Environmental Science

Paper Code: 
ADMK 401
Credits: 
2
Contact Hours: 
30.00
Max. Marks: 
100.00
6.00
Unit I: 
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

6.00
Unit II: 
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

6.00
Unit III: 
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

6.00
Unit IV: 
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)

6.00
Unit V: 
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)

Essential Readings: 
  • Bharucha Erach, The Biodiversity of India, Mapin Publishing Pvt. Ltd., Ahmedabad –380 013, India, Email:mapin@icenet.net
  • Groom, Martha J., Gary K. Meffe, and Carl Ronald Carroll. Principles of Conservation Biology. Sunderland: Sinauer Associates, 2006.
  • Grumbine, R. Edward, and Pandit, M.K. 2013. Threats from India’s Himalaya dams. Science, 339: 36-37.

 

References: 
  • McCully, P. 1996. Rivers no more: the environmental effects of dams (pp. 29-64). Zed Books.
  • McNeill, John R. 2000. Something New Under the Sun: An Environmental History of the Twentieth Century.
  • Odum, E.P., Odum, H.T. & Andrews, J. 1971. Fundamentals of Ecology. Philadelphia: Saunders 

 

 

Academic Year: