ACFrOgBk0fSnPiZeloBv6lyGM2v CbwPU8On0vf8YjaH cWNEAQb02ezlEgfYnHihCLr3vZszwfL4vEz6gzEnYr2OhsSPcjCc2eNqKcueF6PmavSmAdgVyo0JffXyMAFJW6hvq0u8vQRHMShG5ap

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
Ecology and concept of Ecosystem
Introduction, Evolution: Earth and Life.
Concept of Ecosystem, General Structure and Function:
 Energy flow, Primary & Secondary Production
SCHOOL OF PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE,VIJAYAWADA

S.R.M UNIVERSITY M.ARCH(LANDSCAPE)
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE AND ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING
ECOLOGY AND CONCEPT OF ECOSYSTEM

Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you
FRANK LYOLD WRIGHT

KEY QUESTIONS AND CONCEPTS
What is an environmentally sustainable society?

How can environmentally sustainable societies grow economically?
How are our ecological footprints affecting the earth?
What is pollution, and what can we do about it?
Why do we have environmental problems?
What are four scientific principles of sustainability?

1. What is an environmentally sustainable society?
CONCEPT 1A Our lives and economies depend on energy from the sun
(solar capital ) and on natural resources and natural services (natural capital )
provided by the earth.
CONCEPT 1B Living sustainably means living off the earth’s natural income
without depleting or degrading the natural capital that supplies it.
2.How can environmentally sustainable societies grow economically?

CONCEPT 2 Societies can become more environmentally sustainable through
economic development dedicated to improving the quality of life for everyone
without degrading the earth’s life support systems.

3. How are our ecological footprints affecting the earth?

CONCEPT 3 As our ecological footprints grow, we are depleting and degrading more
of the earth’s natural capital.
4. What is pollution, and what can we do about it?
CONCEPT 4 Preventing pollution is more effective and less costly than cleaning up
pollution.
5 .Why do we have environmental problems?
CONCEPT 5A Major causes of environmental problems are population growth,
wasteful and unsustainable resource use, poverty, exclusion of environmental
costs of resource use from the market prices of goods and services, and attempts to
manage nature with insufficient knowledge.
CONCEPT 5B People with different environmental worldviews often disagree about

the seriousness of environmental problems and what we should do about them.

What are four scientific principles of sustainability?

CONCEPT 6 :Nature has sustained itself for billions of years by using solar
energy, biodiversity, population control, and nutrient cycling—lessons from nature
that we can apply to our lifestyles and economies.

ECOLOGY AND CONCEPT OF ECOSYSTEM ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ECOLOGY:
Ecology is a derivation from Greek Ecologists are concerned with:

meaning
• Composition,
‘Eco’ – ‘House’, ‘ logy’ – ‘Study of’
• Distribution,
Ecology is the scientific study
of the relations that living • Amount (biomass),
organisms have with respect
to each other and their natural • Number, and
environment.
• Changing states of Organisms
within and among ecosystems
Ecology is a sub-discipline of Biology, the study of life.
The word "ecology“ was coined in 1866 by the German scientist Ernst
Haeckel (1834–1919)

Major Fields of Study Related to Environmental Science

Key natural resources (blue) and natural services (orange) that support and
sustain the earth’s life and economies
Global outlook: comparison of developed and developing countries, 2008. (Data

from the United Nations and the World Bank)


Natural capital use and degradation: total and per capita ecological footprints of selected
countries (top). In 2003, humanity’s total or global ecological footprint was about 25%
higher than the earth’s ecological capacity (bottom) and is projected to be twice the
Environmental and social scientists have identified five basic causes of the
environmental problems we face

Some harmful results of poverty.

Steps involved in making an environmental decision.


some shifts involved in bringing about the environmental or sustainability

revolution.

Natural capital: general structure of the earth

show-ing that it consists of a land sphere, air
sphere, water sphere, and life sphere.

Range of tolerance for a population of organisms, such as fish, to an abiotic

environmental factor—in this case, temperature. These restrictions keep particular
species from taking over an ecosystem by keeping their population size in check.

