Chapter 1

Introduction to
Environmental Studies
Environment = Environ (Surrounding)

Each and everything around us

 DEFINITION
•ENVIRONMENT:
The sum total of all living and non living things around us
influencing one another.
•ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
The study of biotic and abiotic components and their
interrelationship.
•ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
The application of engineering principles to the protection and
enhancement of quality of the environment and to the protection of
public health and welfare.
•ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
The process of educating the people for preserving quality
environment
 Energy
components

PHYSICAL COMPONENT
ABIOTIC COMPONENT AND BIOTIC
COMPONENT
 STRUCTURE OF ATMOSPHERE

Cover of earth

Envelope of earth

Extends upto 500 km from earth surface

Essential for all living beings

Composition:78% nitrogen,21% of Oxygen,!%

of other gases
STRUCTURE OF ATMOSPHERE
 Ionosphere

Meteors burns
 FUNCTION OF ATMOSPHERE

•Maintain heat balance by absorbing UV radiation

•Gases present help in sustaining life

FUNCTION
•Home for humans and wild life
•Store house of minerals and
Organic matter
 SCOPE OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

To get awareness of environment and related

problems
To motivate active Participation in environment
protection and improvement
To identify and solve environmental problems
To know the need of conservation of natural
resources
To evaluate environmental programmes
(Social, economic,ecological and aesthetic
factors)
 IMPORTANCE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF
ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
People will understand
 The concept of “Need of development without
destruction of environment”.
Gain knowledge of different types of environment and
the effects of environmental hazards.
Inform people about effective role in protecting
environment by demanding changes in laws and
enforcement systems.
Relates quality of life we live.
Develop a concern and respect for the environment.
ADVISORY COUNCIL
Public acts as advisory
council and help in keeping the
environment suitable for living
Enforcement of law
Service of public is used to
enforcement of laws.Member of
public can also conduct publicc
interest litigations
CHAPTER 2

ECOSYSTEM
 DEFINITION
ECOLOGY
Study of interaction among organism or group of
organism with their environment.It consists of both biotic
and abiotic components.
(OR)
Study of ecosystems
ECOSYSTEMS
Group of organism interacting among themselves and
with the environment is known as ecosystem
(OR)
It is a community of different species interacting with one
another and with their non living environment exchanging
matter and energy
 Biome

•It is a small ecosystem

within an ecosystem

•Many sets of
ecosystem are exposed
to same climatic
condition and have
dominant species with
similar life cycle,climatic
adoptation and physical
structure.This set is
called BIOME
 Chemical STRUCTUR OF ECOSYSTEM
component

Physical
components
ENERGY FLOW IN AN ECOSYSTEM

PHOTOSYNTHESIS
Energy flow depends on Laws of thermodynamics
I law
energy can neither be created nor destroyed,but
converted frfoom one form to another.
II law
Whenever energy is transformed ,there is a loss of
energy through the release of heat
Lake ecosystem
NUTRIENT CYCLE (OR )FLOW (OR) BIOGEOCHEMICAL
CYCLE
NUTRIENT CYCLE (OR )FLOW (OR) BIOGEOCHEMICAL
CYCLE
 HYDROLOGICAL CYCLE
Movement of water in acyclic manner is called hydrological cycle
Carbon cycle
 FOOD CHAIN
Sequence of eating and being eaten in an ecosystem is known as food
chain
OR
Transfer of food energy from the plants through the series of organism
 FOOD WEB
Interlocking pattern of food chain in an ecosystem
Trophic levels
FOOD CHAIN AND FOOD WEB OF
FOREST ECOSYSTEM
FOOD CHAIN AND FOOD WEB OF
GRASS LAND ECOSYSTEM
FOOD CHAIN AND FOOD WEB OF
DESERT ECOSYSTEM
POND ECOSYSTEM
 CHAPTER 3

BIODIVERSITY
RISK AND HAZARDS IN ENVIRONMENT
RISK AND HAZARDS IN ENVIRONMENT
BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS