41.1 INTRODUCTION - COMPONENTS The term ‘environment’ means surrounding, in which the o of all biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) factors that surround an biological. physical or chemi organism. “Environment is the sum of all social, economical, factors which constitute the surroundings of man, who is both 4 potentially influence an creator and moulder of environment”. r—r— eé$é=s=s=— “ctrl ————_l the valuable asset possessed by the earth, that provides all the basic requirements such as food, air, water and shelter for the livelihood of living beings. All these components of the environment afe the resources that are continuously being utilized by the living organisms for their survival, Every activity on the earth is cyclic and hence the resources are replenished either at @ slower rate or st a faster rate, depending upon the change they undergo. The civic development activities have concentrated only on the economic and social patterns These activities slowly degraded the quality of the environment, which was not realized earlier This is the unsustainable development, where no concer was given to maintain the quantity or quality of the resource. The orientation was only towards the improvement of the economy of the country, The declining trend in quantity and quality of the natural resources has now reached such a damaging state that we are facing a scarcity of resources and they are not be sufficiently available for use by the future generations wareness abou The spread of wide range of diseases of human activities leads to public environmental pollution. The effects of environmental pollution are so harmful and visible the even an individual at the lowest demographic level feels them. This has posed a serious threat the svientist and industrialist, and they have the daunting task of providing an effective solutic for pollution, Concern about the conservation of natural resources by sustainable developmer would be the solution.Environmene 2 : SYSTEM scchades alt of the organisms in a given gry 1.2 ECO: as any unit that ee leads to clearly defined twophie Definition: Ecosystem is defined pera iar i onment, sa that a et ee les within the environment utual adjust a LLrUr——~—””-_CC Das ae ie Ment ang i ies use the envi 5 wl sui de aed "Some interactions may be detrimental to their ee grasslands, ier v ye i Y . SBS, : he Earth consists of different regions as mountains, deserts plains, Seas, BTASS A Ee See Fae eee eae eity diferent organisms that are well adapted to their environmen, rom the other. It is " ftiving organisms and their non-living environment, which interacy An ecosystem isa collection of living organisms om Thus, an ecosystem isthe total st with each other to form a natural unit of function: y pee fs different species of plants and animals and their habitae community of interacting populations of different spec care eee ; Aquatic and Ter . Any ot! There are essentially two kinds of ecosystems; Aquatic y other sup. ecosystem falls under one of these two headings. interacting with the phy structures, biotic divers and material c) ‘om heavily saturated places. They are Terrestrial ecosystems can be found anywhere apart fr broadly classed into The Forest Ecosystems 7 ‘They are the ecosystems in which an abundance of flora, or plants, is seen so they have g big number of organisms which live in relatively small space. Therefore, in forest ecosystems the density of living organisms is quite high. A small change in this ecosystem could affect the whole balance, effectively bringing down the whole ecosystem. You could see a fantastic diversity in the fauna of the ecosystems, too. They are further divided into: *% Tropical evergreen forest: These are tropical forests that receive a mean rainfall of 80 for every 400 inches annually. The forests are characterised by dense vegetation which comprises tall trees at different heights. Each level is shelter to different types of animals. Tropical deciduous forest: There, shrubs and dense bushes rule along with a broad selection of trees. The type of forest i found in quite a few parts of the world while a large variety of fauna and flora are found there. ‘Temperate evergreen forest: Those have quite a few number of trees as mosses and ferns make up for them. Trees have developed spiked leaves in order to minimize transpiration. ** Temperate deciduous forest: The forest is located in the moist temperate places that have sufficient rainfall. Summers and winters are clearly defined and the trees shed the leaves during the winter months. a Taiga: Situated just before the arctic regions, the taiga is defined by evergreen conifers. As the temperature is below zero for almost half a year, the remainder of the months, it buzzes with migratory birds and insects.Environmental Studies 2 The Desert Ecosystem Desert ecosystems are located in regions that receive an annual rainfall less than 25. They occupy about 17 percent of all the land on our planet. Due to the extremely high temperate, row-water availability and intense sunlight, fauna and flora are scarce and poorly developed. The vegetation is mainly shrubs, bushes, few grasses and rare trees. The stems and leaves of the plants fare modified in order to conserve water as much as possible. The best known desert ones are the succulents such as the spiny leaved cacti. The animal organisms include insects, birds, camels, reptiles all of which are adapted to the desert (xeric) conditions. The Grassland Ecosystem Grasslands are located in both the tropical and temperate regions of the world though the ecosystems vary slightly. The area mainly comprises grasses with a little number of trees and shrubs, The main vegetation includes grasses, plants antt legumes that belong to the composite family. A lot of grazing animals, insectivores and herbivores inhabit the grasslands. The two main kinds of grasslands ecosystems are: ~~ 1. Savanna: The tropical grasslands are dry seasonally and have few individual trees. They support a large number of predators and grazers. 