Unit 1: Introduction to Environmental

Studies
1. Multidisciplinary Nature of Environmental Studies

Environmental Studies (EVS) is called multidisciplinary because it brings together knowledge

from many subjects to understand the relationship between humans and the environment. For
example, biology explains living organisms, chemistry tells us about pollution and chemical
changes, geography shows physical features, economics studies resource use, and sociology
explains human behavior. Without combining all these perspectives, we cannot fully understand
environmental problems like climate change, deforestation, or water scarcity.

In simple terms, EVS is like a “big umbrella” where science, social science, and humanities work
together. Imagine studying air pollution:

 A scientist checks the pollutants.

 An economist studies its cost to health and industry.
 A politician makes laws to control it.
 A sociologist observes how it affects people in cities.
All of these are necessary to solve the issue.

2. Scope and Importance of Environmental Studies

The scope of EVS is very wide. It studies not just the natural environment but also the built
environment created by humans. It covers issues like natural resources, energy use, pollution,
biodiversity, and sustainable development.

Why is it important?

 Awareness: It makes people aware of environmental problems and solutions.

 Problem-solving: Helps to identify causes and remedies of issues like deforestation,
global warming, water scarcity.
 Policy support: Provides scientific and social knowledge to guide government laws and
development programs.
 Responsible citizens: Encourages values, ethics, and participation in environmental
protection.

For example, learning about water scarcity in Rajasthan creates awareness of rainwater
harvesting methods like Johads (traditional water tanks), which are still used successfully in
villages.
3. Concept of Sustainability

The word sustainability means “ability to continue for a long time.” In the environmental sense,
it means using natural resources in such a way that they can last for future generations.

Example: If we cut trees faster than they grow, the forest will disappear — this is not
sustainable. But if we plant new trees while using some for timber, the forest can continue —
this is sustainable.

Sustainability has three main pillars:

1. Environmental sustainability – protecting nature and resources.

2. Economic sustainability – growth without exhausting resources.
3. Social sustainability – fairness and equality for all people.

4. Concept of Sustainable Development

Sustainable development was defined by the Brundtland Commission (1987) as “development

that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to
meet their own needs.”

It is like balancing a three-legged stool: economy, society, and environment. If one leg is weak,
the stool cannot stand.

Examples of Sustainable Development:

 Using solar and wind energy instead of coal.

 Organic farming and integrated pest management.
 Rainwater harvesting in urban housing colonies.
 Waste recycling and composting.
 Promoting public transport instead of private cars.

5. Need for Studying Environmental Studies Today

 The world is facing serious problems like global warming, ozone depletion, biodiversity
loss, pollution, and resource depletion.
 Environmental disasters like floods in Kerala, droughts in Rajasthan, and smog in Delhi
show how urgent the issues are.
 Only awareness and responsible action can solve these problems.

Unit 2: Ecology and Ecosystems

1. Concept of Ecology

 Ecology is the study of how living organisms interact with each other and with their
environment.
 The word comes from Greek: oikos (house) and logos (study) → meaning “study of
home.” Here, home means the Earth, where all living beings share resources.
 Example: A forest ecologist studies how deer, tigers, trees, and rainfall influence each
other.

Ecology helps us understand:

1. How species depend on each other (e.g., plants give oxygen, humans give carbon
dioxide).
2. How resources like food, water, and space are shared.
3. What happens when balance is disturbed (like pollution or deforestation).

2. Concept of Ecosystem

 An ecosystem is a community of living organisms (plants, animals, microbes) interacting

with the non-living environment (soil, water, air).
 Example: A pond is an ecosystem — fish, algae, frogs, insects (living) interact with
water, sunlight, and nutrients (non-living).

Types of components in an ecosystem:

1. Biotic (living): Producers (plants), consumers (herbivores, carnivores), decomposers

(fungi, bacteria).
2. Abiotic (non-living): Sunlight, temperature, water, minerals, soil.

3. Structure and Function of Ecosystem

Structure:

 Producers (Autotrophs): Green plants, algae that make food by photosynthesis.

 Consumers (Heterotrophs): Animals that depend on plants or other animals.
o Primary consumers (herbivores like deer, goat).
o Secondary consumers (carnivores like fox, frog).
o Tertiary consumers (top predators like lion, eagle).
 Decomposers: Bacteria and fungi break down dead matter, recycle nutrients.

Functions:
  Flow of energy (from sun → producers → consumers → decomposers).
 Cycling of nutrients (carbon, nitrogen, water cycles).
 Maintaining ecological balance.

