1

Introduction of
Environmental Science
Environment may be
defined in the simple
terms as the sum total of
all external conditions and
influences that affect the
living organisms. It
includes lower part of
atmosphere, entire
hydrosphere and soil and
lithosphere to depth,
where evidence of
existence of living
organism has been found.

Environment
The environment is the aggregate of all those things and set of conditions, which
directly or indirectly influence not only the life of organisms but also the communities
at a particular place. Any external force or influence, which surrounds and affects the
life of a plant in any way, become a factor of its environment. These factors are called
environmental factors.
The term Environment refers to the surroundings of an organisms, which includes
both living and non-living components. The space into which living beings exist is
referred to as biosphere. The literal meaning of surround and to develop surrounding
usually refers to the Biosphere. The biosphere is considered as a thin shell of many
hundred kilometres of radius that encapsulates the earth. The life sustaining resources
such as air, water, food, etc., are recycled with in the biosphere.
It is a complex of so many things (light, soil, water, temperature, etc) which surround
an organism. Any external forces, substances or condition, which surrounds and
affects the life of an organism in any way is a factors of its environment. Environment
includes all elements, factors and condition that have some impact on growth and
development of an organisms. Thus, environment includes all the external conditions
and influence affecting life and development of an organisms. Environment includes
both biotic and abiotic factor.

Definition of Environment
Some important definitions of environment are as under according to
Anastasi The environment is everything that affects the individual except his genes.
Boring A persons environment consists of the sum total of the stimulation, which he
receives from his conception until his death.

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Holland The term Environment is used to describe, in

the aggregate, all the external forces, influences and
conditions, which affect the life, nature, behaviour and
the growth, development and maturity of living
organisms.

Biological Environment

Downs Public interest in environment changes through

time and the whole sequence of changes is completed in
five stages termed as Issue Attention cycle.

Stages of Issue Attention Cycle

Environmental Analysis
These favourable conditions make earth a unique as compared to
other planets.
It has evolved its own environment constituting different segments,
which are
Biosphere The biosphere is a capsule encircling the earths surface,
where in all the living thing exists. That includes plants, animals and
other organisms.
Atmosphere The atmosphere which is gaseous such as nitrogen,
oxygen, helium, ozone, carbon dioxide, etc., cover, protect the earth
from cosmic radiations and provides life sustaining oxygen, the
macronutrient nitrogen and carbon dioxide needed for
photosynthesis. Argon gas is found in least concentration in
atmosphere.
Hydrosphere This comprises all water resources both surface and
ground water. The worlds water is found in oceans, lakes, seas, glacier
and rivers in the polar region in addition to ground water below the
land area.
Lithosphere It is the top crust of the earth. The uppermost layer of
soil (few metre thickness) on earth crust is the most important
region of lithosphere. The lithosphere technically includes both the
land mass and the ocean floor, it is often used to indicate only land
surface.

Classification of Environment
Environment is composed of physical and biological
components. It includes both living and non-living
components.
Environment

Physical Environment
(abiotic)

Biological Environment
(biotic)

The biological component of the environment consists of plants

(flora) and animals (fauna) including man as an important
factor.

A systematic cycle of heightening public interest and then

increasing boredon with major issues, how long public attention
is likely to remain sufficiently focused upon any given issue to
generate enough political pressure, to cause effective change is
the issue attention cycle.
Stages of issue attention cycles are
First Stage or Pre-problem Stage It is characterised by no
public attention towards environmental problems except a few
experts and interest group who are seized with such problems.
Second Stage It is a stage of alarmed discovery and euphoric
enthusiasm when the issue of environmental problems catches
the public attention.
The public are so alarmed and enthusiastic that they readily
respond to solve the problem without caring for the cost of
investment.
Third Stage It is marked by realisation of
significant progress. The public is aware of
investment. It is realised that the technological
may not always be the best solution to the
problems.

the cost of
the cost of
development
environment

Fourth Stage It is characterised by gradual decline in public

interest towards environment improvement programmes due to
realisations of higher cost of solution of environmental problems
and difficulty in implementing the environmental improvement
programme.
Fifth Stage or Post-problems Stage It is marked by lessening
of public interest in the issues of environmental concerns but the
public interest in environmental problems erupts in spasmodic
manner.
First stage/pre-problem stage
Fifth stage/
post-problem stage

Land

Air

Water

Animals

Plants

Man

Second stage

Physical Environment
On the basis of physical characteristics and state, the
physical environment is sub-divided into three broad
categories, i.e., (a) Land (solid), (b) Water (liquid),
(c) Air (gas). They are also called abiotic components.

