ES ASSIGNMENT-2 ANSWERS

SAQS
1.DEFINE LEVELS OF BIODIVERSITY?LIST THE MAJOR CAUSES FOR REDUCTION IN BIODIVERSITY.

A) Biodiversity is of three levels:

1. Species diversity

2. Genetic diversity

3. Ecological diversity

Species Diversity: Species diversity refers to biodiversity at the most basic level
and is the ‘variety and abundance of different types of individuals of a
species in a given area’.
Diversity Genetic: • Genetic diversity relates to the range of diversity in the
genetic resources of the organisms.
• Every individual member of a plant or animal species differs from
other individuals in its genetic constitution.
Ecological diversity: Ecological diversity refers to the ‘variability among the
species of plants and animals living together and connected by flow of
energy and cycling of nutrients in different ecosystems or ecological
complexes’.
Major causes of reduction in biodiversity:
Habitat destruction,invasive species,pollution,
Human over population,natural calamities , genetic pollution

2.DISTINGUISH BETWEEN ENDANGERED AND EPIDEMIC SPECIES WITH EXAMPLE

A)

Endemic species Endangered species

Species which are Species which are in danger of
found exclusively in a becoming extinct
particular geographical
region

They isolate due to soil Thousands of species of plants

and climatic conditions and animals are endangered
due to habitat loss overhunting
pollution etc
Examples: Sal, bulbul, Examples: African wild dog, blue
forest owlet whale, giant panda, snow
leopard
3.STATE THE CHARECTERISTICS OF ESTUARIES

A) The main characteristics of estuaries are as follows:

• They are considered transition zones in which fresh water from a river and
saltwater from the ocean are mixed.
• In temperate zones, due to the mixture of waters, they tend to form
marshes, and in tropical zones they give rise to mangroves.
• They have a great variety of environments or habitats which are very
specific.

4.DEFINE AND GIVE EXAMPLES FOR PRIMARY AND SECONDARY AIR POLLUTANTS

A) Primary Pollutants The

pollutants that directly cause air pollution are known as primary pollutants.EX: Sulphur-
dioxide emitted from factories is a primary pollutant.

Secondary Pollutants
The pollutants formed by the intermingling and reaction of primary pollutants are known as
secondary pollutants.EX: Smog, formed by the intermingling of smoke and fog, is a
secondary pollutant.

5.DEFINE ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

A) Environmental pollution is defined as “the contamination of the physical and biological
components of the earth/atmosphere system to such an extent that normal environmental
processes are adversely affected.” Pollutants can be naturally occurring substances or
energies, but they are considered contaminants when in excess of natural levels. Any use of
natural resources at a rate higher than nature’s capacity to restore itself can result in
pollution of air, water, and land

6.WHAT ARE THE ISSUES INVOLVED IN ENFORCEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION?

A) Some of the important issues involved in enforcement of

environmental legislation in India are as follows: 1. The
precautionary principle, 2. The polluter-pays principle, 3. Freedom
of information!
7.WRITE LIMITATION OF RAIN WATER HARVESTING

A) Disadvantages of Rainwater Harvesting

• Unpredictable Rainfall: All places do not receive the same amount of
rainfall. ...
• Initial High Cost: It is not possible to predict the cost recovery period of a
rainwater harvesting system. ...
• Regular Maintenance: Rainwater harvesting systems are prone to rodents,
mosquitoes, algae growth, insects and lizards which contaminate the
harvested rainwater.

• Storage limits:one of the biggest disadvantage is of storage facility.it is

restricted not only by the size but by the time also

8. STATE PRINCIPLES OF DISASTER MITIGATION

A)Mitigation efforts attempt to prevent hazards from developing into disasters altogether, or to
reduce the effects of disasters when they occur. The mitigation phase differs from the other phases
because it focuses on long-term measures for reducing or eliminating risk Personal mitigation is
mainly about knowing and avoiding unnecessary risks.

the four basic actions of mitigation are:

1. Preventing hazards from occurring

2. Reducing risks
3. Reducing impacts or consequences
4. Distributing risks

9.DEFINE ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS

A) Environmental ethics is defined as the philosophical discipline that considers
the moral and ethical relationship of human beings to the environment. ...
Those that place significantly higher value on human interests at the expense
of non-human things are said to have an anthropocentric or human-centered
ethical view.

10.WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF OZONE LAYER DEPLETION

A) Effects on Human Health

The humans will be directly exposed to the harmful ultraviolet radiations of the sun due
to the depletion of ozone layer. This might result in serious health issues among humans
such as skin diseases, cancer, sunburns, cataract, quick ageing, and weekend immune
system.
 Effects on Animals
Direct exposure to ultraviolet radiations leads to skin and eye
cancer in animals.
Effects on the Environment
Strong ultraviolet rays may lead to minimal growth, flowering and photosynthesis in
plants. The forests also have to bear the harmful effects of the ultraviolet rays.
Effects on Marine Life
Planktons are greatly affected by the exposure to harmful ultraviolet rays. These are
higher in the aquatic food chain. If the planktons are destroyed the organisms present
in the lower food chain are also affected.

LAQS
1. EXPLAIN IN SITU AND EX SITU METHODS OF CONSERVATION OF

BIODIVERSITY

o A)In-situ biodiversity conservation

• In-situ conservation means the conservation of species within

their natural habitats, this way of conserving biodiversity is the
most appropriate method for biodiversity conservation.
• In this strategy you have to find out the area with high
biodiversity means the area in which number of plants and
animals are present.
• This high biodiversity area should be covered in the form of
Natural Park/ sanctuary/biosphere reserve etc.
• In this way biodiversity can be conserve in their natural
habitat from human activities

Ex-Situ conservation methods

• Ex-situ conservation involves the conservation of biological diversity
outside of their natural habitats.
• This involves conservation of genetic resources, as well as wild and
cultivated or species, and draws on a diverse body of techniques and
facilities. • It deals with offsite conservation
• Ex-situ Biodiversity conservation can be done as following: • By forming
Gene banks: In this store seeds, sperm & ova at extremely low temperature
and humidity.
• Ex-situ biodiversity conservation strategy also plays an important role
in recovery programmes for endangered species. The Kew Seed Bank in
England has 1.5 per cent of the world’s flora - about 4,000 species - on
deposit.
 • In agriculture, ex-situ conservation measures maintain

domesticated plants which cannot survive in nature unaided.

2.ENNUMERATE AND EXPLAIN IN DETAIL THE VALUES OF

BIODIVERSITY

A). Biodiversity is the most precious gift of nature the mankind is blessed
with. The uniqueness of our planet Earth is due to the presence of life
manifested through the diversity in flora and fauna Besides its ecological
and environmental value, biodiversity has significant socio-economic values
as well.
The value of biodiversity can be grouped into three categories as below
1.PRODUCTIVE VALUE

Almost all the present day agricultural crops have originated from

wild varieties. This is assigned to the products that are

commercially harvested for exchange in formal markets and is,

therefore, the only value of biological resources that is concerned

in national income. Examples: Fuel, timber, fish, fodder, skin,

fruits, cereals and medicines.

2. Consumptive Value: This is related to natural products that are

consumed directly for food, fodder, timber, fuel wood, etc. Humans use at
least 40,000 species of plants and animals on a daily basis. It contains the
goods which do not come under normal circulation of trade. Examples: Non-
timber forest products such as wood, soft broom grass and cane.

3. Environmental value:
It is related to production of oxygen, maintenance of water-cycle and
other biogeochemical cycles by the natural environment.
Indirect use of biodiversity is of much significance because this value is
related primarily with functions of ecosystem and is concerned with national
accounting systems. They may provide us indirect benefits as non-
consumptive values. Examples: Maintenance of ecological balance,
conservation of natural resources and prevention of soil erosion may be
considered as the examples of indirect use of biodiversity.
 3.DEFINE HOTSPOTS.EXPLAIN TWO HOTSPOTS FOUND IN INDIA.