4. Energy Flow in Ecosystem

 Energy flow is unidirectional (sun → plants → animals → decomposers).

 At each step, energy is lost as heat → this is explained by the 10% law (only 10% of
energy is passed to next level).
o Example: Grass (1000 units of energy) → Deer (100 units) → Tiger (10 units).
 This explains why food chains usually have only 4–5 levels (not enough energy for
more).

5. Food Chains and Food Webs

Food Chain:

 A simple line showing who eats whom.

 Example: Grass → Grasshopper → Frog → Snake → Hawk.

Food Web:

 A network of interconnected food chains.

 More realistic, since one animal eats many types of food.
 Example: In a pond, fish eat insects, but insects are eaten by frogs, which are also eaten
by birds.

Classroom Tip: Draw a simple food chain on the board and then expand it into a food web.

6. Population and Community Ecology

 Population: Group of individuals of the same species in one area. Example: All tigers in
Ranthambore.
o Studied in terms of density, birth rate, death rate, growth rate.
 Community: All populations living together in an area. Example: A forest community
includes deer, tigers, birds, trees, insects.

Interactions in a community:

 Predation (lion eats deer).

  Competition (plants competing for sunlight).
 Symbiosis (bees and flowers).

7. Ecological Succession

 The natural process by which ecosystems change over time.

 Primary succession: On bare rock or sand → lichens grow → soil forms → grasses →
shrubs → forest.
 Secondary succession: Happens in disturbed areas (like abandoned farmland) where soil
already exists.

This shows that nature is never static, it keeps evolving toward a stable ecosystem (called a
climax community).

8. Characteristic Features of Major Ecosystems

a) Forest Ecosystem

 High biodiversity, many tall trees, dense canopy.

 Rich in resources like timber, medicine, fruits.
 Provide oxygen, regulate rainfall, prevent soil erosion.
 Example: Tropical rainforests in Amazon, evergreen forests in Western Ghats.

b) Grassland Ecosystem

 Dominated by grasses, few trees.

 Home to herbivores (bison, antelope, deer) and carnivores (lions in African savannahs).
 Important for grazing and agriculture.
 In India: Terai grasslands, Deccan Plateau grasslands.

c) Desert Ecosystem

 Very low rainfall, extreme temperatures.

 Plants adapted (cactus stores water), animals adapted (camels, reptiles).
 Fragile ecosystem — easily disturbed by human activity.
 Example: Thar Desert in India, Sahara in Africa.

d) Aquatic Ecosystem

 Freshwater: ponds, lakes, rivers, wetlands. Support fish, amphibians, aquatic plants.
 Marine: oceans, seas, estuaries. Cover 70% of Earth, high biodiversity.
 Coral reefs called “rainforests of the sea.”
  Important for oxygen production, fisheries, climate regulation.

9. Importance of Studying Ecology and Ecosystems

 Helps us understand the balance of nature.

 Shows how human activities disturb ecosystems (pollution, deforestation, overfishing).
 Provides knowledge for conservation and sustainable resource use.
 Helps in planning development projects (dams, industries) with minimal ecological
damage.

Unit 3 – Natural Resources

(Classroom Notes – Detailed)

1. Concept of Renewable and Non-Renewable Resources

 Natural resources = materials obtained from nature used by humans for survival and
development.
 Renewable resources
o Can be naturally replenished in a short time.
o Examples: solar energy, wind, forests, water, wildlife.
o If used wisely → sustainable.
 Non-renewable resources
o Finite, take millions of years to form.
o Examples: coal, petroleum, natural gas, minerals, metals.
o Once exhausted, cannot be regenerated in human lifetime.
 ⚡ Classroom point: Renewable = “reusable in short time”; Non-renewable = “once
gone, gone forever.”

2. Land Resources and Land Use Change

 Land is the foundation for agriculture, forests, housing, industries.

 Land use changes
o Conversion of forests into agriculture/urban areas.
o Urbanization and industrialization reduce cultivable land.
 Problems
o Land degradation.
o Soil erosion.
o Desertification.
3. Land Degradation, Soil Erosion, and Desertification

 Land degradation = decline in land quality due to overuse.

o Causes: deforestation, overgrazing, mining, industrial waste.
 Soil erosion = removal of top fertile soil layer by water or wind.
o Types: gully erosion, sheet erosion, wind erosion.
o Results: loss of fertility, reduced crop yield.
 Desertification
o Conversion of fertile land into desert-like condition.
o Causes: overgrazing, deforestation, over-irrigation (salinity), climate change.
o Major concern in arid/semi-arid regions.
 Remedies: afforestation, proper irrigation, soil conservation (contour ploughing,
terracing).

