INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

Paper Code: 
ENV 121
Credits: 
3
Contact Hours: 
45.00
Max. Marks: 
100.00
Objective: 

To acquaint students with the subject and to make them learn the fundamentals of ecology and environmental science.

 

12.00
Unit I: 
Basic concepts of Ecology and Environmental Science

                          

  • Gaia hypothesis
  •  Main subdivisions of ecology: Based on taxonomic categories /habitat/levels of organization                                                                 
  • Definition, History, Importance and Scope of Environmental science
  • Multidisciplinary nature of Environmental Science

 

18.00
Unit II: 
Ecosystem Dynamics

                                                                                           

  • 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

 

16.00
Unit III: 
Community dynamics

                                                                   

  • 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

 

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 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.

 

17.00
Unit V: 
Nutrient 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.: Fundamentals of Environmental Biology,2001, Bikaner (India): Nidhi Publishers
  • Odum, E.P. 1971. Fundamentals of Ecology. W.B. Saunders Co. USA
  • Odum E.P.: Fundamentals of Ecology,1996, Dehradun: Natraj Publisher
  • Chapman,J.L. & Reiss, M.J.: Ecology: Principles and Applications, 1995, Cambridge University Press
  • Cunningham, W.P. Cooper, T.H. Gorhani, E & Hepworth, M.T. 2001, Environmental Encyclopedia, Jaico Publ. House, Mumbai,
  • Kemp: The Environment Dictionary
  • Sharma, P.D. :Ecology and Environment,1996, Meerut : Rastogi Publications
  • Concepts of Ecology: Kormondy
  • Townsend C., Harper J, and Michael Begon, Essentials of Ecology, Blackwell Science
  • Miller T.G. Jr. Environmental Science, Wadsworth Publishing Co. (TB)

 

Academic Year: 
2014-2015
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