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INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
Course objectives:
This course will enable the students to -
- Develop foundation on principles of Environmental Science and concept of structure and function of different components of the Environment.
- Explore the interconnectedness among all the biotic and abiotic components of environment and the dynamic nature of the ecological processes in maintaining equilibrium in nature
- Lay foundation on basic concept of ecological and biological processes that ensures long-term stability of ecosystems
Course Outcomes (COs):
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Course |
Course outcome |
Learning and teaching strategies |
Assessment Strategies |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
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Paper Code |
Paper Title |
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ENV 121 |
Introduction to Environmental Science |
Upon completion of the course students will be able to: CO1: Explain the physical and natural processes and cycles of earth and its environment CO2: Illustrate basic concept of ecological and biological processes that ensure long-term stability of ecosystems CO3: Identify the role of Ecological principles to manage ecosystems CO4: Demonstrate distinction between natural and managed ecosystems |
Approach in teaching: Power point presentations, Instructional charts, Interactive lectures, Group discussions Learning activities for the students: Learning through memory game, Environmental issues related news reading and green file preparation, Case studies |
Assignment, Open Book test Poster making on, Environmental Issues Group Activity, Quiz, Class Test, Semester End Examination |
- Gaia hypothesis
- Main subdivisions of ecology: Based on taxonomic categories/habitat/levels of organization
- History, Importance and Scope of Environmental Science
- Multidisciplinary nature of Environmental Science
- Types of ecosystems
- Concept of ecosystems-structure and function
- Combined concept of Limiting factors
- First and Second law of thermodynamics
- Ecological efficiency
- Energy flow in ecosystems and energy flow models
- Food-chains and food webs
- Homeostasis of the Ecosystem
- Ecological pyramids
- The Biotic Community Concept
- Characteristics of a community
- Concept of Ecological Dominance
- Ecotones and Edge Effect
- Productivity: concept and its measurement
- Habitat and Ecological Niche
- Ecological Succession: Causes, attributes, process, trends, bioenergetics and concept of climax
- Population characteristics: Density, dispersion, age, structure, natality, mortality
- Growth Forms:J and S forms
- Concept of Carrying capacity
- Population fluctuation
- Population regulation
- 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
- Biogeochemical cycles: Patterns and basic types of cycles
- Hydrological
- Carbon
- Oxygen
- Nitrogen
- Phosphorus
- Sulphur
- Role of microbes in biogeochemical cycles
- 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. Cooper, T.H. Gorhani, E. and Hepworth, M.T. (2001). Environmental Encyclopedia. Mumbai: Jaico Publ. House.
- Sharma, P. D. (1996).Ecology and Environment. Meerut: Rastogi Publications.
- Kormondy, E. J. (1969). Concepts of Ecology. The University of Michigan: Prentice-Hall
- Townsend, C. Harper, J. and Begon, M. (2006).Essentials of Ecology. Blackwell Science
- Miller, T. G.(1997). Environmental Science (6thed), Wadsworth Pub. Co.
- Dhaliwal, G. S. Sangha, G. S. and Raina,P. K. Fundamentals of Environmental Science. New Delhi: Kalyani Publication
