Natural Resource Conservation and Management(Generic Elective)

Paper Code: 
GENV 201
Credits: 
4
Contact Hours: 
60.00
Max. Marks: 
100.00
Objective: 
1. Learn ecological principles, policies, and practices required for natural resources management and conservation
2. Promote the conservation and protection of natural resources and guide the acceptable use of resources
3. Lay emphasis on equitable and efficient distribution of natural resources and its management for sustainable development
7.00
Unit I: 
Introduction to Natural Resources
  • Classification-Based on Chemical nature, Availability/Abundance, Occurrence, Origin, Utility
  •  Natural resources and associated problems (Population explosion, urbanization industrialization)
  • Sustainable Development- Concept and Basic aspects
15.00
Unit II: 
Land and Mineral Resources
Land Resources:
• Soil Profile, Major types of soil in India, Soil degradation and its conservation
• Forest types and their distribution in India, causes of forest degradation and conservation methods
Mineral Resources
 
Types and uses of mineral resources
• Mineral wealth of Rajasthan (Marble, Mica, Copper)
• Mining: Definition, types and environmental impacts
11.00
Unit III: 
Water Resources
• Sources of Surface water (Fresh and Marine) and Ground water (Connate Water, Juvenile Water and Meteoric Water)
• Concept of Confined, unconfined and Perched aquifers
• Causes of water stress: population expansion, urbanization, industrialization, over utilization, pollution
• Methods of Water conservation: Watershed management, Rainwater harvesting (Urban and Traditional methods)
12.00
Unit IV: 
Energy resources
• Classification of energy resources: Conventional and Non-conventional
• Fossil fuels: classification, composition, physico-chemical characteristics and energy content of coal, petroleum and natural gas
• Basic principles of generation of Hydroelectric power, Ocean thermal energy conversion, wind energy, tidal energy, geothermal energy, solar energy
15.00
Unit V: 
Biotic resources
• Types (Genetic, Species and Ecosystem Diversity (α, β and γ)), importance of Biodiversity
• Threats to biodiversity
• Concept of Hotspots and Hope spots in India
• Strategies of biodiversity conservation: in situ andex situ conservation
• National parks, Sanctuaries, and Biosphere reserves in India.
• Traditional way of biodiversity conservation: Sacred groves
Academic Year: