ES-401 (AT/CS/EE/EI/EXFT/IT)

B.Tech. (IV Semester) EXAMINATION, JUNE 2022

ENERGY, ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGYAND SOCIETY
1. a) What are energy systems and resources?
Ans: An energy system is a set of conversion technologies that convert energy resources, such as energy
from the sun, into forms that we can utilize for human needs. Have students research an energy question of
their own with the Energy Sources Research activity. Energy resources are available in our natural world.
Solar energy is responsible for almost all of these resources. The sun is responsible for the uneven heating of
the Earth that causes wind and sunlight and plant photosynthesis creates biomass materials such as wood or
corn that we can convert into useable energy. The exceptions are nuclear and geothermal.
Energy resources that are replenished at the same rate that we use them are defined as renewable energy
resources. Solar, wind, geothermal and tidal energy are examples of renewable energy. Biomass can be
renewable if we use the plant material at the same rate that it regrows. But, if we chop down and burn all the
trees in a short period of time, that resource is not considered renewable. Fossil fuels are also a form of solar
energy because they were generated from biomass materials millions of years ago. They are not renewable
because we are using them at a much faster rate than they are being regenerated. Most of our energy is
originally derived from the sun.
Environmental impacts differ depending upon the energy source and conversion process. Sources of energy
can be classified into:
Renewable Sources
Non-renewable Sources
Renewable sources of energy are available plentiful in nature and are sustainable. These resources of energy
can be naturally replenished and are safe for the environment. Examples of renewable sources of energy are:
Solar energy, geothermal energy, wind energy, biomass, hydropower and tidal energy.
A non-renewable resource is a natural resource that is found underneath the earth. These type of energy
resources do not replenish at the same speed at which it is used. They take millions of years to replenish. The
main examples of non-renewable resources are coal, oil and natural gas. Examples of non-renewable sources
of energy are: Natural gas, coal, petroleum, nuclear energy and hydrocarbon gas liquids.
The world's supply of nonrenewable fossil fuel resources is limited. Their combustion can negatively affect
our environment. Currently, our society is heavily dependent upon nonrenewable fossil fuel energy
resources, and our lives could be negatively impacted if the demand for these resources exceeds the supply.
This "peak" in the oil supply occurred in the US in the 1970s. Our country survived that peak by increasing
its imports of oil from other countries. As the entire globe faces the next peak in oil production, we'll have to
change to other energy sources (and reduce the amount of oil that we consume).
Different energy sources have different costs. A system is made up of a sequence of conversions. A basic
description of an energy conversion is: Energy from a source provides input to another system component,
which converts the form and/or state of energy and provides output to another system component.
In the conversion of energy, a significant fraction of that energy can be "lost" from the system (in the form
of heat, sound, vibration, etc.). This energy is not really lost, it is just not converted to the desirable or
intended form. The components of an energy system must work together to transform energy into a form that
can be used in our society. Systems can be divided into inputs, processes, outputs and feedback.
b) Explain any three energy systems and its basic functions.
Ans: Renewable energy is energy that is produced from natural processes and continuously replenished. A
few examples of renewable energy are sunlight, water, wind, tides, geothermal heat, and biomass. The
energy that is provided by renewable energy resources is used in 5 important areas such as air and water
cooling/heating, electricity generation, the rural sector, and transportation. The existence of renewable
energy resources is spread over a wide geographical area in comparison to the conventional energy resources
which are often concentrated in a limited number of countries like the oil and gas are mostly concentrated in
the Middle East countries. The use of renewable energy resources in energy generation is resulting in less
pollution and has a significant effect on economic benefits and energy security.
We can define renewable energy as those energies which can never be depleted. The importance of
renewable energy is invaluable. These types of energy sources are different from fossil fuels, such as oil,
coal, and natural gas. Some examples of renewable energy sources are:
 Wind energy
 Solar energy
 Geothermal energy
 Hydropower
 Biomass energy
Sources of Renewable Energy
The sources could sustain for a longer period of time and can easily be renewed often. Sustainable sources
are biomass, nuclear power, geothermal, wind energy, solar power, tidal power, and wave power.
he sources of renewable energy are known to be less polluting and therefore the whole world is looking
forward to new carbon emission norms, where carbon will play a major role in developing new factories and
industries. They will be rated according to the carbon emission and the products that they are producing will
be rated accordingly.

