Environmental Study 101 (unit -1)

The word environment derived from French ‘environ’ which means to incircle or surround
It is in environmental study an interdisciplinary academic field which study human
interaction with be environment solving complex problem
• Environmental study deal with every aspect that affect organisms.
• It is essentially the multidisciplinary subject that brings about appreciation of our
natural world and human impact or integrity.
• It is called multidisciplinary because it includes biological, geology, chemistry,
physics, engineering, sociology, health, economics, statistics, philosophy and
computer application.

Components of earth and environment:

Planet earth is made of four overlapping subsystem that contain all of worlds
landmasses, water resources, living organisms and gases.
These four subsystems are known as sphere geographers divide the earth environment four
sphere
1. Atmosphere
The earth atmosphere is gaseous layer that envelop the world it is commonly known
as air surrounding atmosphere is further divided into five spheres based upon:
a. Thermal characteristics that is temperature
b. Chemical composition
c. Movement
d. Density

1.1 Exosphere

These is the outermost air atmosphere

• It extends from about six hundred KM to 10,000 KM above the earth.
• It is the highest layer of the earth atmosphere.
• It is top merges with solar wind.
 1.2 Thermosphere

• It is the layer below exosphere and extend between 85 KM to 600 KM above the
earth surface.
• It lowest part contain ionosphere.
• Temperature can reach up to 200 ℃

1.3 Mesosphere

• It is the layer below thermosphere and it extend between 50 KM to 85 KM above the

earth surface.
• In this layer most of the burning meteors.

1.4 Stratosphere

• It is the layer below mesosphere it extends between 12 KM to 50 KM above of the

earth.
• It contains ozone layer which is the good ozone.
• It is mostly cloud free can be reach by jet plane.

1.5 Troposphere

• It is the layer below stratosphere.

• It extends from earth surface to an average of 12 KM of Hight.
• It contains all the air require by living beings (plants and animal)
• It also contains 99.99% water vapor and aerosol cloud are formed here, earth made of
78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 1% trace of gases which include water vapor ozone
carbon dioxide and methane.

2. Hydrosphere
It includes all water on surface of the earth includes oceans, ponds, lake etc. 70% of the earth
covered with water out of which 97.5% sea water and 2.5% fresh water.
Water found in three states on the earth
Which one gas form (water vapor) liquid form (lake, river, ocean) solid form (ice, snow,
glacier)
3. Lithosphere
• It covers 30% of the earth and its 0 KM to 40 KM in thickness.
• It consists of different kinds of rock such as igneous, metamorphic, sedimentary that
under go to transformation via rocks cycle the lithosphere considered of both crust
and the portion of upper mental.
 • The crust makes them less than 1% of the earth by mass consisting of oceanic crust
and continental crust.

4. Biosphere
Biosphere is where all life exists and it include the other three sphere, lower layer of the
atmosphere, a few meters of lithosphere and all of the hydrosphere amount and diversity of
biomass depend upon the distance from the equator
Generally closer to the equator the greater the bio diversity is the plants here are the reservoir
for carbon this sphere includes us- Humans

Sustainable development (important)

The concept of sustainability and sustainable development was introduced to us an U.N’s
conference from human environment in the year 1972, also famously known as Stockholm
conference held in Stockholm in Sweden it was U.N’s first major conference on international
environment issues and marked turning point in the development of international
environmental politics.
Literal meaning of sustainable is able to be sustain.
The Brundtland report in 1987 define sustainable development as “development that meant,
the needs of present generation without compromising the ability of future generation to met
their own need”

environment

sustainable
development

social economic
 sustainable development brings the balance between economy, environment and society.
There are various definition of the word but most widely use that mention in book
“Our common future” written by World Commission on Environment and Development
(WCED)
WCED was established by U.N in 1980s to examine the relationship between environment
are seventeen sustainable development goal:
No and development and suggest the way compatible
WCED release it’s report our common future, also known as Brundtland report, after the
commission chair Norwegian P.M Gro Harlem
There are seventeen sustainable development goal:
1. poverty
2. Zero hunger
3. Good health and well being
4. Quality education
5. Gender equality

6. Clean water and sanitation

7. Affordable and clean energy
8. Decent work and economic growth
9. Industries innovation and infrastructure
10. Reduce in inequality

