Unit – 1

MULTIDISCIPLINARY NATURE
OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
AND
SEGMENTS OF ENVIRONMENT

12/12/2020
Dr. Vandana Shan
DEFINITION: ENVIRONMENT

 The term environment is derived from

french word ‘ENVIRON’ which means
encircle .
 So in other words everything that affects
living organism is called as environment .
 DEFINITION: ENVIRONMENT

 Environment is the aggregate of physical,

chemical, biological and social components on
Earth which are capable of causing direct or
indirect effects in the short or long term on living
and non-living things and their interactions and
activities.
 Based on this environment is defined as the sum
of total of water, air and land and the inter-
relationship that exist among them and with the
human beings, other living organisms and
materials.
ENVIRONMENT
ENVIRONMENT EDUCATION/
STUDY
• A comprehensive knowledge of the
working of Nature &
Environment
• An experience in valuing Environment
Quality
• An understanding of the impact of
personal choices of actions on
environmental quality
• A source of guidance to the people to act
as more responsible citizens
MULTIDISCIPLINARY NATURE OF
ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

 The study of environmental components is

multi disciplinary in nature. Since it includes
all disciplinary such as science, humanities,
commerce, meteorology, climatology,
geography and other disciplines.

 Environmental studies is a multi

disciplinary programme created to promote
the study of our natural surrounding.
MULTIDISCIPLINARY NATURE OF
ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
 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 modelling and
management.
 Economics, sociology and mass communication
provides the input for dealing with socio economic
aspects associated with various developmental
activities.

 A synthesis with environmental engineering, civil

engineering and chemical engineering form 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.
OBJECTIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL
STUDIES
 Creating the awareness about environmental problems in
the students.

 Giving basic knowledge about the environment and

its related
problems to the students.

 Developing an attitude of concern for the environment

amongst the
students.
 Motivating students to participate in environment
protection and environment improvement.

 Acquiring skills to help the concerned individuals in

identifying and solving environmental problems.
 SCOPE OF THE
ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

Scope of the environmental studies is broad based and it

encompasses a large no of areas and aspects broadly listed
below.

 1. Natural resources–their conservation and management

 2. Ecology and biodiversity
 3. Environmental pollution and control
 4.Social issues in relation to
environment
 5. Human population and environment
NEED FOR PUBLIC AWARENESS
 Environmental pollution is affecting plants, animals
and human life in water as well as on land surface.
The soil, minerals, water, fuel, plants and animal
resources are being depleted and climatic changes,
desertification and floods are becoming drastic.
 More over, 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.
OBJECTIVES OF PUBLIC AWARENESS

 It can be introduced as a course in school and colleges. It

is the most successful method of propagating
environmental awareness.
 This course spread awareness regarding the protection of
the environment.
 A government at its own level cant achieve the goals of
sustainable development until the public has a
participatory role in it.
 The public has to be educated about the fact that if we
degrading our environment we are actually harming our
own selves.
THROUGH MASS MEDIA
 Mass media as news papers, magazines, radios, t v etc., can
play an important role in educating the masses regarding
environmental problems and issues.

 Through organizing seminars and conferences, organizing

meeting seminars, and conferences at various levels help in
spreading environmental information to general public.

 Awareness can also be spread by organizing various

competitions on environmental problems, non conventional
energy sources etc., such competitions may also help in
disseminating information regarding various environmental
issues.
 ENTERTAINMENT

Environmental awareness can also be propagating

through folk songs, street plays, documentaries
etc.,
 IMPORTANCE OF ENVIRONMENT
EDUCATION
1)Environmental studies helps maintain ecological balance
by providing a basic operating knowledge of
environmental system and processes.
2)It gives information regarding the changes that takes place
due to anthropogenic factors and helps gain skills of
analysing various environmental system and the effect of
human activities on them.
3)Environmental studies help to achieve sustainable
development and understand the relationship between
development and the environment.
4) This discipline helps to educate people regarding their
duties towards environmental protection.
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, toxic emission and waste disposal.
8) Environment is one subject that is actually global in
nature.
9) It also provide knowledge about the development and utilisation
of energy resources and the role of public policy there in.

10)Environmental law, business administration and environmental

engineering are emerging as new career opportunities for
environment protection and management.
11)Environmental studies also aims to protect bio diversity growth
in human population and the resulting increase in material
consumption and technological development have increased the
rate and scale of degradation of the environment.
12)The concepts from environmental studies can be applied to the
study of agriculture and the design of sustainable production
system.
13)With the pollution control laws becoming more strengthen, are
finding it difficult to dispose off the produced wastes.
ENVIRONMENT INSTITUTIONS

Government Institutions:

 Botanical Survey of India (BSI)

 Zoological survey of India (ZSI)
ENVIRONMENT INSTITUTIONS

Non –Government Institutions:

• The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), Mumbai

 World Wide fund for nature- India (WWF-1), New Delhi
 Centre or science and environment (CSE), New Delhi
 C.P.R Environmental Education Centre, Madras
 Centre for Environment Education (CEE)
 Bharati Vidyapeeth University, Institute of Environment Education &
Research, Pune
 The Salim Ali Center for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON)
 Wild life Institute of India (WII), Dehradhun
 The madras Crocodile Bank Trust (MCBT)
 Segments of Environment

