear weapons for destruction of human
race.
e. Managing the unpredictable disasters.
f. Educating the society and creating a environmentally aware population.
3. Ecology is the Study of the distribution and abundance of organisms, the flows of
energy and materials between abiotic and biotic components of ecosystems.
4. The functional features of an ecosystem are
 Sun is the chief source of energy.
 Transfer of energy from one tropic level to another tropic level through food
is called food chain.
 Production , Consumption and Decomposition are the main functions of
ecosystem
5. The structure of atmosphere is

6. A biosphere is a set of all of the ecosystems of the planet.

7. Autotrophic beings make organic material by photosynthesis or by chemosynthesis.
There are photosynthetic autotrophs, like plants, and chemosynthetic autotrophs, like
some bacteria.
 8. A biome is a prevailing ecosystem constituted by similar biotic and abiotic factors
present in one or more regions of the planet. 
9. The major terrestrial biomes are: tundra, taigas (or boreal forest), temperate forests,
tropical forests, grasslands and deserts. 
10. Water is lost to the atmosphere as vapor from the earth. Which is then precipitated
back in the form of rain, snow, hail dew, sleet or frost etc to the earth surface.
This process is known as hydrologic cycle.
11. Water evaporates from water surfaces like streams, rivers, lakes, oceans, ponds
etc. and also from land and plants in the form of water vapour which is collected
in the atmosphere. The water vapours come back to the surface of the earth in
various forms like rain, snow, hail etc is known as precipitation.

12. An ecological niche is a set of peculiar activities, resources and strategies that a species
explores to survive and reproduce. A habitat is the place where the species lives to
explore its ecological niche. In other words it can be said that the habitat is the “address”
of the species and the ecological niche is the “profession” of the species.

13. Heterotrophs are divided into consumers and decomposers. An ecosystem can exist
without consumers but it cannot be sustained without decomposers. Without the
decomposers the organic material would accumulate causing environmental degradation
and later death of the living beings.

14. Trophic levels correspond to positions on a food chain. Therefore producers always
belong to the first trophic level and decomposers to the last trophic level; consumers that
directly eat the producers belong to the second trophic level and so on.

15.
FOOD CHAIN FOOD WEB
A food chain may be defined as, “the transfer Interlocking pattern of several interlinked
of energy and nutrients through a series of food chains is termed as FOOD WEB.
organisms with repeated process of eating and
being eaten.

16. An”Ecological pyramid” is a graphical representation that shows the relative amounts
of energy or matter contained within each tropic level in a food chain or food web.
 An ecological pyramid shows the relationship between consumers and
producers at different tropic levels in an ecosystem
 There are three ecological pyramids recognized by ecologists: Pyramid of
Numbers, Pyramid of Biomass, Pyramid of Energy
17. Gross primary production of an ecosystem, or GPP, is the quantity of organic material
found in a given area in a given period. Since only autotrophs produce organic material
and photosynthesis is the main production process, GPP is a result of the photosynthesis. 
18. Water is the main solvent of living beings and it is necessary practically for all
biochemical reactions, including as reagent of photosynthesis. Many properties of water
are very important for life.Carbon is the main chemical element of organic molecules;
carbon dioxide is also reagent of photosynthesis and product of the energetic metabolism
of living beings.Nitrogen is a fundamental chemical element of amino acids, the building
 blocks of proteins that in their turn are the main functional molecules of living beings;
nitrogen is also part of the nucleic acid molecules, the basis of reproduction, heredity and
protein synthesis.

19. Biological diversity is the variety of species of living beings of an ecosystem. In

ecosystems which are more biodiverse, like tropical forests, a great variety of plants,
microorganisms and animals live; in ecosystems less biodiverse, like deserts.

20. The availability of abiotic factors like light, moisture, mineral salts, heat and carbon
dioxide, more or less conditions the biodiversity of an ecosystem. Photosynthesis
depends on water and light, and plants also need mineral salts, carbon dioxide and
adequate temperature for their cells to work. In environments where these factors are not
restrictive the synthesis of organic material (by photosynthesis) is at a maximum, plants
and algae can reproduce easier, the population of these beings increase, potential
ecological niches multiply and new species emerge.. In environments with restrictive
abiotic factors, like deserts, the producers exist in small numbers and less diversity, a
feature that thus extends to consumers and conditions fewer ecological niches to be
explored.

21. To maintain the quality of air and prevent air pollution, Establishment of boards for
control of air pollution. Its jurisdiction is Central pollution control board and State
pollution control board.

