UNIT I

ENVIRONMENT,
ECOSYSTEMS AND
BIODIVERSITY
ENVIRONMENT

It is everything
that is around us.
 Scope and
Importance Of
Risk And Hazards
ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD
It is a substance,
state or event which
has the potential to
threaten the
surrounding.
CHEMICAL HAZARDS IN
THE ENVIRONMENT
It is a substance,
state or event which
has the potential to
threaten the
surrounding.
TYPES OF CHEMICAL
HAZARDS
Flammable
material that will burn
or ignite, causing fire
or combustion.
Irritant
material that can cause
harm to an individual
like skin allergy.
Reactive
material that reacts
violently or explodes
under either ambient
conditions or when in
contact with air, water, or
other chemicals.
Toxic
material that may cause
harm to an individual if
it enters the body.
HOW TO PREVENT CHEMECIAL
HAZARDS
• Follow new label requirements
• Educate workers on effects of hazardous
chemicals
• Be aware of all sources of flammable gases
• Watch out for substances that can spark a
fire
• Maintain equipment to avoid electrical
hazards
PHYSICAL HAZARDS IN
THE ENVIRONMENT
A PHYSICAL HAZARD IS AN AGENT, FACTOR OR
CIRCUMSTANCE THAT CAN CAUSE HARM WITH
OUR WITHOUT CONTACT, THEY CAN BE
CLASSIFIED AS TYPE OF OCCUPATIONAL
HAZARD OR ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD.
PHYSICAL HAZARDS INCLUDE ERGONOMIC
HAZARDS, RADIATION, HEAT AND COLD
STRESS, VIBRATION HAZARDS,
AND NOISE HAZARDS. ENGINEERING CONTROLS
ARE OFTEN USED TO MITIGATE PHYSICAL
HAZARDS
ENGINEERING CONTROLS
BASIC TYPES OF
ENGINEERING CONTROLS
• Process Control
• Enclosure and/or isolation of
emission source
• Ventilation
• Administrative Controls
AGRICULTURE
Agriculture is a hazardous industry.
Those who work on the land may be
exposed to potentially dangerous
machinery, vehicles, chemicals,
livestock, working at heights or in
confined spaces. Land workers are
exposed to the extremes of weather,
noise and dust.
RISK
REMEDY
CONSTRUCTION WORK
‘Construction work’ in the context of
work health and safety can be
defined in a number of ways
depending on the tasks undertaken.
These include but may not be
limited to construction ‘projects’
and ‘high risk’ construction work.
RISK
REMEDY
FALLING OBJECTS
Objects have the potential to fall onto
or hit people at the workplace or
adjoining areas if precautions aren’t
taken. Adjoining areas may include a
public footpath, road, square or the
yard of a dwelling or other building
beside a workplace.
RISK
REMEDY
BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS IN
THE ENVIRONMENT
Biological hazards are organic
substances that pose a threat to the
health of humans and other living
organisms. Biological hazards
include pathogenic micro-
organisms, viruses, toxins (from
biological sources), spores, fungi
and bio-active substances.
TYPES OF BIOLOGICAL
HAZARDS
Bacteria
Viruses
Fungi
HOW BIOLOGICAL
HAZARDS ENTER THE
BODY?
Biological hazards enter the body
through:
Inhalation
Absorption
Ingestion
Injection
LEVELS OF BIOLOGICAL
HAZARDS
Level one
Level two
Level three
Level four
CONTROLLING EXPOSURE
TO BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS
Engineering Controls
Administrative Controls
Personal Protective
equipment
Standard precautions
ECOSYSTEM
“ORGANISMS
INTERACTING WITH
EACH OTHER AND THE
ENVIRONMENT”
CHARACTERISTICS
OF ECOSYSTEM
Nutrient Cycle and
Energy Flow
Major Ecological Unit

Flexible
Biotic and Abiotic
Components
WHAT ARE
ECOSYSTEMS LIKE ?