Atmosphere Hydrosphere Lithosphere Biosphere

Fig. 2: Segments of Environment

2
INTERACTION BETWEEN VARIOUS
COMPONENTS OF AN ENVIRONMENT
INTERACTION BETWEEN VARIOUS
COMPONENTS OF AN ENVIRONMENT
 ATMOSPHERE
It is the mixture of various gases, water vapour and subatomic particles that
entirely covers the earth extending outward several thousand kilometers.
ENVIRONMENT COMPONENTS
ATMOSPHERE STRUCTURE
STRUCTURE OF ATMOSPHERE
 TROPOSPHERE

•Lower portion of the atmosphere

•Extends up to 8 km at the poles and 16 km at equator,
on an average extend up to 10-11 km from the earth
surface.
•Temperature decrease at the rate of 5-7oC/km.
•Strong vertical air movement responsible for rapid and
complete mixing.
 STRATOSPHERE

• It is above troposphere and extends up to 11-55

km.
• Up to about 20 km temp. remains constant then
increase with increase in height.
• Ozone layer is in this layer.
 MESOSHERE

• It is layer above stratosphere and extends up to 80

km.
• Temperature decreases slowly with altitude but then
sharply to about -75oC.
 THERMOSPHERE

• Temperature increases rapidly with increase in

height.
• Heating of this layer is due to absorption of the solar
energy.
• Within the thermosphere there is a layer of charged
particles known as ionosphere
 HYDROSPHERE

The totality of water surrounding the Earth,

comprising all the bodies of water, ice and
water vapour in the atmosphere i.e. water held in
oceans, rivers, lakes, glaciers, ground water, soil
and air.
 COMPONENTS

Oceans
Glaciers
Atmospheric Water Vapours
Fresh Water
• Surface Water
• Ground Water
DISTRIBUTION OF WATER ON WATER
 WATER CYCLE

The cyclic movement of water from earth

surface to atmosphere and again back to
earth surface is known as water cycle.
 WATER CYCLE PROCESSES

• Evaporation - the process where a liquid, in this

case water, changes from its liquid state to a
gaseous state.
• Precipitation - When the temperature and
atmospheric pressure are right, the small droplets
of water in clouds form larger droplets and
precipitation occurs. The raindrops fall to Earth.
• Transpiration - As plants absorb water from the
soil, the water moves from the roots through the
stems to the leaves. Once the water reaches the
leaves, some of it evaporates from the leaves,
adding to the amount of water vapour in the air.
This process of evaporation through plant leaves
is called transpiration.
• Condensation - the opposite of evaporation.
Condensation occurs when a gas is changed into a
liquid.
• Infiltration - Infiltration is an important process
where rain water soaks into the ground, through the
soil and underlying rock layers.
• Runoff - Much of the water that returns to Earth as
precipitation runs off the surface of the
land, and flows down hill into
streams, rivers, ponds and lakes.
LITHOSHERE
BIOSPHERE
 MESOSHERE

• It is layer above stratosphere and extends up to 80

km.
• Temperature decreases slowly with altitude but then
sharply to about -75oC.
 MESOSHERE

• It is layer above stratosphere and extends up to 80

km.
• Temperature decreases slowly with altitude but then
sharply to about -75oC.
ENVIRONMENT COPONENTS

• Non-living / Abiotic component

It includes medium(soil, water, air & bodies of
other organisms)
•Living / Biotic component
It consist of flora & fauna
• Energy component
It includes solar, Geothermal, Thermoelectrical,
Hydroelectrical & nuclear
ATMOSPHERE

• The gaseous envelope surrounding

the earth
Extends upto 20,000 km from the
surface Source of oxygen for respiration
Source of CO2 for Photosynthesis
Source of rainwater for sustaining life
Maintains heat budget of the earth
Ozone layer filters UV radiation
HYDROSPHERE

•Watery part of the earth

97% in vast oceans & seas
2% in polar icecaps & glaciers
1% fresh water
Moderating the temperature of the earth
Ancient civilization is associated with
rivers
LITHOSPHERE

• Rigid outer layer of earth’s crust

Consists of minerals occuring in the rocks &
soil
Soil- mixture of organic and inorganic
matter
Role of soil- man depends soil for his
food Soil fertility depends on microbes-
200 to 500 billions/gram
BIOSPHERE
• The realm of living things found in
atmosphere, hydrosphere &
lithosphere
• It is large & complex
• Divided into smaller units- Ecosystems
• Ecosystem- Communities- Populations-
Organisms
• Biosphere is dependent on the
environment & environment is affected
by biosphere
TYPES OF ENVIRONMENT
1. Natural Environment
Those part of the planet, which
remains untouched & has not been invaded
by man
It operates through self-
regulating mechanisms
Any change in natural ecosystem
by natural processes is counter balanced
by other components- air, water, soil etc..
TYPES OF ENVIRONMENT
2. Man made environment
He is the transformer of his
environment Altered the natural environment
by overpopulation,
Urbanization, agricultural revolution,
industrial Revolution etc.
MAN & ENVIRONMENT

• Human Civilization leads to irremediable

environmental crisis
•Man interferes carbon- greenhouse effect
Global warming, Sulphur- acid rain
• Crisis is due to
Man as a biological animal, rational & social
& transformer of his environment
ENVIRONMENT EDUCATION

• Definition:
The process of sensitizing students &
public about environmental crisis
recognizing environmental values &
clarifying concepts. It develops skills &
attitudes to understand & appreciate the
inter relatedness of man
OBJECTIVES

• Awareness
• Knowledge
• Attitude
• Skill
• Evaluation
ability
• Participation
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

FORMAL NON FORMAL

• Primary school level • Professional groups level
• Lower secondary level • Public level
• Higher secondary level • Rural youth level
• College level • Tribals & Forest dwellers
• University level level
• Institutes & centres • Children level
level • NGO level