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AUTONOMOUS
RAMAPURAM, CHENNAI 600 089
UNIT – I
PART – A
1. State the significance and scope of environmental education. [A.U. May 2015]
(i) Environmental studies inform the people about their effective role in protecting
the environment by demanding changes in laws and enforcement systems.
(ii) Environmental studies develop a concern and respect for the environment.
(iii) Environmental studies have a direct relation to the quality of life we live.
6. Define “Environment”.
Anything that surrounds us constitutes environment. The environment comprises of abiotic (non-
living), biotic (living) and the human components. All these components are deeply inter-related and
interwoven.
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UNIT -1 ECOLOGICAL BIODIVERSITY AND ITS AGREEMENT
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UNIT -1 ECOLOGICAL BIODIVERSITY AND ITS AGREEMENT
18. What are In-situ and Ex-situ conservation ? [A.U. Dec. 2017]
i) In-situ conservation : It involves protection of fauna and flora within its natural habitat
where the species normally occurs is called In-situ conservation.
ii) In-situ conservation : It involves protection of fauna and flora outside the natural habitats.
PART – C
1. What is an ecosystem? What are its components? Explain the functions of each
component with examples.
Definition
A group of organisms interacting among themselves and with the environment
Structure
Functional components
i. Abiotic components: The non-living components (physical and chemical) of an eco system.
Ex: soil, water, air…
a. Physical components - Energy, climate, raw materials, & living space that biological
community needs. Ex: soil, water, air, sunlight…
b. Chemical components Sources of essential nutrients - i. Organic substances: proteins, lipids…
ii. Inorganic substances: Micro elements – Al, Co, Zn, Cu… and Macro elements - C,H,O,N,P,
ii. Biotic components: The living components of an ecosystem.
a. Autotrophic components:
(i) The members of autotrophic components are producers.
(ii) Autotrophs are self-nourishing organisms.
(iii)It derives energy from sunlight and makes organic compounds from inorganic compounds
Ex: green plants,
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UNIT -1 ECOLOGICAL BIODIVERSITY AND ITS AGREEMENT
b. Heterotrophic components:
(i) The members of heterotrophic components are consumers & decomposers.
(ii) It depends food for autotrophs.
(iii) It consumes the producers.
I. Macro consumers- herbivores, carnivores & omnivores.
II. Micro consumers - decomposers.
II. Poaching
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UNIT -1 ECOLOGICAL BIODIVERSITY AND ITS AGREEMENT
Man- wildlife conflicts arise, wild life starts damage and danger to the man.
It is very difficult for the forest deportment to compromise the affected villagers and to gain
the villagers.
Example:
1. In sambalpur, orissa, 195 humans were killed in the last 5 years by elephants.
2. In mysore several elephant was killed because damage done by the elephant to the
farmers cotton and sugarcane crops.
Factors influencing man-animal conflicts
1. Forest cover compels wildlife to move outside .
2. The forest area induces a conflict between man and wildlife.
3. Injured animals attack the man.
4. Forest department used to cultivate sugarcane, coconut trees.
5. The villagers put electric wiring around their crop fields. The elephant get injured.
6. The cash compensation paid by the government for the damage.
7. Human settlement or food crops near forest area.
Remedial measures:
1. Adequate crop and cattle compensation.
2. Electric current proof trenches to prevent the animals from entering into the fields.
3. Cropping pattern should be changed near the forest borders.
4. Food and water available for the wild animals within forest zones.
5. Development and constructional work in forest region must be stopped.
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UNIT -1 ECOLOGICAL BIODIVERSITY AND ITS AGREEMENT
Ex-situ conservation:
(i) It involves maintenance and breeding of endangered plants and animal species under
uncontrolled condition.
(ii) It identifies those species which are at more risk of extinction.
(iii) It prefers the species, which are more important to man in near future among the
endangered species.
Methods of ex-situ conservation
The following important gene bank (or) seed bank facilities are used in ex-situ conservation.
1) National bureau of plants genetic recourses (NBPGR): it is located in New Delhi. It
uses cryo preservation techniques to preserve agricultural and horticultural crops.
2) National bureau of animal genetic resources (NBAGR):
It is located at karnal, Haryana. It preserves the semen of domesticated bovine animals.
3) National facility for plant tissue culture repository (NFPTCR):
It develops the facility for conservation of varieties of crop or trees by tissue culture. This
facility has been created within NBPGR
Advantages of ex-situ conservation
(i) Survival of endangered species is increasing due to special care and attention.
(ii) In captive breeding, animals are assured food, water, shelter and also security and hence
longer life span.
(iii) It is carried out in cases of endangered species, which do not have any changes of
survival, in the world.
(iv)
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UNIT -1 ECOLOGICAL BIODIVERSITY AND ITS AGREEMENT
Process:
1. Nudation: Development of a bare area without any life forms.
2. Invasion: Establishment of one or more species on a bare area through migration
followed by establishment.
3. Migration: Migration of seeds is brought about by wind, water or birds.
4. Establishment:
Seed germinate and grow on land and establishes their pioneer communities.
5. Competition: Individual species grow; there is competition with the same species and
between different species for space, water and nutrients.
6. Reaction: Living organisms take water, nutrient to grow and modify the environment is
known as reaction. This modification becomes unsuitable for the existing species, which
replacing the existing species. This leads to seral communities
7. Stabilization: It leads to stable community, equilibrium with environment
4. Ethical value
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UNIT -1 ECOLOGICAL BIODIVERSITY AND ITS AGREEMENT
It involves ethical issues like “all life must be preserved”. India and other countries
biodiversity is considered to have great value on religious and our rich heritage teaches
us to work ship plants, animals, rivers and mountains.
The ethical value means that a species may or may not be used, but its existence in nature
gives us pleasure.
5. Aesthetic values
The beautiful nature of plants and animals insist us to protect the biodiversity. The
most important aesthetic value of biodiversity is eco-tourism
Example:
Eco-tourism:
People from far place spend a lot of time and money to visit the beautiful areas, where they
can enjoy the aesthetic value of biodiversity.
The pleasant music of wild birds, colour of flowers and peacock are very important for their
aesthetic value.
6. Option values
The option values are the potentials of biodiversity that are presently unknown and need
to be known.
Examples:
• The growing biotechnology field is searching a species for causing the diseases of cancer
and aids.
• Medicinal plants and herbs play a very important role in our Indian economic growth
The 1972 United National Conference on the human environment in Stockholm was the first
world conference to make the environment a major issue.
The Stockholm declaration contains 26 principles, placed environmental issues at the forefront
of international concerns. It marked the start of a dialogue between industrialized and
developing countries on the link between economic growth, pollution of air, water oceans and
the well-being of the people around the world.
Principle
Human rights must be asserted.
Natural resources must be safe guarded.
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The maximum amount of emissions that a party may emit over a commitment period in order to
comply with its emissions target is known as party's assigned amount.
Difference between Montreal and Kyoto protocol
The Montreal protocol was established to phase out substances that deplete ozone.
But, the Kyoto protocol was set in place to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases with the
exception to ozone depleting substances.
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