Biodiversity Hotspot
Biodiversity hotspot is defined as a biogeographic region
with significant reservoir of biodiversity that is under threat
from humans. It is an area which faces serious threat from
human activities and supports unique biodiversity having
endemic, threatened and rare species
• Western Himalaya hotspot in india
In the Himalayas, there are around 3,160 endemic species of plants, 12 endemic
species of mammals, 15 endemic species of birds, 48 endemic species of reptiles,
42 endemic species of amphibians, and 33 endemic species of freshwater fishes.
There are around 750 species of Orchids found in Himalayas and Ermania
himalayensis is a unique plant that was discovered on the slopes of Mt. Kamet in the
northwestern Himalayas.
The Himalayas Biodiversity Hotspot is home to some of the most endangered
species of wildlife in India.
Western Ghats Biodiversity Hotspot in India

There are around 3,049 endemic species of plants, 18 endemic species of

mammals, 35 endemic species of birds, 174 endemic species of reptiles, 130
endemic species of amphibians, and 139 endemic species of freshwater fishes.
Western Ghats is the adobe to some of the most endangered species of flora and
fauna in the world.
Due to rainfall, there are many types of vegetation present here like scrub forests,
deciduous forests, tropical forests, montane forests, rolling grasslands, and plains
The Agasthyamalai Hills have the highest levels of plant diversity and endemism

4.DEFINE AIR POLLUTION .EXPLAIN VARIOUS APPROACHES FOR

CONTROLLING OF AIR POLLUTION WITH THEIR MERITS AND DEMERITS
A) Air pollution defined as any physical, chemical or biological change in the air. It is the
contamination of air by harmful gases, dust and smoke which affects the plants, animals, and
humans drastically
CONTROL METHODS:
• People should avoid using vehicles for shorter distances. This not only prevents pollution but also
conserves energy.
• A large number of fossil fuels are burnt to generate electricity. Therefore, do not forget to switch
off the electrical appliances when not in use. Thus, you can save the environment at the individual
level.
o Use of energy-efficient devices such CFLs•
o The use of solar, wind and geothermal energies reduce air pollution at a larger level.
o By minimizing and reducing the use of fire and fire products.
o Fuel substitution is another way of controlling air pollution. In many parts of India, petrol
and diesel are being replaced by CNG – Compressed Natural Gas fuelled vehicles. These are
mostly adopted by vehicles that aren’t fully operating with ideal emission engines.
o Another way of controlling air pollution caused by industries is to modify and maintain
existing equipments so that the emission of pollutants is minimized.
o A very effective way of controlling air pollution is by diluting the air pollutants.
o The last and the best way of reducing the ill effects of air pollution is tree plantation

5.DESCRIBE THE SOURCES EFFECTS AND CONTROL OF

Aa)noise pollution:
sources of noise pollution:
• Industrialization: Industrialization has led to an increase in noise pollution as the use of
heavy machinery such as generators, mills, huge exhaust fans, etc are used resulting in the
production of unwanted noise.
• Vehicles: Increased number of vehicles on the roads are the second reason for noise pollution.
• Events: Weddings, public gatherings involve loudspeakers to play music resulting in
the production of unwanted noise in the neighbourhood.
• Construction sites: Mining, construction of buildings, etc. add to the noise pollution.
Effects of Noise Pollution
Noise pollution can be hazardous to human health in the following ways:
• Hypertension: It is a direct result of noise pollution which is caused due to elevated blood
levels for a longer duration.
• Hearing loss: Constant exposure of human ears to loud noise that are beyond the range of
sound that human ears can withstand damages the eardrums resulting in loss of hearing. •
Sleeping disorders: Lack of sleep might result in fatigue and low energy level throughout
day affecting everyday activities. Noise pollution hampers the sleep cycles leading to irritation
and uncomfortable state of mind.

