ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

AND DISASTER
MANAGEMENT

Mr.C.RameshBabu M.E., Ph.D (Pursuing)

Sr.Gr. Assistant Professor,
Department of Civil Engineering,
Mepco SchlenK Engineering College.
UNIT II
ECOSYSTEMS AND BIODIVERSITY
Concept of an ecosystem – Structure and function of an ecosystem – Producers,
consumers and decomposers – Energy flow in the ecosystem (single channel energy
flow model) – Concept of nutrient cycling (Nitrogen cycle) – Ecological succession –
Food chains, food webs and ecological pyramids – Introduction to Biodiversity – 47
Definition: genetic, species and ecosystem diversity – Value of biodiversity:
consumptive use, productive use, social, ethical, aesthetic and option values –
Biodiversity at global, National and local levels – India as a mega diversity nation –
Hot-spots of biodiversity – Threats to biodiversity: habitat loss, poaching of wildlife,
man-wildlife conflicts – Endangered and endemic species of India – Conservation of
biodiversity: In-situ and Ex-situ conservation of biodiversity.
Ecosystem :
Communities of organisms interacting with one another and with
the physical environment of matter and energy in which they
live.
 CASE STUDY: TROPICAL FORESTS ARE
DISAPPEARING
• Tropical rain forests are found near the earth’s
equator and contain an incredible variety of life.
• These lush forests are warmyear round and have high
humidity and heavy rainfall almost daily.
• Although they cover no more than 6% of the earth’s
land surface, studies indicate that they contain up to
half of the world’s known terrestrial plant and animal
species.
• So far, at least half of these forests have been destroyed or
disturbed by humans cutting down trees, growing crops,
grazing cattle, and building settlements and the degradation
of these centers of life (biodiversity) is increasing.
DEFORESTATION IN THAILAND
WHY SHOULD WE CARE ABOUT DEGRADATION OF
TROPICAL FORESTS?
WHAT DO SCIENTISTS SAY?
Scientists give three reasons.
First, it will reduce the earth’s vital biodiversity by destroying or
degrading the habitats of many of the unique plant and animal species
found in these forests, thereby causing their premature extinction.
Second, it will help to accelerate projected climate change by
eliminating large areas of trees faster than they can grow back,
thereby degrading the forests’ abilities to remove the greenhouse gas
carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere.
Third, it will change regional weather patterns in ways
that can prevent the return of diverse tropical rain
forests in cleared or degraded areas. Once this
irreversible ecological tipping point
is reached tropical rain forests in such areas will
become less diverse tropical grasslands.
• Ecologists study an ecosystem to learn how its
variety of organisms interact with their living
(biotic) environment of other organisms and with
their nonliving (abiotic) environment of soil,
water, other forms of matter, and energy, mostly
from the sun.
• In effect, ecologists study connections in nature.
Tropical rain forests and other ecosystems recycle
nutrients and provide humans and other
organisms with essential natural services