INCREDIBLY DIVERSE !
DISTRIBUTION OF BIOMES
ON EARTH
TYPES OF ECOSYSTEM
STRUCTURE OF AN
ECOSYSTEM
 SUNLIGHT
PRECIPITATION

ABIOTIC COMPONENT
TEMPERATURE SOIL/ WATER
CHEMISTRY

WATER/ MOISTURE
PRIMARY PRODUCERS
HERBIVORES

BIOTIC COMPONENT
CARNIVORES
DETRITIVORES
 A. PRODUCERS
(AUTOTROPHIC COMPONENT)
 B. CONSUMERS
(HETEROTROPHIC COMPONENT)
C. DECOMPOSERS
FUNCTIONAL ATTRIBUTES
OF ECOSYSTEM
FOOD CHAIN
A linear network of
links in a food web.
From producer
organism to Apex
Predator
FOOD WEB
Many food chains
ECOLOGICAL PYRAMID
A graphical representation in
the shape of a pyramid to show
the feeding relationship of
groups of organisms, and the
flow of energy or biomass
through the different trophic
levels in a given ecosystem.
ENERGY FLOW
Energy flow, also called
the calorific flow, refers to
the flow of energy through
a food chain, and is the focus
of study in ecological
energetics.
CARBON CYCLE
The circulation and
transformation of
carbon back and forth
between living things
and the environment.
OXYGEN CYCLE
Elaborates how
oxygen circulates in
various forms
through nature.
NITROGEN CYCLE
Circulation of nitrogen in
various forms through
nature. Nitrogen, a
component
of proteins and nucleic acids,
is essential to life on earth.
PHOSPHORUS CYCLE
Is the biogeochemical cycle
that describes the
movement
of phosphorus through the
lithosphere, hydrosphere,
and biosphere.
SULFUR CYCLE
Is the collection of
processes by which sulfur
moves to and from
minerals (including the
waterways) and living
systems.
ECOLOGICAL SUCCESSION
PROCESSES
FOREST ECOSYSTEM
IS A NATURAL WOODLAND UNIT
CONSISTING OF ALL PLANTS,
ANIMALS AND MICRO-
ORGANISMS IN THAT AREA
FUNCTIONING TOGETHER WITH
ALL OF THE NON-LIVING
PHYSICAL FACTORS OF THE
ENVIRONMENT.
TYPES OF FOREST
ECOSYSTEM
Rainforests - A rainforest is a
dense area of jungle that gets a
high amount of rainfall. A rain
forest is a particularly humid,
thick type of forest that is
typically found in the tropical
regions of the world.
Savanna and Woodland - are
characterized by vast areas of
grasslands
CHARACTERISTIC
FEATURES
1. Seasonality: In countries that have seasonal
climates, forest ecosystems will change with
the seasons.
2. Deciduous or evergreen: A forest may be
deciduous (i.e. it sheds its leaves in winter) or
evergreen (i.e. its leaves stay green and intact
all the time), or it may be a mix of both
deciduous and evergreen trees.
3. Attractive to birds: Many bird species nest in
tree tops and this makes forest ecosystems
attractive to birds.
STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION
I. Biotic components
The various biotic
components, representatives
from the three functional
groups, of a forest ecosystem
are:
1.Producer Organisms
2.Consumers
• Primary Consumers
• Secondary Consumers
• Tertiary Consumers
3. Decomposers
II. Abiotic components
Are non-living chemical and
physical parts of the environment
that affect living organisms and the
functioning of ecosystems.
GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEM
Also called greenswards
are areas where the
vegetation is dominate by
grasses and other non-
woody plants.
I. Biotic components
1.Producer Organisms
2.Consumers
• Primary Consumers
• Secondary Consumers
• Tertiary Consumers
3. Decomposers
II. Abiotic components
The essential elements like
C, H, N, O, P, S etc. are
supplied by water, nitrogen,
nitrates,sulphates, phosphates
present in soil & atmosphere.
DESERT ECOSYSTEM
A DESERT IS A
LANDSCAPE OR
REGION THAT
RECEIVES ALMOST NO
PRECIPITATION.
I. Biotic components
•Producer Organisms
•Consumer Organisms
•Decomposers
II. Abiotic components
•Due to high temperature & very
low rainfall, the organic
substances are poorly present
in the soil.
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM
A. FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEM
TYPES:
• LENTIC – SLOW-MOVING WATER
• LOTIC – RAPIDLY-MOVING WATER
• WETLANDS – SOIL IS SATURATED
WITH WATER
Lake And Pond Ecosystem
 It includes submerged, free floating