• Cardiovascular issues: Heart related problems such as blood pressure level, stress,
and cardiovascular diseases might come up in a normal person and person suffering from any of
these diseases might feel the sudden shoot up in the level.
Prevention of Noise Pollution
Some noise pollution preventive measures are provided below.
• Honking in public places like teaching institutes, hospital, etc. should be banned. • In
commercial, hospital, and industrial buildings adequate soundproof systems should
be installed.
• Musical instruments sound should be controlled to desirable limits.
• Dense tree cover is useful in noise pollution prevention.
• Explosives should be not used in forest, mountainous, and mining areas.
b)WATER POLLUTION:
The main causes of water pollution
 • Industrial activities
• Urbanization
• Religious and social practices
• Agricultural runoff
• Accidents (such as oil spills, nuclear fallouts etc)

Effects of Water Pollution

The effect of water pollution depends upon the type of pollutants and its concentration.

• Water bodies in the vicinity of urban areas are extremely polluted. This is the result of
dumping garbage and toxic chemicals by industrial and commercial establishments.
• Water pollution drastically affects aquatic life. It affects their metabolism, behaviour, causes
illness and eventual death.

• The effect of water pollution can have a huge impact on the food chain. It disrupts the food-
chain. Cadmium and lead are some toxic substances, these pollutants upon entering the food chain
through animals(fish when consumed by animals, humans) can continue to disrupt at higher levels.
• Humans are affected by pollution and can contract diseases such as hepatitis through faecal
matter in water sources. Poor drinking water treatment and unfit water can always cause an
outbreak of infectious diseases such as cholera etc.
• The ecosystem can be critically affected, modified and destructured because of water pollution.

Prevention of Water Pollution

Water pollution, to a larger extent, can be controlled by a variety of methods. Rather than
releasing sewage waste into water bodies, it is better to treat them before discharge. Practising this
can reduce the initial toxicity.
A very special plant, the Water Hyacinth can absorb dissolved toxic chemicals such as cadmium and
other such elements. Establishing these in regions prone to such kinds of pollutants will reduce the
adverse effects to a large extent.
Some chemical methods that help in the control of water pollution are precipitation, the ion
exchange process, reverse osmosis, and coagulation. As an individual, reusing, reducing, and
recycling wherever

C)THERMAL POLLUTION
.
Sources of Thermal Pollution:
(1) Coal-fired Power Plants:
Some thermal power plants use coal as fuel. Coal-fired power plants constitute the major source of
the thermal pollution.
(2) Industrial Effluents:
Industries generating electricity require large amount of Cooling water for heat removal. Other
industries like textile, paper, and pulp and sugar industry also release heat in water, but to a lesser
extent.
(3) Nuclear Power Plants:
Nuclear power plants emit a large amount of unutilized heat and traces of toxic radio nuclear into
nearby water streams. Emissions from nuclear reactors and processing installations are also
responsible for increasing the temperature of water bodies.
(4) Hydro Electric Power:
Generation of hydro-electric power also results in negative thermal loading of water
bodies. (5) Domestic Sewage:
Domestic sewage is often discharged into rivers, lakes, canals or streams without waste
treatment. The municipal water sewage normally has a higher temperature than receiving
water. With the increase in temperature of the receiving water the dissolved oxygen
content (DO) decreases and the demand of oxy gen increases and anaerobic conditions
occur. ; Effects:
Many organisms are killed instantly by the hot water resulting into a high mortality. It may bring
other disturbance in the ecosystem. The egg of fish may hatch early or fail to hatch at all. It may
change the diurnal and seasonal behaviour and metabolic responses of organisms. It may lead to
unplanned migration of aquatic animals.
Macro-phytic population may also be changed. As temperature is an important limiting factor,
serious changes may be brought about even by a slight increase in temperature in a population. For
minimising thermal pollution, hot water should be cooled before release from factories and
removal of forest canopies and irrigation return flows should be prohibited
Control of Thermal Pollution:
(1) Cooling Ponds:
Cooling ponds or reservoirs constitute the simplest method of controlling thermal discharges.
Heated effluents on the surface of water in cooling ponds maximize dissipation of heat to the
atmosphere and minimize the water area and volume. This is the simplest and cheapest method
which cools the water to a considerable low temperature. However, the technique alone is less
desirable and inefficient in terms of air-water conta

(2) Cooling Towers:

Using water from water sources for cooling purposes, with subsequent return to the water body
after passing through the condenser is termed as cooling process. In order to make the cooling
process more effective, cooling towers are designed to control the temperature of water. In-fact,
cooling towers are used to dissipate the recovered waste heat so as to eliminate the problems of
thermal pollution.
(3) Artificial Lake:

Artificial lakes are man-made bodies of water which offer possible alternative to once

through cooling. The heated effluents may be discharged into the lake at one end and

the water for cooling purposes may be withdrawn from the other end. A number of

methods have been suggested and developed for converting the thermal effluents from

power plants into useful heat resources for maximizing the benefits.