Types of Renewable Energy

1. Solar Energy: The radiant light and heat energy from the sun is harnessed with the use of solar
collectors. These solar collectors are of various types such as photovoltaics, concentrator
photovoltaics, solar heating, (CSP) concentrated solar power, artificial photosynthesis, and solar
architecture. This collected solar energy is then used to provide light, heat, and different other forms of
electricity.
2. Wind Energy: The energy we get from winds is known as wind energy. For this, windmills have been
used for hundreds of years to pump out water from the ground. We use large tall wind turbines that
allow winds to generate electricity. The natural airflow on the surface of the earth is used to run the
wind turbines. The modern-day wind turbines range from about 600 Kilowatt to 5 Megawatts, for
commercial purposes these are rated with an output power of 1.5 to 3 Megawatts. The most preferred
locations for these wind turbines to be installed are the areas which and strong and have constant
airflows on offshore and sites that are at high altitudes. The power generated from wind energy in
2015 met 4% of global energy consumption.
3. Hydroelectricity: According to statistics, hydroelectricity generated around 16.6% of the global
energy resources and constituted about 70% of all renewable electricity. This energy is another
alternative source of energy that is generated by the construction of dams and reservoirs on the flowing
water, the kinetic energy from the flowing water is used to run the turbines which generate electricity.
Tidal power converts the energy of tides and Wave power which captures the energy from the surface
of the ocean waves for power generation. These two forms of hydropower also have huge potential in
electric power generation.
 2. a) What are the concepts of energy systems?
Ans. Energy is the capacity to do work and is required for life processes. An energy resource is something that
can produce heat, power life, move objects, or produce electricity. Matter that stores energy is called a fuel.
Human energy consumption has grown steadily throughout human history. Early humans had modest energy
requirements, mostly food and fuel for fires to cook and keep warm. In today's society, humans consume as
much as 110 times as much energy per person as early humans. Most of the energy we use today comes from
fossil fuels (stored solar energy). But fossils fuels have a disadvantage in that they are non-renewable on a
human time scale, and because other potentially harmful effects on the environment. In any event, the
exploitation of all energy sources (with the possible exception of direct solar energy used for heating),
ultimately rely on materials on planet Earth.
Energy systems, sometimes called complex energy production and use systems (bol’shie sis-temy energetiki),
have a hierarchical structure with levels for the entire country, the region, the large industrial, transportation, o
r agricultural center, and the individual enterprise. Integrated (edinye) energy systems correspond to the countr
y level, interconnected energy systems to the level of several regions, regional energy systems to the regional l
evel, and autonomous energy systems to the level of entities not connected with other systems, such as an ente
rprise, ship, or airplane.
The component subsystems of an energy system are: electric power and heat systems, which comprise electric
power systems and heat supply networks; petroleum and natural-gas supply systems; systems of the coal indus
try; and the nuclear power industry, which are developing at a more rapid rate than the other subsystems. It is
possible to consolidate separate energy supply systems into a single system, sometimes referred to as an inter-
branch fuel and energy complex, primarily because the various forms of energy and energy sources are interch
angeable.
The fuel and energy complex is important to a national economy chiefly because it determines, in large part, a
country’s basic economic proportions; in the industrially developed countries it absorbs about 30 percent of all
capital investment and employs 15–20 percent of all working people. The development and operation of an en
ergy system are closely linked with the creation of new, efficient energy technology and with the influence of
energy production and use on social and political processes, both domestic and international, and on the nation
al distribution of industry and population. The effects of energy production and use on the environment must a
lso be considered when discussing an energy system.
b) What are the four main types of sustainable energy?
Ans: Primary Goals of Sustainability • The end of poverty and hunger • Better standards of education and
healthcare - particularly as it pertains to water quality and better sanitation • To achieve gender equality •
Sustainable economic growth while promoting jobs and stronger economies • All of the above and more
while tackling the effects of climate change, pollution and other environmental factors that can harm and do
harm people's health, livelihoods and lives. • Sustainability to include health of the land, air and sea.
Types of Renewable resources :
1. Solar. This form of energy relies on the nuclear fusion power from the core of the Sun. This energy can be
collected and converted in a few different ways. The range is from solar water heating with solar collectors
or attic cooling with solar attic fans for domestic use to the complex technologies of direct conversion of
sunlight to electrical energy using mirrors and boilers or photovoltaic cells. Unfortunately these are currently
insufficient to fully power our modern society.
2. Wind The movement of the atmosphere is driven by differences of temperature at the Earth's surface due
to varying temperatures of the Earth's surface when lit by sunlight. Wind energy can be used to pump water
or generate electricity, but requires extensive areal coverage to produce significant amounts of energy.
3. Hydroelectric energy this form uses the gravitational potential of elevated water that was lifted from the
oceans by sunlight. It is not strictly speaking renewable since all reservoirs eventually fill up and require
very expensive excavation to become useful again. At this time, most of the available locations for
hydroelectric dams are already used in the developed world.
4. Biomass is the term for energy from plants. Energy in this form is very commonly used throughout the
world. Unfortunately the most popular is the burning of trees for cooking and warmth. This process releases
copious amounts of carbon dioxide gases into the atmosphere and is a major contributor to unhealthy air in
many areas. Some of the more modern forms of biomass energy are methane generation and production of
alcohol for automobile fuel and fueling electric power plants.
c) What are the three main aspects that make an energy source sustainable?
Ans. Sustainability & The Environment and produce everything it needs for the ecology to remain in
balance. It also acknowledges that human civilization takes resources to sustain our modern way of life. The
Three Pillars of Sustainability.
Economic Development This is the issue that proves the most problematic as most people disagree on
political ideology what is and is not economically sound, and how it will affect businesses and by extension,
jobs and employability. It is also about providing incentives for businesses and other organizations to adhere
to sustainability guidelines beyond their normal legislative requirements. Also, to encourage and foster
incentives for the average person to do their bit where and when they can; one person can rarely achieve
much, but taken as a group, effects in some areas are cumulative. The supply and demand market is
consumerist in nature and modern life requires a lot of resources every single day; for the sake of the
environment, getting what we consume under control is the paramount issue.
Social Development There are many facets to this pillar. Most importantly is awareness of and legislation
protection of the health of people from pollution and other harmful activities of business and other
organizations. In North America, Europe and the rest of the developed world, there are strong checks and
programmers of legislation in place to ensure that people's health and wellness is strongly protected. It is
also about maintaining access to basic resources without compromising the quality of life. The biggest hot
topic for many people right now is sustainable housing and how we can better build the homes we live in
from sustainable material. The final element is education - encouraging people to participate in
environmental sustainability and teaching them about the effects of environmental protection as well as
warning of the dangers if we cannot achieve our goals.
Environmental Protection We all know what we need to do to protect the environment, whether that is