Fourth stage

Third stage

Issue attention cycle

Introduction of Environmental Science

Environmental Factors
Various factors of environment have been grouped and discussed in different
ways.
Sometimes all the factors are classified into two groups
Environment Factors

Direct Factors

Climatic/Aerial factors,
e.g., Light, temperature
of air, humidity of air,
atmosphere and rainfall

Biotic factors,
e.g., Plant
and animal

Indirect Factors

Edaphic
factors,
e.g., Soil

Physiographic/Topographic
factors, e.g., Altitudes,
exposure of slopes, steepness
of the slopes

Direct Factors
These are light, air, temperature, soil nutrients, soil water, etc.
Most of the ecologists recognise two categories of direct factors
Climatic/Aerial Factors It includes light, temperature of air, humidity of
air, atmosphere (gases and wind) and rainfall.
Biotic Factors These are all kinds of interaction between different forms of
life, i.e., plants, animals, etc.

Indirect Factors
These are slopes, wind, soil organisms, soil structure, etc.
Most of the ecologists prefer to recognise following categories of factors of environment
Edaphic Factors These deal with the formation of soil, its physical and
chemical properties.
Physiographic/Topographic Factors It includes altitude, direction of
mountain chains and valleys, etc.

Characteristics of Environment
(i) It consists of physical, social moral, economic and political forces, which
affect the life and nature of behaviour.
(ii) It is the sum total of the stimulation from mans birth until his death.
(iii) It refers to sum total of conditions, which surround man at a given point
in space and time.
(iv) It includes all the external forces, which affect the growth and
development of living organism.
(v) It increase in economic productivity through improved health of people.
(vi) It inculcates attitude and values towards understanding the
interdependence of nature and man and work towards sustainable
development.

Principles of Environment
The members of API are dedicated to continuous efforts to improve the
compatibility of their operations with the environment, while economically

developing energy resources and supplying

high quality products and services to
consumers.
API members pledge to manage their
businesses according to the following
principles, using sound science to
prioritize risks and to implement cost
effective management practices.
(i) To develop economically
and
produce natural resources and to
conserve those resources by using
energy efficiently.
(ii) To commit to reduce overall emission
and waste generation.
(iii) To work with other to resolve
problems created by handling and
disposal of hazards.

Environmental
Awareness
Several movements have taken place in
this regards. Environment related acts are
also promulgated from time to time. Many
awards have been instituted for the sake of
betterment of environment.
Environment Education, Awareness and
Training (EEAT) Scheme is a central
scheme.
EEAT scheme was launched during the 16th
five year plan in 1983-84 with the following
objectives.
(i) To promote environment education
through existing educational/research
institutions/scientific.
(ii) To ensure training and manpower
development
for
environment
education, awareness and training.
(iii) To
facilitate
development
of
education/training materials and aids
in the formal education sector.
(iv) To mobilize peoples participation
for preservation and conservation for
preservation and conservation by
environment.
(v) To
promote
environmental
awareness among all sections of the
society.

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Multi-disciplinary Nature in Environment

Science
Although the study of environmental science implies single
subject, but its essence is multi-disciplinary in nature. The
science of environmental studies is a multi-disciplinary
science because it comprise various branches of studies like
chemistry, physics, life-science, medical science, agriculture,
public health, sanitary engineering, etc.
Environmental science is a multi-disciplinary science that
teaches us to protect and sustain our natural resources of
land, water, air and vegetation. Sustainability is the key
ward here. The usage of any commodity will deplete it if not
done in a sustainable manner. Strides made in industry,
agriculture and technologies for improving human life
quality have been made possible by relying on resources
available in land, water and vegetation.
These anthropogenic activities have often led to
deterioration of the natural resources. Besides such
activities, natural hazards like earth quake, land-slides,
hurricanes and floods pose a threat to the natural resources
system. There is an increasing awareness in society and an
willingness to adopt measures to protect our environment
from degrading effects of all forms of misuse and depletion.