D)SOIL POLLUTION:

The root cause of soil pollution is often one of the following:

• Agriculture (excessive/improper use of pesticides)

• Excessive industrial activity

• Poor management or inefficient disposal of waste

Effects on Human Beings

Soil contaminants can exist in all three phases (solid, liquid, and gaseous). Therefore, these
contaminants can find their way into the human body via several channels such as direct contact with
the skin or through the inhalation of contaminated soil dust.
The short term effects of human exposure to polluted soil include:
 • Headaches, nausea, and vomiting.
• Coughing, pain in the chest, and wheezing.
• Irritation of the skin and the eyes.
• Fatigue and weakness.
A variety of long-term ailments have been linked to soil pollution. Some such diseases are listed below. •
• Depression of the CNS (Central Nervous System).
• Damage to vital organs such as the kidney and the liver.
• Higher risk of developing cancer.
Control Measures of soil Pollution
Several technologies have been developed to tackle soil remediation. Some important strategies
followed for the decontamination of polluted soil are listed below.
• Excavation and subsequent transportation of polluted soils to remote, uninhabited locations. •
Extraction of pollutants via thermal remediation – the temperature is raised in order to force
the contaminants into the vapor phase, after which they can be collected through vapor
extraction. • Bioremediation or phytoremediation involves the use of microorganisms and plants
for the decontamination of soil.

• Myco-remediation involves the use of fungi for the accumulation of heavy metal

contaminants.

6.DISCUSS THE SALIENT FEATURES OF:

Aa) ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION ACT 1986Salient features of the

Environment Protection Act, 1986

• The Act covers all forms of pollution; air, water, soil and noise.
• It provides the safe standards for the presence of various pollutants in the
environment.
• It prohibits the use of hazardous material unless prior permission is taken
from the Central Government.
• It allows the central government to assign authorities in various
jurisdictions to carry out the laws of this Act.

b)WATER ACT 1974: The salient features of WATER (PREVENTION AND

CONTROL OF POLLUTION) ACT, 1974

▪ The Act provides for maintenance and restoration of quality of all types of surface and
groundwater.

▪ Controlling bodies: It provides for the establishment of Central and State Boards for
pollution control.

▪ Functions: The Act assigns powers and functions to these Boards to control pollution.
 ▪ Authority to board: The Central and State Pollution Control Boards are given
comprehensive powers to advise, coordinate, and provide technical assistance for the
prevention and control of water pollution.

▪ Audit: The Act has provisions for funds, budgets, accounts, and audit of the Central and
State Pollution Control Boards.

▪ Prohibition: The Act prohibits disposal of any poisonous, noxious or polluting matter to the
flow of water in a stream. However, dumping of any material into a stream for the purpose of
reclamation of land is not considered an offense.

▪ Penalties: The Act provides for severe and deterrent punishments for violation of the Act
which includes fine and imprisonment.
c)WILDLIFE CONSRVATION ACT:

• The Act prohibited the hunting of endangered species.