recycling, reducing our power consumption by switching electronic devices off rather than using standby, by
walking short journeys instead of taking the bus. Businesses are regulated to prevent pollution and to keep
their own carbon emissions low. There are incentives to installing renewable power sources in our homes
and businesses. Environmental protection is the third pillar and to many, the primary concern of the future of
humanity. It defines how we should study and protect ecosystems, air quality, integrity and sustainability of
our resources and focusing on the elements that place stress on the environment.
3. a) How all 5 stages of ecological succession work?
Ans: The gradual and progressive growth of a species in any given area with respect to its changing
surroundings is called an ecological succession. It is an anticipated change that beholds the biotic
components being an inevitable part of them in the environment. Ecological succession aims at reaching the
equilibrium in the ecological system. This is achieved by a community called the climax community. To
attain this point of equilibrium constant change (increase or decrease) in the number of species is observed.
The area in which the order of communities undergoes a specific change is called sere. Each changing
community is therefore called a seral community. All communities around us have undergone ecological
succession ever since their existence was identified. Evolution thus is a simultaneously occurring process
along with ecological succession.
Also, the initiation of life on earth can be considered to be a result of this succession process. Any area
where life started from scratch by succession is termed to have been gone under a process called primary
succession. If on the other hand, if life begins at a place that has lost all its existing life forms then the
process is called secondary succession. Primary succession is a gradual and low process because in this case,
life starts from nothing. Secondary succession is a faster process because life has already been supported in
these conditions earlier. The first species that come into existence during primary succession is known as
pioneer species.
Types of Ecological Succession
As mentioned above primary and secondary succession are the two main types of ecological succession. The
following stages of ecological succession are discussed below:
Primary Succession: Primary succession is the succession that begins in lifeless areas such as the regions
devoid of soil or barren lands where the soil is unable to sustain life. When the planet was first formed there
was no soil on earth. The earth was only made up of rocks. These rocks were broken down by
microorganisms and eroded to form soil. This is a process called erosion. The soil then becomes the
foundation of plant life. These plants help in the persistence of different animals and progress from primary
succession to the climax community. When the primary ecosystem is destroyed, secondary succession takes
place.
Secondary Succession: Secondary succession occurs when the primary ecosystem gets wiped out. For e.g., a
climax community gets destroyed by fire. It gets recolonized after the devastation. This is known as
secondary ecological succession. Small plants emerge first, followed by larger plants. The tall trees block the
sunlight and change the structure of the organisms below the canopy. Finally, the climax community comes
into action. Mechanism of Ecological Succession
The entire process of primary succession is accomplished through a series of progressive steps followed one
after another. The different sequential steps may be outlined as below:
Nudation: It is a process of formation of a bare area without any form of life for the arrival of new species.
The causes of nudation may be:
Topographic: The existing community may fade away due to soil erosion, landslide, volcanic activity, etc.
Climatic: The existing community may be demolished due to storm, fire, frost, drought.
Biotic: The community may also be destroyed by anthropogenic activities like the destruction of the forest,
the destruction of grassland, etc.
Invasion: The successful establishment of a species in a vacant area is called invasion. This process of
establishment is completed in three successive steps:
Migration (dispersal): The seeds, spores of the species are carried to the unadorned area by the agents like
air, water, etc.
Establishment: The process of the successful establishment (germination and growth) of the species in the
new area as a result of adjustment with the prevailing conditions is known as ecesis.
Aggregation: After ecesis, the individuals of species increase their number by reproduction and thus, are
aggregated in a particular area.
Competition and Coaction: As the species aggregate within a restricted space, there happens competition for
space and nutrition. Secondly, the life process of one individual is affected by the surrounding species in
various ways which are known as coaction.
Reaction: The species present in an environment constantly interact with it by causing its modification. The
mechanism of the modification of the environment through the influence of living organisms on it is known
as a reaction. Hence, the existing community may be replaced by another community.
Stabilization: At last, a final or terminal community is established which can maintain equilibrium. This
community is known as the climax community. In conclusion of the article, we have developed an
understanding of ecological succession along with the types and examples of it.
b) What is ecosystem. Explain forest and aquatic ecosystem?
Ans: Forest ecosystem: An ecosystem is a community of living organisms in conjunction with the nonliving
components of their environment (things like air, water and mineral soil), interacting as a system. It
refers to both biotic factors as well as abiotic factors. An ecosystem is self supporting. These biotic and
abiotic components are regarded as linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. An
ecosystem refers to a functional unit of nature in which living organisms interact among themselves as
well as with the surrounding physical environment. Ecologists look at the entire biosphere as a global
ecosystem. Besides, the forest ecosystem is a part of the terrestrial ecosystem. A forest ecosystem,
similar to any other ecosystem, also comprises of abiotic and biotic components. Abiotic components
refer to inorganic materials like air, water, and soil. Biotic components include producers, consumers,
and decomposers. These components interact with each other in an ecosystem and thus, this interaction
among them makes it self-sustainable.
Components of a Forest Ecosystem
The components of a forest ecosystem are as follows:
1.Productivity
The basic requirement for any ecosystem to function and sustain is the constant input of solar energy. Plants
are also the producers in a forest ecosystem. There are two types of productivity in a forest ecosystem,
primary and secondary. Primary productivity means the rate of capture of solar energy or biomass
production per unit area over a period of time by the plants during photosynthesis. It is further divided
into Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) and Net Primary Productivity (NPP). GPP of an ecosystem is
the rate of capture of solar energy or the total production of biomass. However, plants also use a
significant amount of GPP in respiration. Thus, NPP is the amount of biomass left after the utilization
by plants or the producers. We can hence say that NPP is the amount which is available for the
consumption to herbivores and decomposers. Secondary productivity means the rate of absorption of
food energy by the consumers.
2. Decomposition
Decomposition is an extremely oxygen-requiring process. In the process of decomposition, decomposers
convert the complex organic compounds of detritus into inorganic substances such as carbon dioxide,
water and nutrients. Detritus is the remains of the dead plant such as leaves, bark, flowers and also the
dead remains of the animals including their faecal matter. The steps involved in the process of
decomposition are fragmentation, leaching, catabolism, humification and mineralization.
3. Energy flow
Energy flows in a single direction. Firstly, plants capture solar energy and then, transfer the food to
decomposers. Organisms of different trophic levels are connected to each other for food or energy
relationship and thus form a food chain. Energy Pyramid is always upright because energy flows from
one trophic level to the next trophic level and in this process, some energy is always lost as heat at
each step.
4. Nutrient Cycling
Nutrient cycling refers to the storage and movement of nutrient elements through the various components of
the ecosystem. There are two types of Nutrient cycling, gaseous and sedimentary. For Gaseous cycle
(i.e. nitrogen, carbon), atmosphere or hydrosphere is the reservoir whereas for the sedimentary cycle
(i.e. phosphorus) Earth’s crust is the reservoir.

