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Environmental Science
Introduction to Environment and Ecosystem
• Scope of Environmental Studies and its applications
• Relationship of Environmental Studies with other subjects (Multidisciplinary nature of Environment)
• Concept of sustainability and sustainable development.
• Environmentally important dates and abbreviations
• Structure and function of an ecosystem
• Types of Ecosystems and their general characteristics
• Producers, consumers and decomposers
• Energy flow in the ecosystem
• Food chains, food webs and ecological pyramids
• Ecological Succession
Natural Resources: Renewable and Non-renewable Resources
• Land resources and landuse change; Land degradation, soil erosion and desertification.
• Deforestation: Causes and impacts due to mining, dam building on environment, forests, biodiversity and tribal populations.
• Water : Use and over-exploitation of surface and ground water, floods, droughts
• Energy resources: Renewable and non renewable energy sources, use of alternate energy sources, growing energy needs, case studies.
Biodiversity and Conservation
• Levels of biological diversity: genetic, species and ecosystem diversity
• India as a mega-biodiversity nation; Biogeographic zones of India
• Biodiversity patterns and global biodiversity hot spots
• Endangered and endemic species of India
• Threats to biodiversity: Habitat loss, poaching of wildlife, man-wildlife conflicts, biological invasions
• Conservation of biodiversity: In-situ and Ex-situ conservation of biodiversity
• Ecosystem and biodiversity services: Ecological, economic, social, ethical, aesthetic and Informational value
Environmental Pollution
• Types, Causes, effects and control measures of : Air pollution; Water pollution; Soil pollution; Noise pollution
• Pollution case studies
• Solid waste management: Control measures of urban and industrial waste.
• Nuclear hazards and human health risks
• Global environmental issues: Climate change, global warming, ozone layer depletion, acid rain and impacts on human communities and agriculture
• Environment Laws: Environment Protection Act,1986; Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981; Water (Prevention and control of Pollution) Act, 1974; Wildlife Protection Act, 1972; Forest Conservation Act, 1980
• International agreements: Montreal protocol, Kyoto protocol and Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
Human Communities and the Environment
• Human population growth: Impacts on environment, human health and welfare
• Resettlement and rehabilitation of project affected persons; case studies
• Disaster management : floods, earthquake, cyclones and landslides
• Environmental movements : Chipko, Silent valley, Bishnois of Rajasthan
• Environmental ethics: Role of Indian and other religions and cultures in environmental conservation
• Environmental communication and public awareness, case studies (e.g., CNG vehicles in Delhi)
1. Bharucha Erach, The Biodiversity of India, Mapin Publishing Pvt. Ltd., Ahmedabad –380 013, India, Email:mapin@icenet.net
2. Groom, Martha J., Gary K. Meffe, and Carl Ronald Carroll. Principles of Conservation Biology. Sunderland: Sinauer Associates, 2006.
3. Grumbine, R. Edward, and Pandit, M.K. 2013. Threats from India’s Himalaya dams. Science, 339: 36-37.
4. McCully, P. 1996. Rivers no more: the environmental effects of dams (pp. 29-64). Zed Books.
5. McNeill, John R. 2000. Something New Under the Sun: An Environmental History of the Twentieth Century.
6. Odum, E.P., Odum, H.T. & Andrews, J. 1971. Fundamentals of Ecology. Philadelphia: Saunders.
7. Pepper, I.L., Gerba, C.P. & Brusseau, M.L. 2011. Environmental and Pollution Science. Academic Press.
8. Rao, M.N. & Datta, A.K. 1987. Waste Water Treatment. Oxford and IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd.
1. Raven, P.H., Hassenzahl, D.M. & Berg, L.R. 2012. Environment. 8th edition. John Wiley & Sons.
2. Rosencranz, A., Divan, S., & Noble, M. L. 2001. Environmental law and policy in India. Tripathi 1992.
3. Sengupta, R. 2003. Ecology and economics: An approach to sustainable development. OUP.