2. Prairies: It is temperate grassland, completely devoid of large shrubs and trees. Prairies could be categorized as mixed grass, tall grass and shiort grass prairies, The Mountain Ecosystem Mountain land provides a scattered and diverse array of habitats where a large number of animals-and plants can be found. At the higher altitudes, the harsh environmental conditions normally prevail, and only the treeless alpine vegetation can survive. The animals that live there have thick fur coats for preventicfr froin cold and hibernation in the winter months. Lower slopes are commonly covered with coniferous forests. Aquatic Ecosystems The aquatic ecosystem is the ecosystem found in a body of water. It encompasses aquatic flora, fauna and water properties, as well. There are two maitttypes of aquatic ecosystem - Marine and Freshwater. ‘The Marine Ecosystem Marine ecosystems are the biggest ecosystems, which cover around % of Earth's surface and contain 97% of out planet's water. Water in Marine ecosystems fe tures in high amounts minerals and salts dissolved in them. The different divisions of the marine ecosystem are: * Oceanic: A relatively shallow part of oceans which lies on the continental shelf. % Profundal: deep or Bottom water. Benthic Bottom substrates. % lnter-tidal: The place between low and high tides. * Estuaries + Coral reefsEnvironmen etic bacteria make up the food base. brown algae, corals, cephalopog, + Salt marshes Hydrothermal vents where chemosyntht i Many kinds of organisms live in marine ecosystems: the echinoderms, dinoflagellates and sharks. The Freshwater Ecosystem Contrary to the Marine ecosystems, the freshwater ecosystem covers only 0.8% of Earth, surface and contains 0.009% of the total water. Three basic kinds of freshwater’ecosystems exis, * Lentic: Slow-moving or till water like pools, lakes or ponds. + Lotic: Fast-moving water such as streams and rivers. Wetlands: Places in which the soil is inundated or saturated for some lenghty periog of time. The ecosystems are habitats to reptiles, amphibians and around 41% of the world's fgh species. The faster moving turbulent waters typically contain a greater concentrations Of dissolveg oxygen, supporting greater biodiversity than slow moving waters in pools. 1.2.1 BALANCED ECOSYSTEM Factors of Balance and Change The stable ecosystem represents a dynai potential and environmental resistance. Altering an the system into a state of change. The factors responsible for balanced ecosystem are ic_balanee among numerous factors of biotic yy one factor will alter the balance and may put * balance between predators and prey, balance between vegetation, herbivores and carnivores, balance between competing species and balance with a biotic factors. a@7y yrsss een oa aaa Environmental Studies b& Consumers Recyclers ferials through Natural Ecosystem. Fig. 1.1. Movement of Chemicals and Mat im the biological cycling of materials is maintained by three groups viz. producers, consumers, and decomposers/recyclers (Fig. 1.1). The producers are plants and some facteria capable of producig their own food photosynthetically or by chemical synthesis. The consumers are animals that obtain their energy and protein directly by grazing, feeding on other animals, or both. The decomposers/reeyclers are fungi and bacteria that decompose the organic matter of producers and consumers into inorganic substance that can be reused as food by the producers, thus decomposers are the “recyclers ofthe biosphere”, Nature is capable of sustaining the producer-consumer-decomposer cycle indefinitely with the sun as the energy source. In an ecosyster 1.2.2. STRUCTURE OF AN ECOSYSTEM ‘An ecosystem may be compared to a spaceship designed to maintain astronauts for long periods of time. Such a self-sustaining spaceship is a theoretical possibility. A large glass tank containing microscopic algae is kept near the window of a spaceship. As the algae are exposed to light, they carry on photosynthesis. In this process, the algae absorb carbon dioxide and water, and they use the energy from light to make these two raw materials into energy rich glucose. In further steps, the algae use the glucose and additional nutrients from the solution in the tank to build their growth. In the process of photosynthesis, the algae produce oxygen, which would go into the astronaut’s breathing tanks. As the astronauts get thirsty and hungry, they could simply dip into the tank for a nutritious bow! of soup. By the time the next meal come, the algae would have multiplied sufficiently. The astronauts’ body wastes, after a period of decomposition, would be put back into the tank to supply the water and nutrient needed by the algae. On earth, not only algae but also the entire system of green plants absorb carbon dioxide, water and other nutrients from the environment. With the energy from sunlight, these raw materials are made into many chemicals constituting the planta and then oxygen is released into air. All animals and human beings depend on these plants as the ultimate source of food to eat and oxygen to breathe. The metabolism of the animals retums carbon dioxide and other nutrients to the environment, that will be reused by plants. During thé several billion years of life on earth, chemical elements have been, and continue to be, recycled from the non-living environment through living organisms and back to the environment.Environmen Fig. 12. Concept of Ecosystem