Aquatic Ecosystem: The aquatic ecosystem definition states it is a water-based environment, wherein,
living organisms interact with both physical and chemical features of the environment. These living
creatures whose food, shelter, reproduction, and other essential activities depend on a water-based
environment are known as aquatic organisms.
Water plays a significant role in the management of world-scale ecosystem processes in aquatic systems,
connecting the atmosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere by transferring material between them and
allowing chemical reactions to occur. Water has unique physicochemical features that reflect the water
body's quality. The physicochemical characteristics of an aquatic ecosystem determine how well it
functions and how long it can support life forms. In the same way as sediments in terrestrial
ecosystems provide substrate, nutrients, and a home for live aquatic resources, sediments in aquatic
ecosystems are equivalent to the soil in terrestrial ecosystems. Sediments are significant catalysts in
environmental food cycles and the two water quality dynamics.
The quality of sediment has a direct or indirect impact on the functioning of an aquatic ecosystem. The many
physicochemical properties of sediment determine its quality. Similarly, the biotic mix of an aquatic
environment determines how well it functions. In the aquatic environment, they serve as a trophic level
and a source of energy. Fish have a significant ecological role in the whole food web at the trophic
level. Some of the most common aquatic organisms are – nekton, plankton, and benthos. Additionally,
lakes, oceans, ponds, rivers, swamps, coral reefs, wetlands, etc. are a few popular aquatic ecosystem
examples.
Features of Aquatic Ecosystem
Salient features of the aquatic ecosystem are highlighted in this figure below –
 Freshwater or saltwater can be used to make them.
 They serve as a home for a variety of aquatic animals.
 The majority of the vegetation is made up of algae and corals.
 They have a lot of biological diversity, which makes them the most productive and wealthiest
ecosystems on the planet.
 They help regulate the hydrological cycle and act as a pollution filter, among other things.
Types of Aquatic Ecosystem
In general, there are two types of aquatic ecosystems, namely marine ecosystems and freshwater ecosystems.
Both marine and freshwater ecosystems are further divided under different aquatic ecosystems.
A. Marine Water Ecosystem
This particular ecosystem is the largest aquatic ecosystem and covers over 70% of the earth’s total surface.
This ecosystem is relatively more concentrated in terms of salinity. Nonetheless, the body of aquatic
organisms is well-adjusted to saline water, and they may find it challenging to survive in freshwater.
The following categories comprise the marine ecosystem.
B. Freshwater Ecosystem
This aquatic ecosystem covers less than 1% of the earth’s surface and is broadly divided into – wetlands,
lentic and lotic ecosystems.
Functions of Aquatic Ecosystem
These pointers highlight the importance of aquatic ecosystem -
 Facilitates recycling of nutrients
 Helps to purify water
 Recharges groundwater
 Is a habitat for aquatic flora and flora
 Mitigates flood

