Energy & Environment 18ME751

Module 3
ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT

Environment: Introduction, Multidisciplinary nature of environmental studies-

Definition, scope and importance, Need for public awareness.

DEFINITION OF ENVIRONMENT

➢ Environmental science is the study of nature and the facts about environment.
Environment can be defined as "all the social, economic, physical and chemical
factors that surrounds man" or "all abiotic and biotic components around man-
all living and non-living things surrounds man".
➢ The term environment is derived from the French word “environing” which
means “surrounding”.
➢ The word environment is defined as “the sum total of all social, economical,
biological, physical and chemical factors which constitute the surroundings of
humans who are both the creators and moulders of the environment.
Environment is the sum total of influences which modify and determine the
development of life and its characteristics.
MULTI DISCIPLINARY NATURE OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
The study of environmental components is multi-disciplinary in nature.
Since it includes all disciplines such as science, humanities, commerce,
meteorology, climatology, geography.

➢ Life sciences including botany, zoology, microbiology, genetics, biochemistry,

biotechnology help in understanding the biotic components and their
interactions.
➢ The physical and chemical structure of the biotic components and energy
transfer and flow are understood with the help of basic concept of physics,
chemistry, atmospheric science and oceanography.
➢ Mathematics, statics and computer science serve as effective tools in
environmental modeling and management.
➢ Economics, sociology and mass communication provides the input for dealing
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with socio economic aspects associated with various developmental activities.

➢ A synthesis with environmental engineering, civil engineering and chemical
engineering forms the basis for various technologies dealing with the control of
environmental pollution, waste treatment and development of cleaner
technologies that are important for protection of environment.
➢ Environmental laws provide the tools for effective management and protection
of the environment.

These constant interactions between the living and the nonliving

components inter relate the various sciences and therefore a clear knowledge of all
sciences is required to understand the problem related to the environment and to
find the solution for the same.

Major subject/Topic knowledge

Sl.No. Environmental issue/topics
required
1 Nature and reaction of air
Chemistry and Chemical engineering
Pollutants
2 Effects of air pollutants on
human Chemistry and Chemical engineering
beings, animals and plants
3 Effect of air pollutants on Meteorology, Thermodynamics,
Materials Geography
4 Effect of climate on air Mathematical modeling, etc
Pollution
5 Air pollution control devices Physics, chemistry and various branches
of Engineering
6 History of air pollution and air
History
pollution episodes
7 Economic impacts of air Economics, Demography
pollution
8 Sociological impacts of air Sociology
pollution
9 Alternative fuels Various branches of physical sciences
10 Conservation of resources and Various branches of physical and
pollution control political sciences

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11 Ozone hole and global warming Almost all fields

Table: Interdisciplinary Nature of Environmental Science Ex: Air Pollution

SCOPE OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES:-

Scope of the environmental studies is broad based and it encompasses a

large no of areas and aspects broadly listed below.

➢ Natural resources–their conservation and management

➢ Ecology and biodiversity
➢ Environmental pollution and control
➢ Social issues in relation to development and environment
➢ Human population and environment
Natural resources-conservation:- Natural aspects such as forests contribute
towards maintaining a balance in the environment, managing and maintaining of
forests and wild life is an important task under natural resources conservation.

Ecosystem structure and function:-The study of the ecosystem mainly consists of

the study of the processes that link with the biotic components to the non-living
(or) abiotic components.

Environmental pollution and control:- With the knowledge of the environmental

science one can look for methods to control pollution and manage waste
effectively.

Environmental management:- There are several independent environmental

consultants working with the central and state pollution control boards. These
consultants offer advice related to environment problems and their solutions. The
consultants involved in policy making, pollution control and maintenance of
ecological balance.

Research and development:- With increase in public awareness, regarding

environment issues, there is tremendous scope for research and development in this
field. Research is conducted in order to develop theories of monitoring and
controlling environment.

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Environmental journalism:- There is an increasing demand for people who can

report on environment issues to generate awareness among people. Environmental
journalism is an emerging field which helps in bringing environmental problems to
public notice.
Industry:- Environmental scientists work towards maintaining ecological balance,
conservation of bio diversity and preserve the natural resources. Rapid
industrialization is increasingly degrading the environment to minimise this, there
is a growing trend towards manufacturing of “green” goods and products.

IMPORTANCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES:

The study of the structure and function of the environment is essential for
sustainable development of all living organisms on earth. Environmental studies
are important because of the following reasons.