22. Ecological succession is defined as, “A change in the community in which new
populations of organisms gradually replace existing ones”. There are two types of
ecological succession:
Primary Succession
Secondary Succession
23. Humus is the organic matter present in the soil formed by decomposition of dead plant
and animal remains. It is an important element of the top soil that determines the soil
fertility.
24. Noise has direct physiological effects such as hearing damage (including hearing loss and
tinnitus, or ringing in the ears), as well as cardiovascular and hormonal disturbances.
Indirect effects include sleep loss, interference with concentration and learning, mood
changes and aggression, and social isolation. 
Long questions
1. AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
Aquatic ecosystems deal with biotic community present in water bodies.
In terrestrial ecosystem, carbon dioxide & oxygen are present in gaseous
form whereas in aquatic ecosystem, these are available in dissolved state.
Depending upon the quality and nature of water, the aquatic ecosystem are
categorized into:
Freshwater Ecosystem and
Marine Ecosystem.
Freshwater Ecosystems
 Freshwater ecosystems cover 0.8% of the Earth's surface and contain 0.009%
of its total water.
Freshwater ecosystems contain 41% of the world's known fish species.
Aquatic ecosystems perform many important environmental functions.
They recycle nutrients, purify water, attenuate floods, recharge ground water and
habitats for wildlife.
Aquatic ecosystems are also used for human recreation, and are very important to
the tourism industry, especially in coastal region.
There are three basic types of freshwater ecosystems:
Lentic: slow-moving water, including Pools, Ponds, and Lakes.
Lotic: rapidly-moving water, for example Streams and Rivers.
Wetlands: areas where the soil is saturated with water or inundated for at least part
of the time
Lakes & pond Ecosystem
A pond is a place where living organisms not only live but interact with biotic & abiotic
components.
Ponds are often exposed to tremendous human pressure which significantly affects the
system.
Lakes are usually big standing freshwater bodies.
They have a shallow water zone called Littoral zone; an open water zone where effective
penetration of solar light takes place, called limnetic zone and a deep water zone where
light
penetration is negligible, called Profoundal zone.
Biotic components
Producer Organisms
It includes submerged, free floating and amphibious macrophytes (like Hydrilla,
Utricularia, Wolfia, Azolla, Typha etc.) and minute floating and suspended lower
phytoplanktons (like Ulothrix, Spirogyra, Oedogonium etc.)
Consumer Organisms
Primary consumers:These are zooplanktons (ciliates, flagellates, other protozoan,
small crustaceans) and benthos.
Secondary consumers: These are carnivores like insects and fishes feeding on
herbivores
Tertiary consumers: These are the large fishes feeding on small fishes.
Decomposers
Micro – organisms like bacteria, fungi and actinomyctes.
Abiotic components
These are the inorganic as well as organic substances present in the bottom soil
or dissolved in water. In addition, to the minerals, some dead organic matter is also
present.
Marine or Ocean Ecosystem
Marine ecosystems are among the Earth's aquatic ecosystems.
 They include: Oceans, Estuaries and Lagoons, Mangroves and Coral reefs, the Deep
sea and the Sea floor.
These are the gigantic reservoirs of water covering approximately 71% of the
Earth's surface (an area of some 361 million square kilometers).
These ecosystems are different from freshwater ecosystem mainly because of its
salty water.
The salt concentration in an open sea is usually 3.5% (35 parts per thousand
(ppt).
Dominant Ions are sodium & chloride. 2-3 degree centigrade, devoid of light.
Biotic components
Producers : It includes phytoplanktons (diatoms, dinoflagillates), large seaweeds (mainly
algae like chlorophyceae, phaeophyceae & rhodophyceae; angiosperms like Ruppia, Zostera,
posidonia ), and mangrove vegetation (like Rhizophora, Carapa etc.)
Consumers
Primary consumers: These are herbivores and feed directly on producers
(Crustaceans, Mollusks,fish etc.)
Secondary consumers: These are carnivorous fishes (Herring, Sahd and
Mackerel)
Tertiary consumers: These are top carnivorous fishes (Cod, Haddock, etc.)
Decomposers These are micro – organisms like bacteria, fungi
Abiotic components
High Na, Ca, Mg and K salt concentration, variable dissolved oxygen content,
light & Temperature makes a unique physiochemical condition in marine water.
DESERT ECOSYSTEM
Introduction
A desert is a landscape or region that receives almost no precipitation.
Deserts are defined as areas with an average annual precipitation of less than 250
millimeters per year.
It occupies about 17% of the earth’s surface.
Deserts are characterized by hot days & cold nights.
The deserts of the world are mainly located in the South- western United States,
Mexico, North America, Asia (Thar, Gobi, Tibet) & west Asia.
Deserts are characterized by scanty flora & fauna.
Soils of deserts often have abundant nutrients but little or no organic matter.
Structure and Functions of Desert Ecosystems
Biotic components
Producer Organisms:
In a desert, producers are mainly shrubs/bushes; some grasses & a few trees.
Dominant plant species include: Succulents (water - retaining plants adapted to
arid climate or soil conditions) & hardy grasses.
Besides some lower plants such as lichens & xerophytic mosses are also present.
 Consumer Organisms:
These include animals such as insects, reptiles which are capable of living in
xeric conditions
Besides some nocturnal rodents, birds & some mammalians like camel etc are
also found.
Decomposers:
Due to poor vegetation with very low amount of dead organic matter,
decomposers are poor in desert ecosystem.
The common decomposers are some bacteria & fungi, most of which are
thermophillic.
Abiotic components:
Due to high temperature & very low rainfall, the organic substances are poorly
present in the soil.
GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEM
Introduction
Grasslands (also called Greenswards) are areas where the vegetation is dominate by
grasses and other herbaceous (non-woody) plants.
Grasslands occupy about 24% of the earth’s surface.
Grasslands occur in regions too dry for forests and too moist for deserts
The annual rainfall ranges between 25- 75 cm, Usually seasonal
The principal grasslands include: Prairies (Canada, USA),Pampas (South
America),Steppes (Europe & Asia) Veldts (Africa)