4. a) How many biogeographical classification are there in India?

Ans: Biogeography is the scientific investigation of the distribution of species and ecosystems in
geographic setting and across geological time. Biological communities and living Organisms often differ
in a regular fashion through geographic gradients of elevation, isolation, latitude, and habitat area.
The biogeographic regions are basically “those predominant divisions of the earth’s surface of estimated
continental extent, which are attributed by distinct assemblages of animal types”. That said, a
Biogeographic region is basically an area of plant and animal distribution consisting of similar or shared
properties throughout.

Introduction and Identification of Biogeographic Zones

 Zone 1 – Trans-Himalayan: In the immediate north of the Great Himalayan range are the Trans-
Himalayas which encapsulates three biogeographic provinces i.e. — Himalayan Sikkim, Ladakh
mountains, and Tibetan plateau. It constitutes about 5.6% of the country's landmass. This area mostly
lies between 14,800 to 19,700 feet and is very cold and dry. The extensive region of Trans-Himalayan
comprises bare rock and glaciers. The only vegetation is the scanty alpine steppe. With its scanty
vegetation, it has a superfluous wild sheep and goat community in the world. The snow leopard, black
bears, marbled cat, marmots, wolf and kiang can be spotted here, as are the migratory Black-necked
Cranes.
 Zone 2 – Himalayas: This representation of the Himalayas has the youngest and loftiest mountain
sequences in the world. The 2,400 kilometres long Himalayan mountain arc contains distinctive
biodiversity in wake of its high altitude, rich flora, soothing temperature and steep gradient.
Biogeographically, they create a part of the Palearctic realm. The Himalayas contain three
biogeographical provinces i.e. — Central Himalayas, East Himalayas, West Himalayas, and Northwest
Himalayas, which together comprise about 6.4% of the country's area.
 Zone 3 – The Indian Desert: This area comprises two biogeographical provinces i.e. The Thar desert
and The Rann of Kutch. The larger is the Thar or Great Indian Desert, consisting of Rajasthan and
parts of Haryana and Punjab, moreover adjoining Pakistan. The Indian part of the Thar Desert
occupies 170,000 km. The climate reflects very hot and dry summers while cold and arid winters. The
area experiences rainfall less than 70 cm. A highly endangered bird—The Indian Bustard is found
here, in addition to foxes, snakes, camels, gazelles, foxes, and spiny-tailed lizards.
The second biogeographical province— The Rann of Kutch that lies in Gujarat is a vast area of salt marsh
spread across the border between India and Pakistan. This larger area has desert on one side and the sea on
the other allowing several ecosystems and desert vegetation. The Little Rann is an accommodation to the
world's largest population of Indian wild ass with other mammals including the Indian wolf, desert fox,
blackbuck, chinkara and others.
 Zone 4 - Semi-Arid Areas: A transitional zone between the desert and the denser forests of the
Western Ghats are the semi-arid areas. The area is characterized by discontinuous vegetation blanketed
with bare soil and soil water that remains in deficit throughout the year.
 Zone 5 - Western Ghats: he mountains running through the west coast of peninsular India comprising
one of the unique biological regions of the world are the Western Ghats. The diverse topography and
different climate develop a wide range of habitats that support distinctive sets of plant and animal
species. The Western Ghats hills are amongst the 25 biodiversity hot-spots identified globally, known
for their high levels of endemism and association with evergreen forests.
 Zone 6 - Deccan Plateau: On the farther side of Ghats is the Deccan Plateau, the largest unit of the
Peninsular Plateau of India. The highlands of Deccan are blanketed with unique types of forests that
offer a wide variety of forest products.
 Zone 7 - Gangetic Plain: The biggest unit of the Great Plain of India is the Gangetic Plain. River
Ganga is the main water stream after whose name this plain is named. The thickness of the plain is
characterized by the alluvial sediments that vary significantly with their maximum in the Ganga plains.
 Some of the highest population densities and Topographic uniformity from the trees belonging to these
forests are teak, shisham, sal, khair etc.
 Zone 8 - North-East India: ne of the poorest regions in the country consists of several species of
bamboos, orchids, ferns and other plants. Here the wild relatives of plants such as mango, banana,
citrus and pepper can be grown and found.
 Zone 9 – Islands: Comprising two groups of islands, i.e., the Arabian Sea and Bay Islands vary
considerably in origin and physical features.
 Zone 10 – Coasts: The Indian coasts differ in their structures and features with the Indian coastline
extending over 7,516. 4 km. Extensive deltas of Krishna, Kaveri and Godavari, are the prominent
features of this coast. Mangrove vegetation along the tracts of the coast at Ratnagiri in Maharashtra is
a reflection of coastal plains. Different crops are grown with Rice being the main crop of cultivation.
Coconut trees grow on the coastal plains.
b) What are the major biogeographical region in India?
Ans: India is a Mega- diverse nation, housing around 10% of world's species. India also has a rich cultural
heritage going back millions of years. Much of Indian biodiversity is intricately related to the socio-
cultural practices of the land. Eastern and North Eastern parts of India are the mega sources of
biodiversity. India receives so many items like medicines, woods, flora and fauna.
India has different climate and topography in different parts and hence is termed as a mega diversity country.
India occupies 10th place among plant rich countries of the world. It is essential to acquire knowledge
about the distribution and environmental interaction of flora and fauna of India.
Bio-geographers have classified India into ten Bio-geographic zones with each zone having characteristic
climate, soil and biodiversity.
Our country can be conveniently divided into ten major regions, based on the geography, climate and pattern
of vegetation seen and the communities of Mammals, Birds, Reptiles, Amphibia, Insects and other
Invertebrates that live in them.
1. Trans Himalayan Region of Laddakh
2. The Himalayan Ranges
3. The Terai
4. The Gangetic and Brahmaputra Plains
5. The Thar Desert of Rajasthan
6. The semi arid grassland region of the Deccan plateau Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh,
Karnataka and Tamil Nadu
7. The Northeast States of India
8. The Western Ghats
9. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands
10. Western and Eastern Coastal Belt
Description of These Areas is Given Below:
Trans-Himaylayas:
The Himalayas are extended to the Tibetan plateau. This region harbors the high-altitude cold desert in
ladakh (Jammu and Kashmir) and Lahaul Spiti (Himachal Pradesh). It accounts for 5.7% of the
country's landmass.
Himayalas: The Himalayas are the northern boundaries of India. The entire mountain chain is running from
Kashmir in the North-west to Assam in the north-east. The Himalayas comprise of a diverse range of
biotic provinces and biomes. The Himalayas cover 7.2% of the country's landmass
Desert: The extremely dry area west of the Aravalli hill range comprises both the salty desert of Gujarat and
the sandy desert of Rajasthan. Deserts occupy around 6.9% of the country's land mass. The kinds of
deserts found in India are:
(I) The desert of western Rajasthan
(II) The desert of Gujarat
(III) High-altitude cold desert of Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. The Indian deserts have more
diversified fauna.
Gangetic Plain: This plain covers the area between the south Himalayas to the tropic of cancer. These
Plains were formed by the Ganges river system and are relatively homogeneous. This region
experience 600 mm rainfall annually. Sunderbans forests are located in this region and it covers 11%
of the country's land mass.
The Deccan Plateau: This zone lies between the desert and the Deccan plateau. It includes the Aravalli hill
range. It covers approximately 15.6% of the country's landmass. It is a large triangular plateau south of
the Narmada valley. Three sides of the plateau are covered by mountains slopes towards east. Satpura
Mountains cover the north while Western Ghats cover the west side and Eastern Ghats cover the
eastern side of the plateau. It is the one of largest zones covering the southern and south-central
plateau with mostly deciduous trees. It covers 4.3% of the country's land mass.
North-East India: These are pains and Non-Himalayan ranges of northeastern India and have a wide variety
of vegetation. It covers around 5.2% of the country's land mass.
Western Ghats: The Western Ghats are a mountain range that runs along the western cost of India. They are
a range extending north-south from southern tip of Gujarat in the north to Kanyakumari in the south.
The mountains cover an area of about 160,000 sq. km. This ghat section covers an extremely diverse
range of biotic provinces and biomes. It covers about 5.8% of the country's landmass.
Islands: The Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal has almost 300 big and small islands.
Among these, only five islands are inhabited. Only tribes are found in the island of Nicobar. These
islands have a highly diverse set of biomes and occupy 0.03% of the country's biomass.
Coasts India has a large coastline distributed both to the east and west with distinct differences between the
two. The Lakshwadeep islands are included in this but the area of these islands is negligible.