1) It gives information regarding the changes that takes place due to anthropogenic
factors and helps gain skills of analyzing various environmental systems and
the effect of human activities on them.

2) Environmental studies help to achieve sustainable development and understand

the relationship between development and the environment.

3) This discipline helps to educate people regarding their duties towards

environmental protection.

4) Environment is one subject that is actually global in nature.

5) Environmental study deals with the analysis of the processes in water, air, land,
soil, and organism which leads to pollution (or) environment degradation.

6) It also deals with the most important issues like safe and clean drinking water,
hygienic living conditions, clean and fresh air, healthy food for man and for
development.

7) The discipline provides us with basic knowledge of the environment and

various environmental issues. It examines the scientific basic for environmental
and social concerns about our present energy needs, global climate changes,
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toxic emission and waste disposal.

8) It also provides knowledge about the development and utilization of energy

resources and the role of public policy there in.
9) Environmental law, business administration and environmental engineering are
emerging as new career opportunities for environment protection and
management.
10) Environmental studies also aims to protect bio diversity growth in human
population and the resulting increase in material consumption and technological
development has increased the rate and scale of degradation of the environment.

11) The concepts from environmental studies can be applied to the study of
agriculture and the design of sustainable production system.

12) With the pollution control laws becoming more strengthen, are finding it
difficult to dispose off the produced wastes.

NEED FOR PUBLIC AWARENESS:-

Environmental pollution is affecting on plant, animals and human life.

The soil, minerals, water, fuel, plants and animal resources are being depleted and
climatic changes, desertification and floods are becoming drastic. Moreover, the
human population is growing faster than ever and creating more pressure on the
environment.

More of the environmental problems are global in nature, therefore every

citizen of the world needs to be aware and actively participate in protecting in
protecting global environment for participation, public awareness is essential.

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Ecosystem: Concept, Energy flow, Structure and function of an ecosystem. Food

chains, food webs and ecological pyramids, Forest ecosystem, Grassland
ecosystem, Desert ecosystem and Aquatic ecosystems, Ecological succession.
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is defined as a natural functional ecological unit comprising
of living organisms and their non-living environment that interact to form a stable
self-supporting system.

Ecology is the study of the distribution and abundance of organisms, the

flows of energy and materials between abiotic and biotic components of
ecosystems.

STRUCTURE OF ECOSYSTEM
1. Abiotic or non-living components or physical components
2. Biotic or Living components
3. Energy components
Function of organisms in an ecosystem
➢ Producer (autotrophy): make food; plants, algae
➢ Consumer (heterotrophy): eat other organisms
➢ Decomposer: eat dead organic matter; bacteria and fungi
Classes of Consumers
➢ Herbivore – primary consumer – eats plants
➢ Carnivores – secondary – meat eaters; eat herbivores
➢ Tertiary – feed on carnivores
➢ Omnivores – eat plants/animals

Components that make up the structural aspects of an ecosystem include:

1) Inorganic aspects – C, N, CO2, H2O.
2) Organic compounds – Protein, Carbohydrates, and Lipids – link abiotic to biotic
aspects.
3) Climatic regimes – Temperature, Moisture, Light & Topography.
4) Producers – Plants.

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5) Macro consumers – Phagotrophs – Large animals.

6) Micro consumers – Saprotrophs, absorbers– fungi.
Functional aspects
1) Energy cycles.
2) Food chains.
3) Diversity-interlinkages between organisms.
4) Nutrient cycles-biogeochemical cycles.
5) Evolution.

ENERGY FLOW IN ECOSYSTEM

➢ All organisms must obtain a supply of energy and nutrients from their
environment in order to survive.
➢ The transformations of energy in an ecosystem begin first with the input of
energy from the sun. Because, it is the first step in the production of energy for
living things, it is called “Primary production”.
➢ Photosynthesis -- Chemical reaction where green plants use water & carbon
dioxide to store the sun‟s energy in glucose.
➢ ENERGY is stored in glucose.
➢ Glucose is stored as starch in plants
➢ The majority of autotrophs are photoautotrophs that harness the energy of the
sun and pass some of this energy onto consumers through feeding pathways.
➢ The energy contained within producers and consumers is ultimately passed to
the decomposers that are responsible for the constant recycling of nutrients.
➢ Thus, there is a one-way flow of energy through the biotic community and
acycling of nutrients between the biotic and abiotic components of
ecosystem.
➢ Energy flow cannot occur in reverse direction.