Structure And Functions Of Grassland Ecosystems

Biotic components:
Producer Organisms:
In grassland, producers are mainly grasses; though, a few herbs & shrubs also contribute
to primary production of biomass.
Some of the most common species of grasses are:
Brachiaria sp., Cynodon sp., Desmodium sp., Digitaria sp.
Consumers: In a grassland, consumers are of three main types;
Primary Consumers
The primary consumers are herbivores feeding directly on grasses. These are grazing
animals such as Cows, Buffaloes, Sheep, Goats, Deer, Rabbits etc.
Besides them, numerous species of insects, termites, etc are also present.
Secondary Consumers
These are carnivores that feed on primary consumers (Herbivores)
These include;-Frogs, Snakes, Lizards, Birds, Foxes, Jackals etc.
Tertiary Consumers
These include hawks etc. which feed on secondary consumers.
Decomposers
These include wide variety of saprotrophic micro- organism like: Bacteria; Fungi;
Actinomycetes
They attract the dead or decayed bodies of organisms & thus decomposition takes place.
therefore ,nutrients are released for reuse by producers.
Abiotic components
These include basic inorganic & organic compounds present in the soil & aerial
environment.
The essential elements like C, H, N, O, P, S etc. are supplied by water, nitrogen, nitrates,
sulphates, phosphates present in soil & atmosphere.

2. ENERGY FLOW IN THE ECOSYSTEM

All organisms must obtain a supply of energy and nutrients from their environment in
order to survive

The transformations of energy in an ecosystem begin first with the input of energy from
the sun.

The flow of energy from producer level to top consumer level is called energy flow.
The flow of energy in an ecosystem is unidirectional.
It flows from producer level to consumer level and never in the reverse direction.
The process of energy flow involves transfer of energy from autotrophs to various
components of heterotrophs and help in maintaining bio diversity. The main source of energy
in the ecosystem is sunlight. About 80% of energy is lost during flow of energy from one
trophic level to the next one.
Sun --->Producer---> Herbivores---> Carnivores--> Top carnivores ----->Decomposers
.The transfer of food energy between the organisms in an ecosystem can be tracked by
constructing food chains, food webs, pyramids of numbers, biomass and energy and energy
flow diagrams.
Energy flow in the ecosystem follows two thermodynamics laws
“ Energy can neither be created nor destroyed, it can transfer from one form to
another”
“ Whenever energy is transformed from one form to another , there is some loss of
energy”
Photosynthesis -- Chemical reaction where green plants use water & carbon dioxide to
store the sun’s energy in glucose.
The energy contained within producers and consumers is ultimately passed to the
decomposers that are responsible for the constant recycling of nutrients.

Thus, there is a one-way flow of energy through the biotic community and a cycling of
nutrients between the biotic and abiotic components of the ecosystem

3. NITROGEN CYCLE
Nitrogen is crucial for all organisms found predominate in Nucleic acids, Proteins and
Chlorophyll
Nitrogen- 78% in Atmosphere
N2 is very stable and must be broken apart by organisms, combined with other atoms
into a usable form.
Nitogen cycle completes in 5 steps:
1) Nitrogen Fixation
Conversion of N2 → NH3
 Combustion, volcanic action, lightning, industrial processes (making fertilizer),
Bacteria(Azotobactor, Clostridium, Nostoc etc.)
2) Nitrification
Conversion of NH3 → NO3
Soil bacteria convert in a two step process.
3) Assimilation
Roots absorb NH3, NH4, or NO3 and incorporate them into nucleic acids and protein.
4) Ammonification
Amino acids and nucleotides are broken down into waste products NH3 or NH4
5) Denitrification
The reduction of NO3 to N2 .Denitrifying bacteria return some of the nitrogen to the
atmosphere

CARBON CYCLE
1. Carbon enters plants, etc., as CO2
2. Bacteria process carbon in a fashion that allows it to be recycled.
3. Obtain energy from the molecules, and convert carbohydrates to carbon dioxide as a result
of respiration.
4. Photosynthesis removes carbon from the abiotic environment (fixes carbon into organic
molecules)
5. Carbon moves through food chain through consumption of one organism by another.
6. Cellular respiration, combustion, and erosion of limestone return carbon to the
atmosphere, water and abiotic environment.

PHOSPHOROUS CYCLE
The only cycle that does not have a gaseous state
1. Inorganic phosphate is released from rocks and sediments through the action of erosion.
2. Soil phosphate is absorbed by plants and incorporated into nucleic acids, phospholipids
and ATP.
3. Animals obtain most of their PO43- by consumption of other animals and from water.
PO43- is released to the soil again by decomposers.
4. Dissolved PO43- gets absorbed by algae and aquatic plants
5. Decomposers break down waste and returns PO4 3- to sediments on the seabed.