5) Why is India regarded as a mega diversity nation. Enumerate the biogeographical classification of
India?
Ans: The annual rainfall varies from less than 37 cm in Rajasthan to 1500m in Cherapunji. The country
experiences three different seasons – winter, summer, and monsoons. It has two global terrestrial
biodiversity hot spots – the North-eastern States and the Western Ghats. The Western Ghats have
moist deciduous forests and rainforests. The region shows high species diversity as well as high levels
of endemism. Around 62% of reptile and 77% of amphibians are found in here. The Northeastern
States depicts high altitudinal variations. This area has at least 163 globally threatened species like
one-horned rhinoceros and the wild Asian water buffalo. The Relict Dragonfly, an endangered species
found here. This zone houses the Himalayan Newt the only salamander species found within Indian
limits.
1. The great variety of ecological conditions prevailing in India, tropical location, climate and physical
features all aid in supporting an enormous diversity of wildlife, including, hot desert forms, like wild
ass and the cold desert forms, like the Tibetan antelope: animals of open scrubland, like the black buck
and of grassy swamps, like the rhinoceros; animals of the deciduous forests like the wild gaur and of
the tropical rainforests. India lies at the confluence of Ethiopian, Palaearctic, and Indo-Malayan faunas
and possesses some interesting components. The chinkara, the hyena, and the rates represent the
Ethiopian element; the lynx, wolf, hangul represent the Palaearctic; the Chinese by red panda and the
 musk-deer; the Indo-Malayan by the hoolock gibbon, the goat-antelope, and the mouse deer. The
endemic varieties include sloth bear, antelope or black buck, four-horned antelope and Boselaphus or
nilgai. 15,000 species of flowering plants, 53,430 species of insects; 5050 species of mollusks, 6,500
species of other invertebrates; 2,546 species of fishes; 1228 species of birds, 446 species of reptiles,
372 species of mammals, etc.
2. It has great marine diversity due to its 7500km long coastline. The near shore coastal waters of India are
extremely rich fishing grounds. On the Gulf of Mannar and Gulf of Kutch reefs corals, coral debris and
coral sands are widely exploited, and ornamental shells, sharks, and pearl oysters are the basis of an
important reef industry in the south of India. Five species of marine turtle occur in Indian waters.
Seagrass beds are important feeding areas for the Dugong dugon, plus several species of marine turtle.
3. To preserve the rich biodiversity, nine biosphere reserves have been set up covering Tamil Nadu, Andhra
Pradesh, and Karnataka. Others include the Nanda Devi in Uttarakhand in the Western Himalayas, the
Nokrek in Meghalaya, Manas, and Dibru Saikhowa in Assam, the Sunderbans in the Gangetic plain in
West Bengal, Similar in Orissa, the Great Nicobar and the Gulf of Mannar in Tamil Nadu. As per
satellite imaging, about 19 percent of the land area of the country comprise of forests. It has 80
national parks at present, which houses the largest number of tigers and one horned rhinos found in the
world, Asiatic lions and a large percent of elephants.
4. There is a vital, but often neglected factor when we focus on biodiversity. To a large extent, the survival
of our biodiversity depends on how best the tribal are looked after.
5. India accredited the International Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) on 18 February 1994 and became
Party to the Convention in May 1994. The CBD is an international legal instrument for fostering
conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity and the fair and equitable sharing of the
benefits arising from commercial and other utilization of genetic resources. It is the responsibility of
The Ministry of Environment and Forest in India to oversee environmental policy and procedures and
the administration of the national parks of the country as well.
India is one of the twelve mega diversity nations of the world due to the following reasons: (i) It has 7.3% of
the global fauna and 10.88% of global flora as per the data collected by Ministry of Environment and
forest. (ii) It has 350 different mammals, 1200 species of birds- 453 different reptiles, 182 amphibians
and 45,000 plants spices. (iii) It has 50,000 known species of insects which include 13,000 butterflies
and moths. (iv) It has 10 different biogeographical regions and 25 biotic provinces having varieties of
lands and species. (v) In addition to geographical distribution, geological events in the land mass
provide high level of biological diversity. (vi) Several crops arose in the country and spread
throughout the world. Downloaded from be.rgpvnotes.in Page no: 11 Follow us on facebook to get
real-time updates from RGPV (vii) There is wide variety of domestic animals like cows, buffaloes,
goats, sheep, pigs, horses etc. (viii) The marine biota includes sea weeds, fishes, crustaceans, molluses,
corals, reptiles etc. (ix) There are a number of hot spots (namely Eastern Ghats, Western Ghats, North
Eastern hills etc.).
b) How many biogeographical regions are there in the world?
Ans: Refer to ans 4 a.
6. a) What are the methods to control thermal pollution, explain?
Ans: What is Thermal Pollution?
 The rise or fall in temperature of a natural aquatic environment induced by human intervention is
known as thermal pollution.
 Due to the expanding demand for globalization everywhere, this has become increasing and
contemporary pollution.
  Thermal pollution is generated by dumping hot water from factories and power plants, or by removing
trees and vegetation that shade streams, allowing sunshine to raise the temperature of these waters, and
then releasing cold water to cool them down.
 Thermal pollution, like other types of water pollution, is ubiquitous, impacting numerous lakes and a
large number of streams and rivers around the world.

Effects of Thermal Pollution:

 When heat travels abruptly into a water source, it has both direct and indirect effects on the
environment.
 Even slight variations in water temperature can have a big impact on aquatic life.
 Some species are unable to cope, and as a result, they suffer from stress, disease, and even death.
 When fish and other organism populations decline, it can have a cascading effect throughout the
ecosystem.
 The amount of oxygen in the atmosphere is also affected by thermal pollution.
 Warmer water causes oxygen levels to decline, which has an impact on aquatic life.
 Warmer water promotes algae development, which absorbs sunlight and contributes to additional
warming.
 This in turn causes biological oxygen demand (BOD).
 If the discharged water contains a lot of nutrients (eutrophication), as it does with agricultural
runoff and untreated sewage, these effects are often amplified.
 Warmer temperatures can make aquatic creatures more vulnerable to pollutants like ammonia,
heavy metals, and pesticides found in these wastewaters.
 Thermal pollution and nutritional loading, when combined, can result in hypoxic "dead zones"
with extremely low oxygen levels.
Measures to Control Thermal Pollution
Cooling Ponds
 The most basic ways of controlling thermal discharges are cooling ponds or reservoirs.
 Heated effluents on the surface of water in cooling ponds maximize heat dissipation to the atmosphere
while reducing the area and volume of water.
 This is the simplest and most affordable way to chill the water to a very low temperature.
 However, in terms of air-water contact, the method alone is less attractive and inefficient.
Cooling Towers
 The cooling process is defined as the process of taking water from water sources for cooling purposes
and then returning it to the water body after passing through the condenser.
 As a result, cooling towers are built to regulate the temperature of water in order to improve the cooling
process.
 Cooling towers are primarily used to dissipate recovered waste heat and hence alleviate thermal
pollution issues.
Artificial Lakes
 Artificial lakes are man-made bodies of water that can be used as an alternative.
 It can be created by damming a valley, digging land, or enclosing an area of land with dykes and
redirecting a portion of the river flow into the reservoir.
 The heated effluents could be dumped into the lake on one end, and the water could be recovered for
cooling on the other.
 Through evaporation, the heat is gradually released. However, these lakes must be replenished on a
regular basis.
Spray Ponds
 A spray pond is a reservoir where overheated water from a power plant is cooled before reuse by
spraying it into the cooler air via nozzles.
  Cooling is accomplished through heat exchange with the surrounding air.
 This includes both conductive heat transfer between the water droplets and the surrounding air as well
as evaporative cooling which provides by far the greatest portion, typically 85 to 90 percent , of the
total cooling.
 This eventually aids in controlling thermal pollution.

b) What are the different types of disaster management, Explain?