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FIG:- ENERGY FLOW IN ECOSYSTEM

➢ Starts from autotrophs (the producer level, i.e., first trophic level) to
Heterotrophs including plant eaters or Herbivores (second trophic level) and so
on.
➢ The amount of energy decreases with successive trophic levels.
➢ Only About 1% of energy from the sun is used by green plants & rest remains
unutilized.
➢ Similarly, there is loss of energy in each trophic level.
➢ The transfer of food energy between the organisms in an ecosystem can be
tracked by constructing food chains, food webs, pyramids of numbers and
energy flow diagrams.

FOOD CHAIN

Plants by photosynthesis convert solar energy into protoplasm. Small

herbivores consume the vegetable matter and convert into animal matter which in
turn eaten by large carnivores.
➢ A food chain may be defined as, “the transfer of energy and nutrients through a
series of organisms with repeated process of eating and being eaten”.
➢ In an ecosystem, all the organisms are linked together with one another by food
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relationship.
➢ Each organism living or dead is potential food for some other organism.

Fig:- Food Chain

FOOD WEB
The food relationship between various organisms is being depicted by
linking all the possible prey and predators of different food level. In an ecosystem
linking of feeding habit relations will provide a food web or Interlocking pattern of
several interlinked food chains is termed as FOOD WEB.

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ECOLOGICAL PYRAMIDS
An Ecological pyramid is a graphical representation that shows the
relative amounts of energy or matter contained within each tropic level in a food
chain or food web. An ecological pyramid shows the relationship between
consumers and producers at different tropic levels in an ecosystem.

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In an ecosystem, green plants – the producers, utilize energy directly from

sunlight and convert it into matter. A large number of these organisms form the
most basic, or first „trophic level‟ of the food pyramid. The herbivorous animals
that eat plants are at the second trophic level and are called primary consumers.
The predators that feed on them form the third trophic level and are known as
secondary consumers. Only a few animals form the third trophic level consisting of
carnivores at the apex of the food pyramid. This is how energy is used by living
creatures and flows through the ecosystem from its base to the apex. Much of the
energy is used up in activities of each living organism.

FOREST ECOSYSTEM
Forests are formed by a community of plants which is predominantly
structurally defined by its trees, shrubs, climbers and ground cover. A forest can be
defined as a biotic community predominant of trees, shrubs or any other woody
vegetation usually in a closed canopy. It is derived from latin word ‘foris’ means
‘outside’.
A forest ecosystem is a natural woodland unit consisting of all plants,
animals and micro-organisms (Biotic components) in that area functioning together
with all of the non-living physical (abiotic) factors of the environment.

Characteristic features of forest ecosystems.

➢ Seasonality: In countries that have seasonal climates, forest ecosystems will
change with the seasons.

➢ Deciduous or evergreen: A forest may be deciduous (i.e. it sheds its leaves in

winter) or evergreen (i.e. its leaves stay green and intact all the time), or it may
be a mix of both deciduous and evergreen trees.

➢ Different levels: Some forest ecosystems such as rain forests, feature several
distinct levels – such as the forest floor, the lower canopy, the upper canopy and
the tree tops.

➢ Attractive to birds: Many bird species nests in tree tops and this makes forest
ecosystems attractive to birds.

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➢ Attractive to insects: Many insects live in tree bark, leaf mulch or flowers and
as such they find forest ecosystems very attractive places to make their homes.
Importance of forest ecosystems.
➢ The lungs of the world: The Amazon rain forest is described as a biotic pump –
like a giant green lung that releases oxygen into the atmosphere and locks away
carbon.
➢ Ancient: Some of our forests are truly ancient, and much older than many
human civilizations.

➢ Biodiversity: All of our forest ecosystems are so important for biodiversity. In

fact, biologists very often claim that they are still discovering new species in the
Amazon rain forest on a regular basis.

➢ Homes for humans: Forest ecosystems are not just habitats for animals. Many
human communities, including indigenous communities, live in forests all over
the world.

➢ Protecting the earth: Forests keep the earth rich in minerals, protect it from
desertification by providing a shield against winds, and so on.

Structure and Function of Forest Ecosystem

The forest ecosystem has two parts: Biotic components & Abiotic
components

I. Biotic components

The various biotic components, representatives from the three functional

groups, of a forest ecosystem are:

i) Producer Organisms

In a forest, the producers are mainly trees. Trees are of different kinds
depending upon the type of forest developed in that climate. Apart from trees,
climbers, epiphytes, shrubs and ground vegetation are also producers.