11. Sustainable city and communities

12. Responsible consumption and production
13. Climate action
14. Life below water
15. Life on land

16. Peace, justice and strong institution

17. Partnerships for the goal
The first international recognition was sustainable development in Stockholm, U.N
conference human environment in the year 1972 sustainable development define in
Brundtland report known as are “Our Common Future” in the conference WCED later U.N
conference on environment and development UNCED know as Rio earth Summit in 1992
come with agenda 21 with key outcomes of sustainable development.
In 2002 world Summit on sustainable development WSSD known as Rio+10 was held in
Johannesburg to review the progress in implement the outcomes from Rio earth summit.
In 2012 20 years after the first Rio earth summit the U.N Conference on Sustainable
Development (UNCSD) or Rio+20 was held the key outcomes conference was the document
that future we want with the progressive increase in the sustainable development concept the
country developed millennium goal MDG’s with 8 goal to fulfilled in 15 year from 2000 to
2015 with not all target bring met their was introduction was sustainable development goal
SDG’s to continue development agenda as part of new development roadmap the U.N
approved 2030 agenda as 17 SDG’s which are called to action to protect the planet and
poverty and guarantee the wellbeing of people. So, SDG’s are a universal call to action to end
poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all the people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030
It was adopted by193 country and come into effect in January, 2060 agenda 2030 as 5P’s
people, planet, prosperity, peace and partnership.
Definition
Environment studies deal with every issue that affect an organism it is essentially a
multidisciplinary approach that brings about an appreciation of our natural world and human
impact on its integrity it is an applied science as it seeks practical answer to making human
anthropology economics on the earth’s finite resources
It components included biological, geology, chemistry, physics, engineering, sociology,
health, economics, statistics, philosophy and computer application.
 Eco-System (unit-2)

Eco-System
Eco- oikos meaning is house of organism’s logy means scientific study Ernst Hackel gave
this word
In 1869 Ecology define as a scientific study of interactive of organism with their physical
environment and with each other The term eco ecosystem was defined by ag tonsil in 1935.
Definition of eco-system
An ecosystem can be defined as a structural and function unit of biosphere or segment of
nature consisting of a community living being and the physical environment both interacting
and exchange material between them.
Thus, ecosystem is a major ecological unit which contain biotic and abiotic component
though which nutrients are cycled and energy flow
The nature of eco-system is based on geographical features land, Hills, Mountains, Rivers,
Lake, Ocean etc.
Climatic condition such as the amount of sunlight temperature and rainfall of the region.
Short definition of eco-system
In simpler term ecosystem constitute the living community of the plant and animal in any
area together with its non-living component of the environment.
Structure of eco-system
Every ecosystem is composed by biotic component it includes living beings and abiotic
component includes non-living beings
Types of biotic component
1.Producer – Autotrophs
They prepared their own food the green plant is the main producer. The plant prepared the
food by the process of photosynthesis by using the solar energy. And converting into the
chemical energy they are also Called a Transducer or Converter.
Note: energy enter into the ecosystem via producer.
Consumer, those organisms who depends on producer for food. There are different types of
consumers.
1.Primary Consumer (herbivores)
Those organisms obtain food directly from producers, or plant are known as primary
consumers.
2.Secondary Consumer
Those organisms feed upon primary consumer those known as secondary consumers
Predators: organisms which eat kill herbivores are called predators
Scavengers or Detrivores: organisms which eat death animals
3.Top consumers
Those animals which kill other animal and eat but there are not eaten by other animal nature.
4.Decomposers
Those living organisms which decompose body of producers and consumers they play major
role mineral cycle
Abiotic
Light is the main source of energy for entire biosphere. The energy entered the earth
atmosphere is the form of electromagnetic radiation. EMR has a different form of energy and
radiation (microwave, infrared). Human eye sensitive to visible region of EMR
Light or radiant energy from a sun is utilized by a plant for process of photosynthesis,
flowering, Seed germination growth and development of plant. Similarly, animal uses light to
carry out the body metabolism, light effect and reproduction development. pigmentation and
even movement in the certain direction.
Temperature
Temperature is the most influential function that affect all metabolic activities, all organism,
every. Physiological function is carried out in a specific range of temperature. These activities
are maximum at a specific temperature are called Optimum temperature.
• Organism react to the rise and fall of temperature. Living organism on Earth carried
their metabolic activities in narrow range of temperature, 0 to 50 ℃
Organism are of different types on the basis of temperature tolerance,
1. Eurythermal which Can tolerate very large temperature Fluctuation.
Example: monkey, sheep, goat etc.
2. Stenothermal which can tolerate very small variation temperature.
Example: penguin, python, crocodile etc.
3. Warm blooded animal (homeothermic) which are capable of maintaining at constant
level irrespective of environment temperature
Example: human, dogs, cats etc.