Primary consumers, or herbivores (plant eaters), are animals such as rabbits,

grasshoppers, deer, and zooplankton that eat producers, mostly by feeding on green
plants.
• Secondary consumers, or carnivores (meat eaters), are animals such as spiders,
hyenas, birds, frogs, and some zooplankton-eating fish, all of which feed on the flesh
of herbivores.
• Third- and higher-level consumers are carnivores such as tigers, wolves, mice-
eating snakes, hawks, and killer whales (orcas) that feed on the flesh of other
carnivores.
• Omnivores such as pigs, foxes, cockroaches, and humans, play dual roles by
feeding on both plants and animals.
• Decomposers, primarily certain types of bacteria and fungi, are consumers that
release nutrients from the dead bodies of plants and animals and return them to the
soil, water, and air for reuse by producers.

Detritus feeders, or detritivores, feed on the wastes or dead bodies of other

organisms, called detritus (“di-TRI-tus,” meaning debris). Examples
include small organisms such as mites and earthworms, some insects, catfish, and
larger scavenger organisms such as vultures.

Generalized pyramid of energy flow showing the decrease in usable chemical energy
available at each succeeding trophic level in a food chain or web. In nature, ecological
efficiency varies from 2% to 40%, with 10% efficiency being common. This model
assumes a 10% ecological efficiency (90% loss of usable energy to the environment, in
the form of low-quality heat) with each transfer from one trophic level to another

Ecologists seek to explain the following:
• Life processes and Adaptations
• Distribution and abundance of organisms
• The movement of materials and energy through living communities
• The Successional development of Ecosystems, and
• The Abundance and Distribution of Biodiversity in context of the

environment.
http://wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecology
ECOSYSTEM:
An ecosystem consists of the biological community that occurs in some

locale, and hence share the physical air, soil, water and sunlight and
chemical factors that make up its non-living or abiotic environment.
There are many examples of ecosystems –
• A Pond or Freshwater Ecosystem,
• A Forest Ecosystem,
• An Estuary Ecosystem,
• A Grassland Ecosystem

ECOSYSTEM:

POND OR FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEM:
POND - A living ecosystem
Is a balance of fish, plants, and beneficial

bacteria that compliment and support each
other.
THE CYCLE
A fish in a pond eat the plants and algae that
grow on the various surfaces in the pond.
The fish produce wastes, which settle into the

bottom of the pond, where they are broken
down by beneficial aerobic bacteria. The
bacteria provide nutrients for the pond's
plants, which feed the fish, and so the cycle
continues.

Creating a POND-ECOSYSTEM:
1. A Circulation System:
The proper size pump and pipe diameter are
extremely important for the aesthetics of a
water feature.
An efficient circulation system keeps the

water moving and provides the necessary
oxygen levels for healthy fish and plants.
Circulation System
2. A Filtration System:
A biological and a mechanical filter is necessary.
A biological filter provides surface area for beneficial

bacteria to colonize and remove excess nutrients
from the water.
A mechanical filter will not only pre-filter the water

and house the pump; it will also skim debris from the
water’s surface to prevent the accumulation of
organic materials on the pond floor.
Biological Filter
3. Fish:
Fishes are an integral part of this- ecosystem. Fish will

actually reduce pond maintenance, as they graze on
string algae and bottom feed from the pond floor.
Koi Fish a popular choice is rendered as a Ornamental

Fish
Koi Fish
4. Aquatic Plants:
Aquatic Plants true filters.
Plants are great for adding character to a

pond by providing color and texture.
The aquatic plants in a water garden, given

proper coverage, and are critical for the
overall health of the ecosystem
Edge Aquatic Plants - Typha
5. Rock, Gravels & Bacterias:
Rocks and gravel will make your pond look more

natural, they will also protect pond liners from UV light
degradation and
They provide tremendous surface area for beneficial

bacteria to break down excess nutrients in the water
and dissolved organic debris on the pond floor.
Rock & Gravels

FOREST ECOSYSTEM:
A forest ecosystem
typically is associated with
land masses covered in
trees and those trees are
often classified into forest
cover types.
A forest is a system that

supports interacting units
including trees, soil,
insects, animals, and
man.

