Environmental Studies Syllabus

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Environmental Studies Syllabus

(For Undergraduate Course of All branches of Higher Education)

Unit I: - The multidisciplinary Nature of Environmental Studies: (2 lecturers)


 Definition
 Scope and importance
 Need for Public awareness

Unit II: Nature Resources (8 lecturers)


Renewable and Non- renewable resources: Nature resources and associated problem.
(a) Forest resources: Use and over- exploitation, deforestation, case studies, timber extraction,
mining, dams and their effects on forests and tribal people.
(b) Water resources: Use and over- utilization of surface and ground water, floods, drought,
conflicts over water, dams- benefits and problems.
(c) Mineral resources: Use and exploitation, environmental effects of extracting and using
mineral resources, case studies.
(d) Food resources: World food problem, changes causes by agriculture and over- grazing,
effects of modern agriculture, fertilizer-pesticide problems, water logging, salinity, case
studies.
(e) Energy resource: Growing energy needs, renewable and non- renewable energy sources,
use of alternate energy sources, case studies.
(f) Land resources: Land as a resource, land degradation, man included landslides, soil erosion
and desertification.
a. Role of an individual in conservation of nature resources.
b. Equitable use of resources for sustainable life style.

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Unit III: Ecosystems (6 lecturers)
 Concept of an ecosystem
 Structure and function of an ecosystem
 Producer , consumer and decomposers
 Energy flow in the ecosystem
 Ecological succession
 Food chain, food webs and ecological pyramids.
 Introduction, type, characteristic features, structure and function of the following
ecosystem.
o Forest ecosystem
o Grassland ecosystem
o Desert ecosystem
o Aquatic ecosystem (ponds, streams, lakes, rivers, oceans, estuaries).

Unit IV: - Bio- diversity and its Conservation (8 lecturers)


 Introduction- Definition: genetic, species and ecosystem diversity.
 Biogeographically classification of India.
 Value of biodiversity: Consumptive use, productive use, social, ethical, aesthetic and
option values.
 Biodiversity at global, national and local levels.
 India as a maga- diversity nation.
 Hot- spots of biodiversity.
 Threats to biodiversity: Habitat loss, poaching of wildlife, man- wildlife conflicts.
 Endangered and endemic species of India.
 Conservation of biodiversity: in situ and ex-situ Conservation of biodiversity.

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Unite V: Environmental Pollution (8 lecturers)
Definition
 Causes, effects and control measures of:
(a) Air pollution
(b) Water pollution
(c) Soil pollution
(d) Marine pollution
(e) Noise pollution
(f) Thermal pollution
(g) Nuclear hazards.
 Solid waste management; causes, effects and control measures of urban and industrial
wastes.
 Role of an individual in prevention of pollution
 Pollution case studies
 Disaster management: Floods, earthquake, cyclone and land- slides.
Unite VI: Social Issues and the environmental (7 lecturers)
 From unsustainable to sustainable development
 Urban problem related to energy
 Water conservation, rain water harvesting , watershed management
 Resettlement and rehabilitation of people: Its problem and concerns. Case studies
 Environmental ethic: Issues and possible solution
 Climate change, global warming, acid rain, ozone layer depletion, nuclear accidents and
holocaust. Case studies
 Wasteland reclamation
 Conservation and waste products.
 Environmental protection act.
 Air (prevention and control of pollution) Act
 Water (prevention and control of pollution) Act
 Wildlife Protection Act
 Forest Conservation Act
 Issues involved in enforcement of environmental legislation
 Public awareness

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Unit VII: Human Population and environmental (6 lecturers)
 Population growth, variation among nations
 Population explosion- Family welfare programme
 Environmental and human health
 Human rights
 Value education
 HIV/AIDS
 Women and child welfare
 Role of information technology in environmental and human health
 Case studies

Unit VIII: Field Work (5 lecturer)


 Visit to a local area to document environmental assets – River, forest grassland/ hill/
mountain
 Visit to a local polluted site- Urban / Rural/ industrial/ Agricultural
 Study of common plants, insects and birds
 Study of simple ecosystem- pond, river, hill slopes etc. ( Field work equal to 5 lecture
hours)

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