Ans: A disaster is characterized as a disturbance of enormous scope, either regular or man-made, happening
in short or extensive stretches. Disasters can prompt human, material, monetary or ecological
difficulties, which can be much higher than the tolerable limit of the impacted society. Disaster
Management is an incorporated course of planning, sorting out, organizing, and carrying out measures
that are essential for risk reduction during disasters and to face the consequences well prepared.
Disaster management ensures rescue and relief.
Need for disaster management
As per experiences, taking India into account, India is frail against 30 exceptional types of disasters that will
impact the monetary, social, and human improvement potential such a lot that it will definitively influence the
effectiveness and huge scope of financial execution. This widespread chaos and obliteration lead to the
requirement for Disaster Management.
Types of disasters:
Disasters are classified into two types, namely:
1. Natural disasters
2. Man-made disasters
Disaster Management Organizations
 National executive committee(NEC): NEC readies the National Plan for Disaster Management
according to the National Policy on Disaster Management.
 State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA): It is the state disaster management organization that
deals with wit-disaster er planning. The chief minister of the state is the head of the state disaster
management authority.
 District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA): It is the district disaster management organization
that deals with disaster planning. The Collector or deputy commissioner of the district is the head of
the state disaster management authority.
The Disaster Management Act of 2005 defines Disaster Management as an integrated process of planning,
organizing, coordinating and implementing measures which are necessary for-
1. Prevention of threat of any disaster
2. Reduction of risk of any disaster or its consequences
3. Readiness to deal with any disaster
4. Promptness in dealing with a disaster
5. Assessing the severity of the effects of any disaster
6. Rescue and relief
7. Rehabilitation and Reconstruction
Earthquake mitigation strategies:
a. Existing critical facilities built on reclaimed land should be inspected and retrofitted if necessary to ensure
earthquake resistance.
b. Future critical facilities should not be located on reclaimed land because of the high potential for
liquefaction.
c. Older unreinforced masonry buildings should be inspected and retrofitted if necessary to increase
earthquake resistance.
d. Older unreinforced masonry buildings should not be used for critical functions.
Emergency managers think of disasters as recurring events with four phases: Mitigation, Preparedness,
Response, and Recovery.
Mitigation: This phase includes actions taken to prevent or reduce the cause, impact, and consequences of
disasters. Examples of hazard mitigation include:
‹ Tying down homes or barns with ground anchors to withstand wind damage
‹ Digging water channels to redirect water and planting vegetation to absorb water ‹ Constructing levees or
permanent barriers to control flooding
‹ Reinforcing fencing to prevent animal escapes
‹ Buying insurance policies
Preparedness: This phase includes planning, training, and educational activities for events that cannot be
mitigated. Examples include:
‹ Developing disaster preparedness plans for what to do, where to go, or who to call for help in a disaster ‹
Exercising plans through drills, tabletop exercises, and full-scale exercises
‹ Creating a supply list of items that are useful in a disaster
‹ Walking around a farm and identifying possible vulnerabilities to high winds
Response: The response phase occurs in the immediate aftermath of a disaster. During the response phase,
business and other operations do not function normally. Personal safety and wellbeing in an emergency and
the duration of the response phase depend on the level of preparedness. Examples of response activities
include:
‹ Implementing disaster response plans
‹ Conducting search and rescue missions
‹ Taking actions to protect yourself, your family, your animals, and others
‹ Addressing public perceptions about food safety
Recovery: During the recovery period, restoration efforts occur concurrently with regular operations and
activities. The recovery period from a disaster can be prolonged. Examples of recovery activities include:
‹ Preventing or reducing stress-related illnesses and excessive financial burdens
‹ Rebuilding damaged structures based on advanced knowledge obtained from the preceding disaster ‹
Reducing vulnerability to future disasters.

7. a) What are the effects of ozone layer on human and on environment?