TROPICAL RAINFOREST ECOSYSTEM:
The macro and

microclimate in a
tropical rainforest
is created based
on the coherent
factors.
TROPICAL RAINFOREST ECOSYSTEM:
Three Storey Plants in Tropical Rain Forest Affect the height.
The character of each of the storey is unique and needs to be considered while designing.
ESTUARY ECOSYSTEM:
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal

body of water with one or more rivers or
streams flowing into it to the open sea.
In addition to providing economic, cultural

and ecological benefits to communities,
estuaries deliver invaluable ecosystem
services, they are water filtration and
habitat protection.
Estuaries are some of the most fertile

ecosystems on Earth, yet they may also
be some of the most polluted.
Estuaries and their surrounding wetlands

are also buffer zones. They stabilize
Mangrove Edge
shorelines and protect coastal areas,
inland habitats and human communities Estuarine habitats also protect from
from floods and storm surges from excessive erosion caused by wind,
hurricanes. water and ice.
ESTUARY ECOSYSTEM:
Estuary Ecosystem
GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEM:
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by
grasses and other herbaceous (non-woody) plant.
Grassland Ecosystems are influenced overtime by:

• Local Climate
• Plants
• Variation in local landscape
• Distribution such as fire and floods
• The organisms that live in them
Food Pyramid at Grassland

The parent material is often
composed of fine sediments, and
grasslands are most often in
valley or plateau landscapes. The
organisms that live in them include
plants and animals that have
adapted to the dry climatic
Grassland Ecosystem conditions in a variety of ways.
CONCEPT OF ECOSYSTEM:
Ecological Balance:
Ecosystems are regularly confronted with These disturbances create places of

natural environmental variations and renewal where new directions emerge out
disturbances over time and geographic of the patchwork of natural
space. A disturbance is any process that experimentation and opportunity.
removes living biomass from a community,
such as a fire, flood, drought, or predation.
Disturbances, such as fire, are both

cause and product of natural
fluctuations in death rates, species
assemblages, and biomass densities
within an ecological community.


Species: a group of organisms that are able to exchange genes or interbreed, and
create fertile offsprings. The species is the principal taxonomic unit of
classification.
Habitat: the area characterized by a given set of environmental variables
(abiotic and biotic factors) required by a species for survival, growth and
reproduction.
Spatial heterogeneity: Non-random distribution of species or individuals within
an area. Spatial heterogeneity can be related to landscape heterogeneity or a
property of the population.
Landscape composition: Number and type of landscape elements.
Landscape configuration: Spatial arrangement of landscape elements. It can
be related to the size, the location and the form of the habitat patches.

Landscape fragmentation: Habitat configuration within a landscape depending on

isolation and habitat patch size. Landscape fragmentation is also the process
involving the loss and the breaking apart of habitat.
Habitat isolation: Distance among patches of a given habitat type. Habitat
isolation refers to the ability of organisms to move among habitat patches.
Habitat amount: Total patch area of a given habitat type. Habitat amount is linked
to the carrying capacity for organisms.

Dispersal: Movement of organisms that has an effect on the genetic structure of

populations, and communities (emigration-immigration process from one patch to
another).
Species selection: Selection of species depending on their traits that promote their
fitness in a given environment.
Ecological drift: Random change in demographic rates of survival and
reproduction.



Landscape ecology is perhaps best distinguished by its focus on:
spatial heterogeneity
broader spatial extents
than those traditionally
studied in ecology, and
 the role of humans in
creating and affecting
landscape patterns and
process.
spatial heterogeneity
Landscapes = living systems
 Mosaics
 Different environments hosting different species Loss of biodiversity
 Often attributed to habitat destruction
 fragmentation If a habitat is destroyed
How can that affect the surrounding habitats in

the landscape?


The theory is based on the idea that,

at any given time, the number of
species on an island is the result of a
balance between two processes:
extinction and immigration.


PATCHES

Patch = focus habit
Everything else (background) =matrix





Ecological Succession
There are two main types of Ecological Succession
• Primary Succession: The process of creating life in an area where no

life previously existed.
• Secondary Succession: The process of re-stabilization that follows a

disturbance in an area where life has formed an ecosystem.
Definition
The gradual replacement of one plant community by another through
natural processes over time.

Primary Succession
• The development of an ecosystem in an area that has never had a
community living within it occurs by a process called PRIMARY
SUCCESSION.
• An example of an area in which a community has never lived before,

would be a new lava or rock from a volcano that makes a new island.
Primary Succession
Begins in a place without any soil

In the beginning there is only rock, sand, volcanic ash.
Since there is no soil, there is no community.

