Ecology and Environment

Paper Code:

25CENV 101

Credits:

Contact Hours:

60.00

Max. Marks:

100.00

Objective:

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:

Course	Course outcomes	Learning and teaching strategies	Assessment Strategies
Course Code	Course Title
25CENV 101	ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT	Upon completion of this course, the students will: CO1: Appraise various components of the environment and interfaces CO2: Analyse the role of Ecological principles in managing 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 to 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 Tests, Semester End Examinations

Course

Course outcomes

Learning and teaching strategies

Assessment Strategies

Course

Code

Course Title

25CENV 101

ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT

Upon completion of this course, the students will:

CO1: Appraise various components of the environment and interfaces

CO2: Analyse the role of Ecological principles in managing 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 to 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 Tests, 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)
Food chains 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:

Agrawal,K. C. (2001).Fundamentals of Environmental Biology. Bikaner (India): Nidhi Publishers.
Odum E.P. (1996). Fundamentals of Ecology. Dehradun: Natraj Publisher
Chapman,J. L. and Reiss, M. J. (1995).Ecology: Principles and Applications. Cambridge: University Press
Cunningham, W. P., & Saigo, B. W. (1999). Environmental Science. Mc-Graw Hill Book Company.
Kumar, H. D. (1995). General Ecology. Vikas Publishing house Pvt. Ltd.
Santra, S. C. (2001). Environmental Science. New Central Book Agency (P) Ltd.

Sharma, P. D. (2008). Ecology and Environment. Rastogi Publications.

SUGGESTED READINGS

Cunningham, W.P. Cooper, T.H. Gorhani, E. and Hepworth, M.T. (2001). Environmental Encyclopaedia. Mumbai: Jaico Publ. House.
Kemp: The Environment Dictionary
Kormondy. (1969). Concepts of Ecology. Prentice hall.
Miller, T. G. (1997). Environmental Science. Wadsworth Publishing Co. (TB).
Odum, E. P. (1983). Basic Ecology. Saunders Co. Publication.
Smith, R. L. (!996). Ecology and Feild Biology. Harper Collins.
Townsend, C., Harper, J., & Begon, M. (2006). Essentials of Ecology. Blackwell Science.