EVS PRACTICAL 1

AIM- Use of environmental activity worksheet to understand interdependence and interaction

between different environmental components.

THEORY / BACKGROUND-
• DEFINE ENVIRONMENT

The Environment Protection Act, of 1986 defines the environment as the inclusion of land,
water, air, and the interrelationships which exist among these, human beings and other
living beings.

• DIFFERENT COMPONENTS OF ENVIRONMENT

The components of an environment are:

1. Atmosphere: The layer of gases that surrounds the Earth is called the atmosphere.

2. Hydrosphere: All forms of water on Earth, including oceans, lakes, rivers, groundwater, and
atmospheric water vapor which covers three- fourths of the Earth.

3. Lithosphere: It is the outer most surface of the Earth which includes desert, plains,
mountains etc.

4. Biosphere: The living component of the environment, which includes all forms of life.

• IMPORTANCE OF DIFFERENT COMPONENTS

Here's a brief overview of the importance of different components of the environment:

1. Atmosphere: (a) It sustains life on the earth.

(b) It saves it from the hostile environment of outer space.
(c) It absorbs most of the cosmic rays from outer space and a major portion of the
electromagnetic radiation from the sun.
(d) It transmits only ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared radiation and radio waves
while filtering out tissue-damaging ultraviolet waves.

2. Hydrosphere: Supplies water for life, agriculture, and industry.

 3. Lithosphere: Offers habitat and resources for organisms including the food supply.

4. Biosphere: Supports biodiversity and ecosystem services

• INTERACTIONS BETWEEN DIFFERENT COMPONENTS

The interaction between the different components leads to the following functions which are
essential for the propagation of life:

1. Energy flow

2. Nutrient Cycling

3. Efficient and stable interactions between different living organisms in the form of food
chains and food webs.

OBJECTIVE- To study the importance of different environmental components in the given study
area.

METHODOLOGY-

 AREA CHOSEN

The area chosen for this practical was the Rose Garden on the grounds of the Bhim Ra Ambedkar
College, Delhi University.

 METHOD OF OBSERVATION

The method of observation was personal observation i.e., the participants of this project physically
went to the garden and recorded the data in their respective files. The data is thus primary and
quantitative in nature.

 RECORD KEEPING

The data was recorded in files and documented through pictures with the GPS coordinates of the

OBSERVATION-
GPS Photo-

Soil components Compact/Tilled/Dry/Watered Watered

Water source Natural/ Anthropogenic Anthropogenic

Trees 1 type
Producers Shrubs 2 types
Herbs 6-7 types
Flowering plants 2 type (Rose)
Dry
Leaves Dead Dead and healthy
Molted
Healthy
Dry
Flower Dead Dead and healthy
Molted
Healthy

Birds No. 4-5

Type 2 (Pigeons and crows)

Insects No. 4
Type 4 (Butterfly, ant, wasp,
 lizard)

Light conditions Shaded Sunlit

Sunlight receiving

DISCUSSION-

The leaves and flowers in the rose garden varied greatly; some were dead and curled up while
others were relatively healthy. The trees were well taken care of and healthy as well. The flowering
plants, i.e., roses are woody perennial plants and are found in woodlands where the tree cover is
not too thick, grasslands, along waterfronts of lakes and rivers, and even in some semi-arid
deserts. The trees found and herbs found in the rose garden are found largely in the temperate
mid-latitudes of, Siberia, Canada, Australia, Africa, Scandinavia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Amazon and
Orinoco basins of South America, Himalayas and western ghats of India and Andaman and the
Nicobar Islands. Pigeons and crows are originally found throughout Europe, parts of northern
Africa, and western Asia. The insects like wasps, ant, butterfly and lizards are easily found
throughout Southern Asia.

Compared to the usual climate where these trees and plants are found, the rose garden is an
overlap between monsoon-influenced humid subtropical and semi-arid with high variation
between summer and winter temperatures and precipitation. Abiotic components such as
sunlight and soil along with biotic components such as birds, insects, trees, shrubs and herbs
interact with each other in this area.

CONCLUSION-
Through this project, we have observed the different components of environment and their
interaction and interdependence in our day-to-day life. Even in a small area such as the rose
garden, abiotic and biotic components interact with each other and support life. We have learned
the importance of the different components of the environment which are the atmosphere,
lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere and personally observe the various factors which make
up an ecosystem.