The environmental biology includes several disciplines

involving different branches of environmental sciences. The
physical, chemical and biological features of land are
included under biogeochemistry. The concept of
environment includes nearly all disciplines of science that
are linked to humans directly ordinarily. These include
Bioecology,
Toxicology,
Environmental
Biology,
Environmental Chemistry and Ecology.
Biology

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Nature

En

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Society

S oc
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Human
Environment
Culture

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Importance of Environmental Science

Importance of environmental studies lies in the fact that by
being well-acquainted with nature one can lead a healthy,
spiritual and long life. Under natural conditions at a time,
the life or organism is affected by the sum of all
environmental factors and not by any individual factor. All
the factors are so interrelated that variations in one may
affect the other.
Energy (radiant
or other form)

Mineral
rocks and soil

Organisms

Scope of Environmental Science

cs
ysi
Ph

Ecology deals with the several organism under constant

stress of different ecological principles. The study of toxic,
physical, chemical and biological factor is included under
Environmental Toxicology besides these prominent
disciplines. There are many other fronts of study in
environmental science.

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iti c

L it
S ci e n

ce

H isto

er

ry

Various fields of environmental science

Atmosphere
(gases and wind)

Water (soil and

atmosphere)

Importance of environmental factors

For instance an increase in temperature would certainly

bring out a decrease in humidity values. Thus, in affecting
an organisms life under natural conditions environmental
factors, operate in conduction and not in isolation following
figure shows possible interactions between five principal
components of the environment (energy, soil nutrients
organisms, air and water). The effect of one factor is usually
modified by the other factors.
Since various environmental factors affect the life of an
organism in a logistic manner and all the factors operate in
conjunction and not in isolation, it is difficult to understand
the nature of influence of individual factor.

Environmental Cycles
Most of elements flow continuously in ecosystem in a cyclic
manner from one factor to another factor. Their transport
can be studied as a cyclic stages and from at different factors
(the flow of water is also in cycle manner and can be studied
as energy cycle and water cycle respectively).
In a self-sufficient ecosystem, there occurs the flow of
minerals (P, C, H2 , N2 , etc.) and energy through the abiotic
and biotic components of the system. This cyclical path of

Introduction of Environmental Science

the elements from the abiotic system to the biotic system and back is called
biogeochemical cycle.
On the basis of location of these pools, the nutrients cycles are of two types

Gaseous Cycle
The elements have main reservoir in gaseous phase is the essential feature of these
cycle. The cycles of oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen are classified under the
gaseous cycle. Thus, water cycle is considered separately as hydrological cycle.

Carbon Cycle
It is an example of gaseous type of biogeochemical cycle of nature. Carbon is
found as graphite and diamond in nature. It amount of 0.03% in the air. It
includes most important phenomenons like photosynthesis, respiration, etc.
Decomposition through which carbon cycles in various form of carbon
compounds from one system to another. While the present day cycling of carbon
nitrates with photosynthetic activity that accumulate CO 2 into carbohydrates.
These carbohydrates (food) is taken up by animals, where it is used to produce
energy and again CO 2 is released in the atmosphere.
Besides this decomposer decay the complex living matter into simple compounds
that are further dissolved in soil. Such a form that can be used by plant in their
metabolic activities. Carbon cycle includes following reaction
2C + O 2CO at normal temperature
CO 2 + C 2CO at high temperature
Atmospheric CO 2 is produced by burning by fossil-fuel, conversion of limestones
into cement, etc., while CO is produced due to incomplete burning of carbon
compound.

Oxygen Cycle
Oxygen is the life supporting portion of the earths atmosphere. It is present in
large quantities (about 21% v/v) in the atmosphere. It is also found dissolved in
water and as oxides and carbonates in rocks.
Atmospheric
oxygen (O2)

Nutrient uptake
cay
De

CO2
H 2O

Oxygen cycle

Nitrogen Cycle
It is a good example of gaseous cycle.
Because of its role in the construction of
proteins and nucleic acid and its
importance as a potential limiting
factor in many biological phenomena,
nitrogen is a significant element. The
atmosphere is the reservoir of free
gaseous nitrogen. But living organisms,
except some nitrogen fixing bacteria,
cannot use elemental nitrogen directly.
It has to be converted into nitrate to be
utilised by plant. The atmospheric
nitrogen is converted into nitrates by
nitrogen fixing bacteria and blue-green
algae. The soluble nitrates are taken up
by plants, which utilise them in
synthesis of amino acid and proteins.