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ii) Consumers

In a forest, consumers are of three main types;

a) Primary Consumers
These are Herbivores which feed directly on producers.
➢ Eg: Ants, Beetles, Bugs, spiders etc. feeding on tree leaves.
➢ Larger animals such as Elephants, Deer, giraffe etc. grazing on shoots and/or
fruits of trees.
b) Secondary Consumers
These are carnivores and feed on primary consumers.
Eg: Birds, Lizards, Frogs, Snakes and Foxes.
c) Tertiary Consumer
These are secondary carnivores and feed on secondary consumers. These include
top carnivores like Lion, Tiger.

3) Decomposers

These include wide variety of saprotrophic micro- organism like;

• Bacteria (Bacillus Sp., Clostridium sp., pseudomonas.
• Fungi (Aspergillus sp., Ganoderma sp., Fusarium.
• Actinomycetes (Streptomyces).
They attract the dead or decayed bodies of organisms & thus decomposition
takes place and nutrients are released for reuse.

II. Abiotic components

These include basic inorganic & organic compounds present in the soil &
atmosphere. In addition dead organic debris is also found littered in forests.

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GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEM

Grassland ecosystem is a biological community that contains few trees or

shrubs, is characterized by mixed herbaceous (non woody) vegetation cover, and is
dominated by grasses or grass like plants.

Grasslands cover areas where rainfall is usually low and/or the soil depth
and quality is poor. The low rainfall prevents the growth of a large number of trees
and shrubs, but is sufficient to support the growth of grass cover during the
monsoon. Many of the grasses and other small herbs become dry and the part
above the ground dies during the summer months. In the next monsoon the grass
cover grows back from the root stock and the seeds of the previous year. This
change gives grasslands a highly seasonal appearance with periods of increased
growth followed by a dormant phase.

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Structure and functions of Grassland Ecosystems

I. Biotic components
i) Producer Organisms
In grassland, producers are mainly grasses; though, a few herbs & shrubs
also contribute to primary production of biomass.

ii) Consumers
In a grassland, consumers are of three main types;
a) Primary Consumers
The primary consumers are herbivores feeding directly on grasses. These are
grazing animals such as Cows, Buffaloes, Sheep, Goats, Deer, Rabbits etc. Besides
them, numerous species of insects, termites, etc are also present.
b) Secondary Consumers
These are carnivores that feed on primary consumers (Herbivores) such as
Frogs, Snakes, Lizards, Birds, Jackals etc.
c) Tertiary Consumers
These include hawks etc. which feed on secondary consumers.

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3) Decomposers
These include wide variety of saprotrophic micro- organism like;
• Bacteria (Bacillus sp., Clostridium sp., pseudomonas.
• Fungi (Aspergillus sp., Ganoderma sp., Fusarium.
• Actinomycetes (Streptomyces).
They attract the dead or decayed bodies of organisms & thus decomposition
takes place and nutrients are released for reuse.
II. Abiotic components
These include basic inorganic & organic compounds present in the soil &
aerial environment. The essential elements like C, H, N, O, P, S etc. are supplied
by water, nitrogen, nitrates, sulphates, phosphates present in soil & atmosphere.

DESERT ECOSYSTEM
A desert is a landscape or region that receives almost no precipitation.
Deserts are defined as areas with an average annual precipitation of less than 250
millimeters per year. It occupies about 17% of the earth‟s surface. Deserts are
characterized by hot days & cold nights. Deserts are characterized by scanty flora
& fauna. Soils of deserts often have abundant nutrients but little or no organic
matter.

Structure and Functions of Desert Ecosystms

1) Biotic components
i) Producer Organisms
In a desert, producers are mainly shrubs/bushes; some grasses & a few trees.
Dominant plant species include: Succulents (water - retaining plants adapted to
arid climate or soil conditions) & hardy grasses. Besides some lower plants such as
lichens & xerophytic mosses are also present.

ii) Consumer Organisms

These include animals such as insects, reptiles which are capable of living in

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xeric Conditions Besides some nocturnal rodents, birds & some mammalians like
camel etc are also found.
iii) Decomposers
Due to poor vegetation with very low amount of dead organic matter,
decomposers are poor in desert ecosystem. The common decomposers are some
bacteria & fungi, most of which are thermophilic.

I. Abiotic components
Due to high temperature & very low rainfall, the organic substances are
poorly present in the soil.

AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
Aquatic ecosystems deal with biotic community present in water bodies. In
terrestrial ecosystem, carbon dioxide & oxygen are present in gaseous form
whereas in aquatic ecosystem, these are available in dissolved state. Aquatic
ecosystems perform many important environmental functions. For example:-
➢ They recycle nutrients, purify water, attenuate floods, recharge ground water
and provide habitats for wildlife.
➢ Aquatic ecosystems are also used for human recreation, and are very important
to the tourism industry, especially in coastal region.

Depending upon the quality and nature of water, the aquatic ecosystem are
categorized into:
1. Freshwater Ecosystem and
2. Marine Ecosystem.

1. FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEM

➢ Freshwater ecosystems cover 0.8% of the Earth's surface and contain 0.009% of
its total water. Freshwater ecosystems contain 41% of the world's known fish
species.
➢ There are three basic types of freshwater ecosystems:
• Lentic: slow-moving water, including Pools, Ponds, and Lakes.
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• Lotic: rapidly-moving water, for example Streams and Rivers.

• Wetlands: areas where the soil is saturated with water or inundated for at
least part of the time.

Lakes & Pond Ecosystem

A pond is a place where living organisms interact with biotic & abiotic
components. Ponds are often exposed to tremendous anthropogenic pressure which
significantly affects the system. Lakes are usually big standing freshwater bodies.
They have a shallow water zone called Littoral zone; an open water zone where
effective penetration of solar light takes place, called limnetic zone and a deep
water zone where light penetration is negligible, called Profoundal zone.

I. Biotic components

i) Producer Organisms
It includes submerged, free floating and amphibious macrophytes (like;
Hydrilla,Utricularia, Wolfia, Azolla, Typha etc.) and minute floating and
suspended lower phytoplanktons (like; Ulothrix, Spirogyra, Oedogonium etc.)

ii) Consumer Organisms

a) Primary consumers: These are zooplanktons (ciliates, flagellates, other
protozoan, small crustaceans) and benthos.
b) Secondary consumers: These are carnivores like insects and fishes feeding on
herbivoresc)
c) Tertiary consumers: These are the large fishes feeding on small fishes.

iii) Decomposers Micro – organisms like bacteria, fungi and actinomyctes.

II. Abiotic component

These are the inorganic as well as organic substances present in the bottom
soil or dissolved in water. In addition, to the minerals, some dead organic matter is
also present.

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Fig:- Zonation in a lake eco system

2. MARINE OR OCEAN ECOSYSTEM

Marine ecosystems are among the Earth's aquatic ecosystems. They include:
Oceans, Estuaries and Lagoons, Mangroves and Coral reefs, the Deep sea and the
Sea floor. These are the gigantic reservoirs of water covering approximately 71%
of the Earth's surface (an area of some 361 million square kilometers). These
ecosystems are different from freshwater ecosystem mainly because of its salty
water. The salt concentration in an open sea is usually 3.5%. Dominant ions are
sodium & chloride. Average temperature of Marine ecosystem is 2-3 degree
centigrade, devoid of light.

I. Biotic components
1) Producers It includes phytoplanktons (diatoms, dinoflagillates), large seaweeds
(mainly algae like chlorophyceae, phaeophyceae & rhodophyceae; angiosperms
like Ruppia, Zostera, posidonia ), and mangrove vegetation (like Rhizophora,
Carapa etc.,)

2) Consumers
a) Primary consumers: These are herbivores and feed directly on producers
(Crustaceans, Mollusks, fish etc.)

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b) Secondary consumers: These are carnivorous fishes (Herring, Sahd and

Mackerel)
c) Tertiary consumers: These are top carnivorous fishes (Cod, Haddock, etc.)

3) Decomposers these are micro – organisms like bacteria, fungi.

II. Abiotic components

High Na, Ca, Mg and K salt concentration, variable dissolved oxygen
content, light & temperature make a unique physiochemical condition in marine
water.

ECOLOGICAL SUCCESSION
Ecological succession is defined as, “A change in the community in which new
populations of organisms gradually replace existing ones”.
There are two types of ecological succession:
Primary Succession: Occurs where there is no soil, e.g. after a volcanic
eruption or a glacial retreat.
Secondary Succession: Community development in the areas that were
previously occupied by another community. It occurs after a disturbance. E.g., loss
of trees after disease, Fire or wind, deforestation etc.

Primary Succession Vs Secondary Succession

Primary Succession Secondary Succession
No soil Soil already exists
Pioneer species Seeds have suitable soil conditions
Weathering & decomposition Occurs much faster
Humus and sand increase over time Climax community

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