4. Cold blooded animal (poikilothermic) which do not have any internal mechanism for
temperature regulation their body temperature varies with variation of surrounding
environment temperature
Example: insects, worm, fish etc.
Classification of plant on the basis of temperature:
Microtherm found at a high altitude survive at lower temperature
Ex: apple
Megatherm found in high temperature condition found at low altitude
Ex: cactus, khejri etc.
Mesotherm found at a moderate temperature
Ex: mango, guava etc.
Hekistotherms found at very high altitude and very low temperature
Ex: alpine vegetation, saffron etc.
• Temperature effect the growth development reproduction and metabolism
• Air has a lot of gasses
for example: nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, argon, oxygen vapor, dust, smoke
pollutant, pollen

• Water is another important factor that is essential for a completing all vital activities
of living beings it is found in all three states of matter liquid solid gas in an ecosystem
water cycle through the atmosphere soil river lakes and ocean water is found deep in
Earth as a groundwater and on the surface as a surface water. water play important
role in a plant growth home to varied species act as a medium to be transfer essential
things in body also regular body temperature
• Soil is a natural product formed from whether it rock by the action of physical
chemical biological factor soil is a major source of nutrient and moisture in all the
land ecosystem the factor related to the soil are called edaphic factor soil temperature
affect the metabolism of organism directly soil moisture also affect the growth of
plant further nutrient present in the soil also affect both plant and animal.

Sun (solar energy)

Producer (photosynthesis) herbivores, carnivores (consumption)

Nutrient (air, water, soil) Decomposer (decomposition)

The interaction of biotic and abiotic components in a ecosystem showing the flow of energy
and cycling of nutrient the two fundamental function of ecosystem our energy flow and
biology chemical cycling energy flow the main source of energy in the ecosystem is the sun
the green plants capture the solar energy and convert it into the chemical energy of food via
the process of the photosynthesis and store into their body this is called a primary
productivity heterotrophs or consumers depends upon this store energy in plants primary
consumer or herbivores derive their energy by plants secondary consumer or carnivores
derive their energy by eating Herbivores top consumer or tertiary consumer derive their
energy by eating secondary consumers
Note: the flow of energy in an ecosystem is unidirectional that is energy can only flow from
producer to consumer and not in opposite direction at each level that is from producer to
consumer and so on some energy is lost as a heat and respiration and this available energy
decreases as one move away from the first trophic level to another trophic level.

