UNDERSTANDING THE ENVIRONMENT

Paper Code: 
PES 151
Credits: 
4
Contact Hours: 
60.00
Max. Marks: 
100.00
6.00
Unit I: 
Basic Concepts in Environmental Science
  • Definition
  • Scope
  • Importance
  • Multidisciplinary nature
  • Components of environment: Hydrosphere, lithosphere, atmosphere and biosphere

 

18.00
Unit II: 
Ecological concepts
  • Ecosystem: Definition, Concept , types, charateristics and structure
  • Functions of an ecosystem: Nutrient cycling (basic concept), energy flow and homeostasis
  • Food chain and food web
  • Trophic levels and ecological pyramids

Biotic interactions

6.00
Unit III: 
Laws of Ecology
  • Leibig’s law of minimum
  • Shelford’s law of  tolerance
  • Blackman’s law of limiting factor

 

18.00
Unit IV: 
Habitat ecology
  • Types of ecosystems- Natural, modified and  artificial
  • Aquatic-Fresh water, marine and estuarine
  • Terrestrial ecosystem-Forest and desert
  • Deep sea adaptations
12.00
Unit V: 
Desert Ecosystem
  • Characteristics of a desert ecosystem
  • Types of deserts- hot and cold deserts
  • Floral and faunal diversity and adaptations
  • Desertification with special reference to Thar desert

 

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
  • Sharma, P.D. : Ecology and Environment,2008, Meerut : Rastogi Publications
  • Kormondy: Concepts of Ecology, Prentice Hall
  • Townsend C., Harper J, and Michael Begon, Essentials of Ecology, Blackwell Science
  • Miller T.G. Jr. Environmental Science, Wadsworth Publishing Co. (TB)
  • Smith, R.L. 1996. Ecology and Field Biology, Harper Collins, New York.
  •  Kumar H.D et. al: General Ecology -, Vikas publishing house Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi (1995)
  • Ecology - Culvinvux P, John Wiley and Sons, (1986)
  • Ecology - Krebs J, II ed, Harper international
Academic Year: 
2015-2016
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