Primary Succession
6/5/03 M-DCC / PCB 2340C 60

Primary Succession
• Lichens begin growing on the rocks. Over many years
lichens break down rock into sand.
• Weathering and erosion break down rock into sand.
Primary Succession
• Seeds are blown in by the wind or carried in by animals. Simple
plants like mosses can grow in the new soil
• The plants grow and the soil gets enriched as plants die..
Primary Succession
• Herbs and weeds can grow in the thicker, enriched soil
Primary Succession
• The simple plants die, adding more organic material
• The soil layer thickens, and grasses, wildflowers, and

other plants begin to take over
A summary of changes that occur during
succession:
• Pioneer species colonize a bare or disturbed site. Soil building.
• Changes in the physical environment occur (e.g., light, moisture).
• New species of plants displace existing plants because their

seedlings are better able to become established in the changed
environment.
• Newly arriving species alter the physical conditions, often in

ways that enable other species to become established.
• Animals come in with or after the plants they need to survive.
• Eventually a climax community that is more or less stable will

become established and have the ability to reproduce itself.
• Disturbances will start the process of succession again.

Secondary Succession
Secondary Seccession
Secondary Succession
• Organisms are destroyed but the soil is safe.
• The soil already contains the seeds of weeds,
grasses, and trees. More seeds are carried to
the area by wind and birds.
• Succession begins again but the primary
species are different.
• Because soil is present, this succession is
faster.
Ecological Succession
•N
Climax Community
• A stable group of plants and animals
that is the end result of the succession
process
• Does not always mean big trees
– Grasses in prairies
– Cacti in deserts
The Climax Community
• A climax community is a mature, stable community that

is the final stage of ecological succession. In an
ecosystem with a climax community, the conditions
continue to be suitable for all the members of the
community.
• Any particular region has its own set of climax species,

which are the plants that are best adapted for the area
and will persist after succession has finished, until
another disturbance clears the area.

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ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Ecology and concept of Ecosystem

Introduction, Evolution: Earth and Life.

Concept of Ecosystem, General Structure and Function:

 Energy flow, Primary & Secondary Production

SCHOOL OF PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE,VIJAYAWADA

ECOLOGY AND CONCEPT OF ECOSYSTEM

SCHOOL OF PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE,VIJAYAWADA

FRANK LYOLD WRIGHT

SCHOOL OF PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE,VIJAYAWADA

KEY QUESTIONS AND CONCEPTS

What is an environmentally sustainable society?

SCHOOL OF PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE,VIJAYAWADA

1. What is an environmentally sustainable society?

2.How can environmentally sustainable societies grow economically?

SCHOOL OF PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE,VIJAYAWADA

3. How are our ecological footprints affecting the earth?

CONCEPT 5B People with different environmental worldviews often disagree about

SCHOOL OF PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE,VIJAYAWADA

What are four scientific principles of sustainability?

SCHOOL OF PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE,VIJAYAWADA

Ecology is a derivation from Greek Ecologists are concerned with:

Ecology is a sub-discipline of Biology, the study of life.

SCHOOL OF PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE,VIJAYAWADA

Major Fields of Study Related to Environmental Science

Global outlook: comparison of developed and developing countries, 2008. (Data

SCHOOL OF PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE,VIJAYAWADA

SCHOOL OF PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE,VIJAYAWADA

SCHOOL OF PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE,VIJAYAWADA

Some harmful results of poverty.

Steps involved in making an environmental decision.

SCHOOL OF PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE,VIJAYAWADA

SCHOOL OF PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE,VIJAYAWADA

some shifts involved in bringing about the environmental or sustainability

S.R.M UNIVERSITY M.ARCH(LANDSCAPE)

Natural capital: general structure of the earth

SCHOOL OF PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE,VIJAYAWADA

Range of tolerance for a population of organisms, such as fish, to an abiotic

SCHOOL OF PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE,VIJAYAWADA

Primary consumers, or herbivores (plant eaters), are animals such as rabbits,

SCHOOL OF PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE,VIJAYAWADA

Detritus feeders, or detritivores, feed on the wastes or dead bodies of other

SCHOOL OF PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE,VIJAYAWADA

SCHOOL OF PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE,VIJAYAWADA

Ecologists seek to explain the following:

• Life processes and Adaptations

• Distribution and abundance of organisms

• The movement of materials and energy through living communities

• The Successional development of Ecosystems, and

• The Abundance and Distribution of Biodiversity in context of the

An ecosystem consists of the biological community that occurs in some

There are many examples of ecosystems –

• A Pond or Freshwater Ecosystem,

SCHOOL OF PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE,VIJAYAWADA

SCHOOL OF PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE,VIJAYAWADA

Is a balance of fish, plants, and beneficial

The fish produce wastes, which settle into the