Ans: The ozone layer present in the stratosphere acts as a protective shield. It saves the earth from the
harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun. The compounds containing CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) are mainly
responsible for ozone layer depletion as these compounds react with ozone in the presence of
ultraviolet rays to form oxygen molecules and thus, destroying ozone. Ozone Layer depletion is the
significant decrease in the concentration of ozone in the upper layer of the atmosphere caused due to
the reaction of chemical compounds containing chlorine and bromine. It implies that the rate at which
the Ozone is being destroyed is much faster than the rate at which it is being formed. Reduction in the
quantity of Ozone implies increased penetration of solar UV-B radiations to the Earth’s surface. It has
devastating effects on human health, animals, plants, microorganisms and air quality.
Effects on Human Health and Animal Health
1. People become vulnerable due to the increase in the incidence of morbidity from eye diseases, skin cancer
and infectious diseases.
2. In light skin coloured populations, UV_B radiation is the main risk factor for the development of Non-
Melanoma skin cancer.
Effects on Plants
1. Psychological processes of plants are affected by UV-B radiation.
2. Response to UV-B also varies voraciously among different species. Therefore, in agriculture, it becomes
necessary to use more UV-B tolerant species.
3. In forests and grasslands, it results in changing the composition of species.
4. There are several indirect changes like plant form, biomass allocation of the plant, timing of development
phases triggered due to UV-B radiation.
Effects on Aquatic Ecosystems
1. More exposure to UV-B radiation has affected motility in phytoplanktons which results in reduced
survival rates of these organisms.
2. UV-B radiation has been found to cause damage in the early development stages of fish, crabs,
amphibians and various other animals. The more severe effect is a decrease in reproductive capacity.
Effects on Air Quality
1. Reduction of Ozone in upper layers of atmosphere and the direct increase of UV-B radiation penetrating
to the lower atmosphere results in higher photodissociation rates of gasses that control the chemical
reactivity of the Troposphere.
2. Products formed due to these reactions are known to have adverse effects on human health, plants and
outdoor materials.
3. Increase in tropospheric reactivity will lead to increased production of particulates due to oxidation and
nucleation of sulfur due to anthropogenic and natural causes.
Effects on Materials
1. Materials like polymers, naturally occurring biopolymers and some other materials of commercial interest
are affected by UV radiations.
2. Increase in solar UV-B content due to partial ozone depletion accelerates the photodegradation rate of
these materials and therefore limits their life outdoors.
b) Describe global warming and its effects, causes and solutions?
Ans: Global Warming: It is defined as the abrupt rise in the overall temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere.
This situation is generally characterized as greenhouse effects. The radiations are absorbed by
greenhouse gases that in return emitted in the thermal infrared range. The greenhouse gases are
methane, carbon dioxide, water vapors, nitrous oxide, etc. It is defined as a process in which the
greenhouse gases in the atmosphere absorb radiation from the sun and emit it back in the thermal
infrared range. This process increases the temperature of Earth and nowadays this process is a leading
cause of global warming.
CAUSES OF GLOBAL WARMING
Global warming is an outcome of anthropogenic activities. The main causes of global warming are listed
below.
1. Deforestation: The trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air. Deforestation has led to the increasing level
of air pollutants in the atmosphere.
2. Fossil fuel Combustion: Fossil fuel combustion in power plants, vehicles releases greenhouse gases.
3. Mining: Mining activities related to natural gas lead to global warming.
4. Industries: Industries are a source of air pollutant that releases harmful chemicals such as CFCs in the air.
5. Cattle Farms: The greenhouse gases are also emitted from cattle farms.
6. Rice Paddies: Rice paddies emit greenhouse gases mainly methane that contribute to global warming.
7. Landfill Sites: Methane is released from landfill sites.
EFFECTS OF GLOBAL WARMING
The effects of global warming are listed below.
1. Ocean Acidification and Coral Bleaching: Oceans act as a carbon sink. The high concentration of carbon
dioxide is getting absorbed by the ocean surface leading to ocean acidification and coral bleaching.
2. Frequent Natural Disasters: Due to rising global temperature and climate change, the world is facing
frequent natural disasters.
3. Sea Level Rise: Global warming is causing glacier retreat and the average sea level is rising.
4. Disruption of Food Chain: The extreme weather events due to global warming are affecting fertile lands
leading to disruption of the food chain.
5. Droughts and Famine: Changes in atmospheric temperature due to Global warming are causing floods that
reduce net crop yields ultimately leading to droughts and famine.
SOLUTIONS TO GLOBAL WARMING
1. Afforestation/Reforestation: Planting more trees can help reduce the impacts of global warming. Forest
cover reduces the level of air pollutants in the atmosphere.
2. Fuel-Efficient Vehicles: This is a very important solution; shifting to fuel-efficient vehicles will less likely
contribute to the release of greenhouse gases that cause global warming.
3. Avoid Burning Fossil Fuels: Fossil fuel combustion should be avoided at all levels because coal-fired
power plants contribute to global warming.
4. 3 Rs: Adopting the “reduce, reuse, and recycle” strategy will provide relief against the increasing effects
of global warming.
5. Carbon sequestration: It involves capturing and storing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Forest cover
act as a carbon sink.
8. a) Describe the top 10 ways to prevent global warming?
Ans: 10 things you can do to combat Global Warming:
1. Walk, Bike (run, skate, move yourself!) Get out of your car! Walking or cycling is much better for our
planet’s health (and your own) than even driving a hybrid or an electric vehicle. Even if it’s just a couple
trips a week you will be making a big difference.
2. Ride the bus to work (or carpool) Try the bus out. Make a commitment to use public transportation at
least once a week. You can even ride your bicycle to your nearest bus stop to make your commute
easier. Most buses are equipped with bicycle racks on the front of the bus. Post a message on your
company bulletin board to carpool with a colleague.
3. Change a Light Bulb Wherever practical, replace regular light bulbs with compact florescent light
(CFL) bulbs. CFL’s last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs and use two-thirds less energy. If you
do not like the color light the bulb gives off—replace bulbs in areas where it does not matter - such as
in closets, your garage, or storage spaces. Even changing just 1 bulb can have a significant impact.
4. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Reduce waste by choosing reusable products instead of disposables. Buying
products with little packaging (including the economy size when that makes sense for you) will help to
reduce waste.
5. Ride the bus to work (or carpool) Try the bus out. Make a commitment to use public transportation at
least once a week. You can even ride your bicycle to your nearest bus stop to make your commute
easier. Most buses are equipped with bicycle racks on the front of the bus. Post a message on your
company bulletin board to carpool with a colleague.
6. Plant a tree Planting the right trees around your home or in the parkway can help shade your home and
reduce your energy usage during our hot summers. Deciduous trees, or “canopy trees” have this effect
(Palms do not). Trees also beautify your home and can raise your property value. Most importantly,
trees clean our air and make our neighborhoods healthier.
7. Buy a fuel efficient car (or hybrid vehicle) Buying a new car may be one of the biggest environmental
decisions you will make. A fuel efficient vehicle will save you money and pollute less than larger,
heavier vehicles. If you can, buying a hybrid will significantly reduce the amount of greenhouse gasses
that you are putting into our atmosphere.
8. Buy local goods and products Whether it’s getting the food you eat from your local farmer’s market,
or the clothing on your back, buying locally not only supports our local economy but it also can save
thousands of pounds of CO2 that are emitted by shipping and transporting of goods made overseas.
9. Inflate your tires Keep the tires on your car adequately inflated. Check them monthly. Save 250 lbs. of
carbon dioxide and $840 per year.
10. Change the AC Filter Clean or replace dirty air conditioner filters as recommended. Save 350 lbs. of
carbon dioxide and $150 per year.
b) What are the issues involved in enforcement of environmental legislation public awareness?
Ans: It is necessary to create awareness about the norms and projected environmental restrictions under
which organization may have environmental regulations and legislations rests with a number of different
agencies. Central government is responsible for enforcement of various environmental legislation for less
polluting small scale industries. There is an urgent need to use a range of measures to complement
regulations.
 It should be a must for all potential polluters to apply permission to operate, discharge or emit any
pollutants. In addition there should be a greater monitoring. The technique of environmental assessment is
applied to ensure that the significance of potential environmental impacts of proposed projects are critically
examined during the planning process. Another way of increasing awareness on environmental protection is
the introduction of voluntary scheme under which companies which would meet certain standard of
environmental property of their products.

Issues involved in enforcement of environmental legislation

Three issues that are especially important for environmental legislation are:
1. The precautionary principle This principle has evolved to deal with risks and
uncertainties faced by environmental management. The principle implies that an ounce of
prevention is worth a pound of cure— it does not prevent problems but may reduce their
occurrence and helps ensure contingency plans are made.
2. The polluter-pays principle In addition to-the obvious—the polluter pays for the
damaged caused by a development—this principle also implies that a polluter pays for
monitoring and policing. A problem with this approach is that fines may bankrupt small
businesses, yet be low enough for a large company to write them off as an occasional
overhead, which does little for pollution control.
3. Freedom of information: Environmental planning and management is hindered if the
public, NGOs or even official bodies are unable to get information.

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