The nitrogen cycle can be described by five

steps

Components of
living matter

Nutrient pool

About 1 tonne of oxygen is present per

square metre of the earths surface.
Oxygen is given out as a byproduct of
photosynthesis.
Plants
in
all
ecosystems release about 8 moles of
oxygen per year per square metre of
earths
surface
through
photosynthesis. Plants and animals
(heterotrophs) utilise this oxygen in
respiration and return it to the
atmosphere in the form of CO 2 . This
CO 2 is utilised by green plants as an
essential
raw
material
for
carbohydrates synthesis. Dissolved
oxygen in water is the source of oxygen
for aquatic life.

Steps of Nitrogen Cycle

Carbohydrate,
glucose
(C6H12O6)

Photosynthesis

Respiration

Nitrogen Fixation The conversion of

nitrogen into ammonia or nitrites is
called nitrification. Despite the
atmosphere
being
almost
80%
nitrogen, plants cannot assimilate this
form of nitrogen. The nitrogen is
converted
by
two
methods,
non-biological methods and biological
methods.

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Nitrification For plants the most useful form of nitrogen

in the soil are nitrates. A group of microorganisms convert
ammonia into nitrates in a process called nitrification.
Electric
discharge
N2+O2

Atmospheric
nitrogen

Nitrogen oxide

+ 18H2O + 24KOH + 12N2 + 570 kcal

Plant
and animal
proteins

or

Nitrogen
oxide

Free living
nitrogen
fixing
bacteria
Root absorption
Nodules Azotobacter
Saprophytic containing
Rhizobium
bacteria
Death and decay
amino acid
ammonifying
ammonifying
bacteria
bacteria
Death

Ammonia and
its commend
(soil)

Soil nitrates

Nitrobacter
Leaching loss to rivers
and oceanic basins

Nitrites
(soil)

S + KNO 3 + CaCO 3 K2SO 4

+ CaSO 4 + CO 2 + N2 + 132 kcal

Nitrogen fixation
Symbiotic
and free
living bluegreen algae

Denitrifying
bacteria

C 6H12O 6 + 6KNO 3 6CO 2 + 6KOH

+ 3N2O + 3 H2O + 545 kcal
or 5C 6H12O 6 + 24KNO 3 30CO 2

Nitrogen fixation

Washed
by rain

Some iron and sulphur bacteria utilise the oxygen of nitrates for
chemosynthetic activity as follows

Nitrosomonas

Nitrogen cycle

In this process nitrites are formed first, then converted

into nitrates.
1
NH3 + 1 O 2 HNO 2 + H2O + 66 kcal
2
1
KNO 2 + O 2 KNO 3 + 175 kcal
2
Assimilation Plants assimilate nitrogen in the form of
nitrates through their root system and store them in the
form of proteins and amino acids. The animals obtain
nitrogen by eating plant and utilise them for growth, tissue
repair, etc.
Ammonification The organic matter of plants and
animals is decomposed by microorganisms in the soil. In this
process ammonia and amino acids are released.
Denitrification It is the reduction of nitrates to gaseous
nitrogen, ammonia or to some oxides of nitrogen. This
occurs in soil mainly in anaerobic conditions.

Sedimentary Cycle
This type of cycle do not have a gaseous phase. The
elements are usually found in soil and sediments and cycle
through soil, water and organism. The only exception to
these cycle is sulphur cycle, which has a gaseous phase as
H2S and SO 2 . The sulphur forms sediments. Bacteria can use
elemental sulphur.