tas CENT CYCLING snes ving OHM nd fog them back into the environment, a the organisms live, grow, die and ween Autotrophic plants obtain a number of inorganic nutrients from the environment, which become a componen, of organic matter. From autotrophs aurents go to othe living constituents, and again tothe cavironment with the help of decomposes. In this way. nutrients circulate between non-living and living organisms (Fig. 43 ) Fig. 1.3. Nutrient Flow through the Ecosystem, 1.2.4 ENERGY FLOW IN AN ECOSYSTEM Energy is neither created nor destroyed. Energy is needed for all organisms to surv the environment. Without energy, the process in the environment will come to an end, In af ecosystem, the energy flows fron ome-trophic level tothe other. The behaviour of energy in an ecosystem can be termed as energy flow because of unidirectional energy transformations. Total energy flow, that constitutes the energy environment, passes through the biotic components ofthe ecosystem, Two laws of thermodynamics ie. gover the entrance of energy, its retention within the ecosystem and dissipation into space. According to the’frstlaw-the law of conservation ofeee eee eee eee Environmental Studies energy « in closed system, no energy comes in or leaves out but can be altered from one form to another. Light, a form of energy, depending upon the situation, but it can never the law of entropy-states that there is always a tendene; from a concentrated to a dispersed form, leading to dissipation ofheat_ change radiant energy by photosynthesis. Part of this energy is consumed by autotrophs during their respiration, growth and other metabolic reactions. The remaining chemical energy is used in bodybuilding of autotrophic plants. Other living organisms obtain organic compounds used in bodybuilding and the energy is used for growth and maintenance. The inorganic chemicals, which result from this breakdown, are excreted as body wastes, but they are not wastes in terms of the overall ecosystem. They are nutrients that can be and are again used by plants, continuing the nutrient cycle. The cycling continues, however, so Jong as the system is supplied with the light energy, which is required to build organic materials from inorganic nutrients. Without light energy, cycling would be stopped. AAs the energy is used 10 do work, itis lost from the ecosystem as heat, which is not and cannot be recycled as nutrients are recycled; additional energy must continually be supplied. Consequently, there is a one-way flow of energy through an ecosystem in contrast to the cycling of nutrients within it. can be transformed into work, heat or potential energy of food, be destroyed. The second law of thermodynamics- y for increase in entropy or degradation ‘Autotrophic plants have the ability to ay Heat Consumers uy Heat Movement of energy — ovement of inorganic Inorganic Decomposers tients bs e Nutrient Pool x Heat Fig. 1.4. Energy and Nutrient Flow through Ecosystem. 1.3 HUMAN ACTIVITIES a. Basic needs of food, clothing, shelter and energy requirements have to be met from the imal resources in the ecosystem consisting of water, air and land. Man is dependent on ospher Human activities interfere with nature. There should be a mutually beneficial symt i 'ymbiosis between man and earth, Human population should carefully use the resources and also preserve them for future generations.Environment ave for tomorrow. Some basic facts are presented here led and reused t0 the exten, visely and 5 (Resources are limited, so use them wisely a — Gi) Matter cannot be generated afresh. It shoul ble. A «i es fc. ve convernd from one foe vo ance but SOME percentage is lost inty iii) Energy can be conve the environment. They at (iv) Diverse things co-exist beautifully in an ecosystem y maintain a self-balancing system. . 1, resources as commodity, population as con. Understand that environmental resources re interdependent ang (¥) Never treat environment as a marke Sumer and the total system as a business. are permanent assets that replenish and purify themselves. Hence Conserve, shoy, restraint and use in the interests only. | equal rights and responsibilities overall resources. Avoid exploita, (vi) All are hav de tion and misuse. Pollution (depletion and degradation of resources) depends on the developmental activities of population. (vii) Increase in human population leads to: (a) Increasing demand of resources (b) Generation of wastes (c) Release of harmful chemicals into the biosphere (d) Ecosystem disturbances (e) Reduction in biodiversity (f) Depletion and degradation of resources 1.3.1 FOOD Resources and Problems Global food supply has improved enormously since the early 1960s. World food and agricultural production has never experienced more favorable conditions than in the 1980s and 1990s. The agricultural sector on average has kept up with population growth and demand for agricultural produce. Agricultural production has increased and world food supplies are 18% higher than 30 years ago. World grain production (mainly wheat, corn, and rice) has shown an upward trend, with the exception of slight fluctuations in some years primarily due to drought and other natural disasters. In the 1990 global grain yields per hectare were nearly 2.5 times the 1.15 tons per hectare of the 1930s. The International Commission on Irrigation of Drainage (ICID) estimated that current food production would have to double within the nest 25 years. The ICID strategy for implementing the Vision for Water and Food refers to the same FAO estimate regarding the role of irrigated agriculture in sustaining future world food supplies. The slogan “more croP per drop” explains the objective to be achieved by ICID member couptries, particularly those that