Ecology and Environment

Paper Code: 
24CENV101
Credits: 
4
Contact Hours: 
60.00
Max. Marks: 
100.00
Objective: 

Course Objectives:

This course will enable the students to -

  1. Get Acquainted with the subject and make them learn the fundamentals of Ecology and the Environment.
  2. Lay emphasis on the basic understanding of the ecosystem and its structural and functional aspects.
  3. Understand the basic principles behind various environmental processes.

Course Outcomes (COs):

Course

Course Outcomes

Learning and teaching strategies

Assessment Strategies

Course

Code

Course Title

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

24CENV 101

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT

CO1: Appraise various components of the environment and  interfaces

CO2: Analyse the role of Ecological principles to manage ecosystems

CO3: Develop a plan to conserve the ecosystem by understanding community interactions

CO4: Evaluate the correlation between ecological dynamics and regulation of vital processes on earth as biogeochemical cycles

CO5: Apply the knowledge of ecosystem functions to conserve ecosystems

CO6: Contribute effectively in course-specific interaction

Approach in teaching:

Powerpoint presentations Instructional charts Interactive lectures, Group discussions

Learning activities for the students: Learning  through a  memory game, Environmental issues related to news reading   and green      file preparation,

Case studies

Powerpoint presentations, Assignments, Open book tests, Peer and self- assessments, Poster making, Group activity, Class Test, Semester End Examinations

 

12.00
Unit I: 
Basic Concept of Environmental Science & Ecology
  • Scope, Importance of Environmental Science & Multidisciplinary nature of Environmental Science
  • Origin and Evolution of Biosphere: Atmosphere of the Primitive Earth. Early Life forms, Origin of Life- Chemical basis, Evolution of Life forms through ages
  • Gaia hypothesis
  • Ecosphere and its components: Atmosphere, Hydrosphere, Lithosphere and Biosphere
  • Interaction of all the components (Atmosphere, Hydrosphere, Lithosphere and Biosphere)
  • Main subdivisions of ecology: Based on taxonomic categories /habitat/levels of the organization

 

12.00
Unit II: 
Ecosystem Dynamics
  • Concept of Ecosystem & its types
  • Structure of Terrestrial (Desert, Forest) and Aquatic ecosystems (Freshwater, Marine and Estuarine)
  • Energy flow in ecosystems and energy flow models (Pipeline, Universal and Y- shaped models)
  • Foodchains and food webs
  • Ecological pyramids
  • Ecological principles- Liebig’s Law of Minimum, Shelford’s Law of Tolerance, Combined Concept of Limiting Factors

 

12.00
Unit III: 
Community Ecology
  • The Biotic community concepts
  • Community structure and the concept of Ecological Dominance
  • Ecotone and Edge Effect
  • Habitat and Ecological Niche
  • Productivity: Concept and its measurement
  • Ecological succession- General process, Basic types, Patterns of Succession, Causes  and trends, Concept of Climax (Monoclimax and poly climax)

 

12.00
Unit IV: 
Population Dynamics
  • Population characteristics: Density, dispersion, age, structure, natality, mortality
  • Growth Forms: J and S forms
  • Concept of Carrying capacity
  • Population regulation and Factors affecting population explosion
  • Life history strategies (r and K selection)
  • Interactions amongst populations: intra- and interspecific interactions
  • Negative interactions: Predation, parasitism and antibiosis
  • Positive interactions: Commensalism, cooperation and mutualism
12.00
Unit V: 
Biogeochemical Cycling
  • Biogeochemical cycles: Patterns and basic types of cycles
  • Hydrological
  • Carbon
  • Oxygen
  • Nitrogen
  • Phosphorus
  • Sulphur
  • Role of microbes in biogeochemical cycles

 

Essential Readings: 
Academic Year: 
2024-2025
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