4. Deforestation

 Meaning: Clearing of forests for agriculture, timber, urban growth.

 Causes:
o Agriculture expansion.
o Timber and paper industry.
o Mining, dams, roads.
o Urbanization.
 Consequences:
o Loss of biodiversity.
o Soil erosion.
o Climate change (less CO₂ absorption).
o Displacement of tribal communities.
 Remedial measures:
o Forestation and reforestation.
o Social forestry and agro forestry.
o Protection of existing forests through laws.
o Community participation.

5. Water Resources

 Uses of water → drinking, agriculture, industries, power generation.

 Problems:
o Over-exploitation of surface and groundwater.
o Pollution of rivers and lakes.
  Floods:
o Excess water leads to loss of life, crops, infrastructure.
 Droughts:
o Water scarcity leads to crop failure, famine.
 Conflicts over water:
o Inter-state: e.g., Cauvery water dispute between Karnataka & Tamil Nadu.
o International: e.g., India–Pakistan Indus water treaty.
 Solutions: Rainwater harvesting, efficient irrigation (drip/sprinkler), watershed
management.

6. Energy Resources

 Conventional (non-renewable): Coal, petroleum, natural gas.

o Environmental impacts: air pollution, greenhouse gases, acid rain, mining
damage.
 Alternative/Non-conventional (renewable):
o Solar energy.
o Wind energy.
o Hydropower (small dams).
o Biomass, tidal, geothermal.
 Growing energy needs
o Industrial growth, population increase, urban lifestyle.
 Way forward:
o Use energy efficiently.
o Invest in renewable energy technologies.
o Promote energy conservation habits.

Unit 1: Introduction to Environmental Studies

1. Q: What is the multidisciplinary nature of Environmental Studies?

A: It combines sciences, social sciences, and humanities to study human–environment
interactions.
2. Q: Why is Environmental Studies important?
A: It raises awareness of environmental problems and guides sustainable solutions.
3. Q: Define sustainability.
A: Meeting present needs without harming future generations’ ability to meet theirs.
4. Q: What is sustainable development?
A: Development that balances economic growth, environmental protection, and social
equity.
 5. Q: Give one example of sustainable development.
A: Using renewable energy like solar or wind power.

Unit 2: Ecology and Ecosystems

6. Q: Define ecology.
A: Study of interactions between organisms and their environment.
7. Q: What is an ecosystem?
A: A functional unit of living organisms and non-living factors interacting together.
8. Q: Name the components of an ecosystem.
A: Producers, consumers, decomposers, and abiotic factors.
9. Q: How does energy flow in an ecosystem?
A: Unidirectionally: Sun → producers → consumers → decomposers.
10. Q: State the 10% law of energy flow.
A: Only about 10% of energy is passed to the next trophic level.
11. Q: Differentiate between a food chain and food web.
A: A food chain is linear, while a food web is interconnected chains.
12. Q: What is a population in ecology?
A: A group of individuals of the same species in an area.
13. Q: Define community in ecology.
A: All species living and interacting in a given area.
14. Q: What is ecological succession?
A: Natural process of change in species composition over time.
15. Q: Give two types of ecosystems.
A: Terrestrial (forest, desert) and aquatic (freshwater, marine).

Unit 3: Natural Resources

16. Q: What are renewable resources?

A: Resources replenished naturally, like solar and wind energy.
17. Q: What are non-renewable resources?
A: Resources with limited reserves, like coal and petroleum.
18. Q: Mention one cause of land degradation.
A: Deforestation or overgrazing.
19. Q: What is soil erosion?
A: Removal of topsoil by wind or water.
20. Q: Define desertification.
A: Conversion of fertile land into desert-like conditions.
21. Q: List two consequences of deforestation.
A: Biodiversity loss and climate change.
22. Q: What is watershed management?
A: Scientific conservation of water resources in a drainage basin.
 23. Q: Give one conventional energy resource.
A: Coal or petroleum.
24. Q: Give one non-conventional energy resource.
A: Solar or wind energy.
25. Q: Name one interstate water dispute in India.
A: Cauvery river dispute.

Unit 4: Biodiversity and Conservation

26. Q: Name three levels of biodiversity.

A: Genetic, species, and ecosystem diversity.
27. Q: How many biogeographic zones are in India?
A: Ten zones.
28. Q: Name one biodiversity hotspot in India.
A: Western Ghats.
29. Q: Give one example of an endangered species in India.
A: Tiger.
30. Q: What is in-situ conservation?
A: Protecting species in their natural habitats (e.g., national parks).