Bio-geo-chemical cycling
There are 30 to 40 elements necessary for life out of which six are important
carbon hydrogen oxygen nitrogen sulfur phosphorus this material moves from abiotic
component to the biotic component again back to the abiotic component in cyclic manner this
movement is known as biogeochemical cycling or nutrient cycling.
Those material are taken up by a plant bound in the organic matter and move along food
chain to different trophic level and ultimately from varies trophic level with detritus to the
decomposer food chain the decomposer breakdown organic component and release nutrient
back to the soil.
Energy flow in an eco-system: food chain, food web and ecological succession.
A sequence of organism that feed on each other is known as food chain
Foods and tells us how one organism eaten by another organism the organism which eat is
called prey Example: insect
the organism which eat is called a predator.
Position of organism along a food chain are called trophic level and various species which
obtain food energy by the same number of steps from the sun are called member of the same
trophic level all green plants fall in first traffic level herbivores fall in 2nd trophic level
carnivorous fall in 3rd traffic level.
Food chain
1. Grazing
2. Detritus
Grazing foods chain: it starts from eating plants like grass or tree by herbivores in case of
terrestrial ecosystem
Ex: plant – insect—dear--lion
In case of aquatic ecosystem, it is start eating
phytoplankton—zooplankton—small fishes—human
Detritus: Food chain it starts with dead organic matter of (decaying animal and plants)
microbes--detritus energy available for each topic level is partition in a number of way a part
of energy is ingested part of energy is left unutilized ingested energy used for assimilation
production respiration part of ingestion energy is utilized in ingestion further the production
energy is used for growth and store as a fat animal.
Food chain and interconnected into a network called as food web the term food web has its
origin from Elton’s food cycle
In an ecosystem many food chain exist but these chain not independent on a single ecosystem
more than one food chain exist at the same time and one organism is involved is more than
one food chain
Ecological Succession: the gradually changes in species composition and process of
communities over the time is known as ecological succession
• it is directional and continuous change in the composition and abundance of species
• it is start following disturbance of site of creation of bare area
types of succession
Primary succession occurring on a site previously unoccupied by vegetation such as bare land
created by volcanic activity and glacier activity or landslide or coastal dune etc. it is a termed
Primary succession that occur that side previously occupied by plants but now devastated is
called secondary succession
example: storms, fire, tree cutting, agriculture activity are common cause of destruction
Pioneer Community
the first community is appear called ecological succession pioneer community
Climax Community
The last community to appear in the process of ecological succession is called climax
community
Serial Stage Community
The whole sequence of the temporary community that occurred to be prior to the climax
community is called serial and stage are called serial stage
Xerarch succession
xerarch succession initiated with establishment of pioneer on a surface which have scarcity of
water such as rocks is termed as xerarch succession the successional stage of the xerarch
succession is called a xerosere.
Hydrach succession:
succession that initiated with establishment of pioneer on wet surface such as Pond is termed
as a Hydrach succession the succession stage are called a hydrosere succession many result
from two main types of process first autogenic changes this change as a self regulatory
brought about by the plant themselves at the site.
allogenic changes which occur due to external disturbance example: fire and other human
activities like cutting of tree etc.
phase process changes
1.intiation 1.a. Nudation the creation of bare area
1.b. Migration the immigration of species to the new area
1.c. Ecesis the establishment of plant through germination
growth and reproduction
1.d. reaction the modification of habited by organisms
2.continuation 2. Competition the competition change in intra and interspecific
3.termination 3. stabilization the community equilibrium with habitat.

Ecological pyramid is a graphical representation of number of biomass and energy of

successive tropical level the use of ecological pyramid was first described by Charles Elton’s
in 1927 there are three types of ecological pyramid pyramid of number so total number of
individual at each traffic level it can be a upright or inverted.
In grassland ecosystem the pyramid of number is upright
In forest ecosystem it is neither a upright nor inverted
In tree ecosystem it is mostly inverted

pyramid of biomass it’s so dry total weight of organism at any time in the ecosystem and it
can be upright or inverted
for example: pond ecosystem pyramid are inverted
forest ecosystem pyramid neither operate nor inverted

pyramid of energy it is the pyramid that so available amount of energy present at each
trophic level it is always upright
Forest ecosystem
this area of land that are dominated by trees and consistent of biological integrated
community of plants animal and microorganism together with local soil and variable climatic
condition with which they interact there are three major types of forest ecosystem tropical
rainforest temperate rainforest and coniferous rainforest
Grassland ecosystem
Grassland exists in temperate and tropical reason in area that receive intermediate level of
precipitation i.e less than forest and more than desert grassland found in North America,
South America, Central America, southern India, northern Australia, Europe and some parts
of Africa the species found are different varieties of grasses tall and sort bushes and
woodland some area animal found bear, lion etc.
Desert ecosystem
desert are extremely dry environment and exists throughout the world this reason received
less than 25 cm/year rainfall and soil is thin and pores main types of dessert include hot and
dry desert semi-arid desert coastal desert and cold desert wildly scattered thorny bushes and
scrubs cactus xerophytes are dominated in this ecosystem animal likes camel, rodent
Aquatic ecosystem
Aquatic ecosystem is like a ocean lakes riverse pond etc have a living organism that are
dependent on water for their survival this ecosystem are very fragile get very disturbed by
factors like polluted rise in temperature pH variation etc plants in aquatic eco-system have
adaptation like poorly developed routes, floating, leaves with waxy coating waterlily, lotus
small microscopic phytoplankton’s algae animals found zooplankton different types of fishes
and some ecosystem crocodile, tortoise