Producers and amphibious macrophytes and

minute floating and suspended
lower phytoplanktons.
 These are zooplanktons and

Consumers benthos. Carnivores like insects and

fishes feeding on herbivores. large
fishes feeding on small fishes.
 Micro – organisms like

Decomposers bacteria, fungi and

actinomyctes.
Abiotic
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.
B. MARINE/OCEAN ECOSYSTEM
 It includes phytoplanktons, large

Producers seaweeds; angiosperms like, and

mangrove vegetation.
Consumers These are herbivores and feed
directly on producers .
 Micro – organisms like

Decomposers bacteria, fungi and

actinomyctes.
Abiotic
High Na, Ca, Mg and K salt
concentration, variable dissolved oxygen
content, light &Temperature makes a
unique physiochemical condition in
marine water.
BIODIVERSITY

-The variety and

variability of life on
earth is known as
biodiversity.
LEVELS OR TYPES OF
BIODIVERSITY
1.Genetic diversity

- Due to the diversity of

genetic materials
within species
2. Species diversity

- The variation among species in

a community.

species richness
- number of species in an area

Species abundance
- Refers to the number of
individuals per species
3. Community Diversity

- Variation in the
biological communities in
an ecosystem.
4. Ecosystem diversity

- Variation in the
structure and functions
of different ecosystems.
3 PERSPECTIVE OF
ECOSYSTEM DIVERSITY

Alpha Diversity

- refers to the diversity

of organisms sharing the
same Community/Habitat.
Beta Diversity

- It refers to the diversity

of organisms sharing two
habitat.
Gamma Diversity

- Diversity of the habitat

over the total landscape
or geographical area
IMPORTANT SPECIES
IN A COMMUNITY
1.Keystone Species

- Species or set of species

whose impact on its
community or ecosystem
is much larger and more
influential
2. Indicator Species

- Species that serve as

early warning s of
damage to a community or
ecosystem.
3. Native species

- Species which are native

to particular area.
4. Exotic or alien Species

- Species that migrate or

accidentally introduced
into an ecosystem by
human beings.
HOT SPOTS OF BIODIVERSITY
Hot Spots are the richest and most
threatened reservoirs of plant and
animal life on earth.
Key criteria for determining Hot Spots
are:
• contain 0.5% of plant endemic
species
• degree of threat which is measured
in terms of habitat loss(70% loss)
THREATS TO BIODIVERSITY
FACTORS LEADING TO EXTINCTION OF
SPECIES
1. Destruction of Habitats
2. Habitat Fragmentation
3. Disturbance and pollution
4. Introduction of exotic species
5. Hunting and over exploitation
6. Poaching
7. Man wildlife Conflicts
REASONS FOR MAN-WILD LIFE
CONFLICT
Habitat loss
Human encroachment
Ill, weak and sick animals attack man Females of
many animals attack to secure their babies During hot
summer for water
Shortage of food
Farmers put electric wire
Human Settlements area in the migratory routes
 THE VALUES
OF BIODIVERSITY
CONSUMPTIVE VALUES
These are values where
the biodiversity
products can be
harvested and
consumed directly.
PRODUCTIVE OR
COMMERCIAL VALUES
These are the values
where the products is
marketed and sold.
SOCIAL VALUES
These are the values
associated with the social
life, customs, religion and
psycho spiritual aspects of
the people.
ETHICAL VALUES
It involves ethical issues
like “all life must be
preserved” and “Live
and Let Live”.
AESTHETIC VALUES
This value is associated
to eco tourism and the
“willingness to pay”
concept.
OPTIONAL VALUES
These values include
the potentials of
biodiversity that are
unknown and needed to
be explored.
ECOSYSTEM SERVICE VALUE
This value is related
to self maintenance
of the ecosystem and
various important
ecosystem services.
GENETIC VALUE

This value is
important for species
to be able to adapt in
a changing
environment.
CLASSIFICATION
OF
SPECIES
EXTINCT SPECIES

A species is said to
be extinct when it is
not seen in the wild
for 50 years at a
stretch.
ENDANGERED SPECIES
When the number has
been reduced to a critical
level or whose habitats
have been drastically
reduced and when not
protected and conserved.
CRITICALLY ENDANGERED
SPECIES

Species are facing

extremely high risk
of extinction in
immediate future.
RARE SPECIES
Species which are
not endangered at
present, but at risk.
ENDEMIC SPECIES

Species which are

restricted to a
particular area.