Environmental Science

UNIT -1

 Basic principles:

 Ecology, Environment and Eco System;

biological levels of eco system; relationship
of ecology and tourism; tourism activities
and their linkages to ecology; environment
pollution; environmental impact of tourism.
 Definition
 Environmental science is the study of the effects of
natural and unnatural processes, and of interactions of the
physical components of the planet on the environment.

 Environmental science is the multidisciplinary study of all

aspects of the Earth’s physical and biological
environments. It encompasses environmental chemistry,
soil science, ecology, climatology, vegetation cover,
marine and freshwater systems, as well as environmental
remediation and preservation, and agriculture and land
use.
 Ecology, Environment and Eco System
Environment

 Environment is the natural component in which biotic (living) and abiotic

(nonliving) factors interact with each other. These interactions shape the
habitat and ecosystem of an organism.
 In biological sense, environment constitute the physical (nutrients, water, air
etc.) and biological factors (biomolecules, organisms) along with their
chemical interactions (chemical cycles – carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle etc.)
that affect an organism or a group of organisms.
 All organisms are dependent on the environment to carry out their natural life
processes (birth to death) and to meet their physical requirements (food,
energy, water, oxygen, shelter etc.).
 The environment is not static. Both biotic and abiotic factors are in a
constant flux and keep changing continuously.
Habitat

 Habitat is the physical environment in which an organism lives (it corresponds

to address of an organism).
 It is an ecological or environmental area inhabited by particular species of
plants, animals, fungi, etc. Many habitats make up the environment.
 A single habitat may be common for more than one organism which have
similar requirements.
 For example, a single aquatic habitat may support a fish, frog, crab,
phytoplankton and many other kinds of organisms.
 The various species sharing a habitat thus have the same ‘address’. Forest,
river etc. are other examples of habitat.
 All habitats are environments but all environments are not habitats.
 Biosphere
 The biosphere is the biological component (supporting life) of earth which
includes the lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere.
 The biosphere includes all living organisms on earth, together with the dead
organic matter produced by them.
 Biosphere is absent at extremes of the North and South poles, the highest
mountains and the deepest oceans, since existing hostile conditions there do
not support life [Life is the characteristic feature of biosphere].
 Occasionally spores of fungi and bacteria do occur at great height beyond
8,000 metres, but they are metabolically inactive, and hence represent only
dormant life.
Ecosystem

 An ecosystem can be visualised as a functional unit of nature, where living organisms

[producers, consumers, and decomposers] interact among themselves and also with the
surrounding physical environment.
 Ecosystem varies greatly in size from a small pond to a large forest or a sea.
 Forest, grassland and desert are some examples of terrestrial ecosystems; pond, lake,
wetland, river and estuary are some examples of aquatic ecosystems. Crop fields and an
aquarium may also be considered as man-made ecosystems.
 In the ecosystem, biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient
cycles and energy flows.
 An ecosystem can be of any size but usually encompasses specific and limited species. Eg:
Aquatic Ecosystem. [This is how ecosystem is different from Environment]
 Everything that lives in an ecosystem is dependent on the other species and elements that
are also part of that ecological community. If one part of an ecosystem is damaged or
disappears, it has an impact on everything else.
Difference Between Ecology, Environment &
Ecosystem
 Ecology is the study of the ecosystems and the
environment.
 Environment is a group of ecosystems.
 Ecosystem is a functional unit of environment (mostly
biosphere).
 Environment → Can be Almost Everything or a Small
region.
 Habitat → Area where an organism lives.
 Biosphere → The region on earth that supports life.
 Ecosystem → Producers, Consumers, Decomposers and
their relationships (tiny environment). It is the
functional unit of the environment.
ECOSYSTEM – ECOLOGY + ENVIRONMENT

 Ecology—the scientific study of interactions between different organisms and

between organisms and their environment or surroundings
ECOSYSTEM

A region with specific and recognizable

landscape :Forest , Grassland ,Desert , WETLAND ,
OR COASTAL AREA
 Components of an Ecosystem

 The components of the ecosystem are categorized into abiotic or non-living

and biotic or living components. Both the components of ecosystem and
environment are same.
Abiotic Components

 Abiotic components are the inorganic and non-living parts which act as
major limiting factors.
 Biotic Components
 Primary producers – Autotrophs (self-nourishing)
 Primary producers are basically green plants, certain bacteria and algae that carry out photosynthesis.
 In terrestrial ecosystem, grasses, plants and trees are the primary producers while in aquatic ecosystem, microscopic algae
[plankton] are the primary producers.
 Consumers — Heterotrophs or Phagotrophs (other nourishing)
 Consumers are incapable of producing their own food. They depend on organic food derived from plants, animals or both.
 Consumers can be divided into two broad groups namely micro and macro consumers.
 Macro consumers
 Herbivores are primary consumers which feed mainly on plants e.g. cow.
 Secondary consumers feed on primary consumers e.g. wolves, dogs, etc.
 Carnivores which feed on both primary and secondary consumers are called tertiary consumers e.g. lion which can eat wolves,
snakes etc.
 Omnivores are organisms which consume both plants and animals e.g. man, bear, etc.
 Micro consumers – Saprotrophs (decomposers or osmotrophs)
 They are bacteria and fungi which obtain energy and nutrients from dead organic substances (detritus) of plant and animals.
 The products of decomposition such as inorganic nutrients which are released in the ecosystem are reused by producers and thus
recycled.
 Earthworm and certain soil organisms (such as nematodes, and arthropods) are detritus feeders and help in the decomposition of
organic matter and are called detrivores.
Classification of Ecosystems
Levels of Ecological Organization

 Biosphere: Earth, supports life

 Biome: group of ecosystems with similar climate (Tundra,
Grasslands, Deciduous Forrest)
 Ecosystem: All Biotic & Abiotic factors existing together (forest,
ocean, park)
 Community: multiple groups of organisms living in the same
ecosystem (only organisms; )
 Population: one species of organism
 Organism: a single organism