• Scheduled animals are prohibited from being traded as per the Act’s provisions.
• The Act provides for licenses for the sale, transfer, and possession of some wildlife
species.
• It provides for the establishment of wildlife sanctuaries, national parks, etc.
• Its provisions paved the way for the formation of the Central Zoo Authority. This is the
central body responsible for the oversight of zoos in India. It was established in 1992.
• The Act created six schedules which gave varying degrees of protection to classes of
flora and fauna.
o Schedule I and Schedule II (Part II) get absolute protection, and offences under
these schedules attract the maximum penalties.
o The schedules also include species that may be hunted

• FOREST CONSERVATION ACT:

• This Act empowers State Governments to use forest area only for forestry
purposes.
o Forest is treated as a national asset. Therefore, the state governments
have to seek the central government’s approval if it plans to use the forest
area for:

1. Reforestation.
2. Non-forestry purposes such as mining.

o The Act ensures that in order to stop forest dwellers from cutting trees, they
must have full access to fuel, fodder, building material, wood etc at a
subsidized rate.
 o Compensatory afforestation is also one of the salient features of this Act
as it promotes this practice throughout the statuteS

• This legislation is pretty short with only 5 sections. However, this legislation is
significant enough because it is effective and has been somewhat successful in
conserving forests.

7.DEFINE DISASTER MANAGEMENT AND EXPLAIN DISASTER MANAGEMENT CYCLE

Disaster Management involves a nonstop and joint procedure of planning, organising,
coordinating and implementing measures that are required for:
• Prevention of danger or threat of any disaster.
• Mitigation or reduction of risk of any disaster or its harshness or
consequences. • Capacity building as well as research and knowledge
management.
• Vigilance to deal with any disaster
• Timely response to any threatening disaster situation or disaster.
• Assessing the severity or magnitude of effects of any disaster.
• Evacuation, rescue and relief. • Rehabilitation and reconstruction
Disaster management cycle

Mitigation: Measures that prevent or reduce the impact of disasters

 Preparedness: Planning, training, & educational activities for things that cant be

mitigated. Response: The immediate aftermath of a disaster, when business is not

as usual.

Recovery: The long-term aftermath of a disaster, when restoration efforts are in addition to
regular services.

Management (or disaster management) is the discipline dealing of with and avoiding risks. It is a
discipline that involves preparing, supporting, and rebuilding society when natural or human-
made disasters occur.

8.DISCUSS THE MECHANISM CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF

GREENHOUS EFFECT

A)MECHANISM
The greenhouse effect is the process thanks to which Earth has a higher temperature than it
would have without it. The gases that radiate heat also known as greenhouse gases absorb the
energy radiated out by the Earth and reflect a part of it back to Earth. Of all the energy that the
Earth receives from the Sun, a part of it around 26% is reflected back to space by the
atmosphere and clouds. Some part of it is absorbed by the atmosphere, around 19%.
The rest hits the ground and heats the surface of the Earth
THE main causes of green house effect are:

• Deforestation: This is considered to be one of the most responsible factors for the cause
of greenhouse effect. This is due to the reduction in the release in the oxygen and
absorption of carbon dioxide by the plants.
• Fossil fuel burning: Fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gases are used as a means
of energy which releases a huge amount of harmful gases into the environment.
• Population: As the population increases, the need for space increases which again
results in deforestation.

The major consequences of green house effect are:

• Ozone layer depletion

• Global warming

• Environmental degradation

• Extinct of species
9.DISCUSS WATER CONSERVATION AND WATERSHED MANAGEMENT IN DEATAIL
A) Water Conservation Methods
• Installing flow-restricting shower heads to save water during showers.
• Taking bucket-baths instead of showers.
• Turning off the tap while shaving or brushing teeth.
• Immediately fixing any leaking taps and pipes in our homes.
 • Practising rainwater harvesting to reduce the wastage of rainwater

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT:

Watershed management is defined as the study of the relevant characteristics of a watershed

aimed at the sustainable distribution of its resources and the process of creating and
implementing plans, programs, and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that
affect the plant, animal, and human communities.

The main goal of Watershed Management is to implant the sustainable management of

natural resources to improve the quality of living for the population is to be accomplished by
the following objectives:
1. Improvement and restoration of soil quality 2 Raising productivity rates.

The three main components in watershed management

Land Management, Water Management and Biomass Management.
Land characteristics like terrain, slope, formation, depth, texture, moisture, infiltration rate and
soil capability are the major determinants of land management activities in a watershed.

Methods of watershed management.

To improve the groundwater level, several civil structures are constructed in the watershed
area, pits and trenches.

10TH KHUD LIKHO :-D