Sulphur Cycle
Sulphur is an essential element of protein synthesis. It
provides a linkage between polypeptide chain in protein
molecules. Life on earth, could not exist without sulphur. It
is less likely, however to be limiting of ecosystem
productivity than phosphorus.
Organic sulphur in
plants and animals

Sulphur in coal and

petroleum

Decomposition by
bacterial reduction
Taken up by
green plants SulphurH2S
fixing
bacteria
Photosynthetic and
chemosynthetic
sulphur bacteria
SO4
Solution
sulphates

Oxide

SO2

Sulphur cycle

In nature, sulphur exists in the elemental form and in several

oxidation states, including hydrogen sulphide (H2S),
sulphites (SO 2
3 ) and sulphates (SO 4 ). Organic sulphur in
plants and animals is decomposed to H2S by bacterial action
and the H2S is further oxidised to sulphates such as
(NH4 )2 SO 4 by sulphur-oxidising bacteria. Sulphur is also
locked into coal and petroleum and is released as sulphur
dioxide when these products are burned. A sulphur cycle is
shown in figure whose details are self-explanatory.

Phosphorus Cycle
Phosphorus forms part of the sedimentary cycle. It is also a
key element in all living organisms. It play an important role

Introduction of Environmental Science

in almost every step of organic synthesis. It is more likely
than almost any other element to limit the productivity in
many of earths ecosystems. Phosphorus in the protoplasm
of plants and animals is broken down by cellular metabolism
or the action of phosphatising bacteria to dissolved
phosphates, e.g., CaHPO4 . These dissolved phosphates may
be utilised directly in protein synthesis in plants as primary
nutrients or they may enter marine deposits and become
fixed in relatively insoluble forms of phosphates rocks
Ca 3 (PO 4 )2 .
The greatest reservoir of phosphates in the world lies in
relatively insoluble ferric and calcium phosphates in rock. In
this form, phosphorus may be released slowly to soluble
form by action of dilute nitric acid formed during nitrification.
Waste detergents are often sufficiently abundant in streams to
cause foaming and sudsing at waterfalls.

Protoplasm
synthesis
Fish and
marine birds

Protoplasm
plants
animals
bacteria
Excretion

Relatively insoluble
Ca3(PO4)2
Phosphate rocks,
bone deposits and
guano deposits

CO2

O2

Vapours
Nitrogen
Water
Dead
leaves

Organic
matter

Denitrifying
bacteria
Mineral
Salts (N, P, K Ca and Fe) Nitrifing bacteria

Ecosystem

Any habitat of nature that includes plants, animals and

non-living substances, which interact to produce materials
that can be exchanged between living and non-living parts of
the habitat is called as ecosystem. Thus, ecosystem is a
major ecological unit, which contains biotic and abiotic
components through which nutrients are cycled and energy
flows.

Definition of Ecosystem
Phosphatising
bacteria

The insoluble phosphates

are liberated to more
soluble forms
by HNO3 formed
during nitrification
Dissolved phosphates
CaHPO4
Deep deposits

Heat

Sun

Marine deposits

Phosphorus cycle

Ecosystem
It is considered to be a major ecological unit and was coined
by AG Tansley in 1935. Ecological system or ecosystem is
any unit that includes all the animals, i.e., the communities
in a given area, interacting, is with the physical environment
so that a flow of energy leads to clearly defined trophic
structure biotic diversity and material cycle such as
exchange of materials between living and non-living
components within the system.
Human beings live upon as a giant ecosystem, where abiotic
and biotic components are constantly acting and reaching
upon each other and bringing forth structural and
functional changes in it.

An ecosystem can be defined as a structural and functional

unit of biosphere or segment of nature consisting of
community of living beings and the physical environment
both interacting and exchanging materials between them.
According to AG Tansley, Using the term Ecosystem for the
first time in 1935 AG Tansley, defined ecosystem as a
particular category of physical systems, consisting of
organisms and inorganic components in a relatively stable
equilibrium, open and of various sizes and kinds.
According to EP Odum, An American ecologist, defined
ecology as, the study of the structure and function of nature,
which includes the living world. He referred ecosystem as
the basic fundamental unit of energy.
According to Charles Elton, A British ecologist defined
ecology as, the study of scientific natural history.
According to Evan, The ecosystem involves the circulation,
transformation and accumulators of energy and matter
through the medium of living organisms and their activities.
The dynamic abiotic components of environment and the
assemblage of plants and animals there, as a result of
interactions between themselves keep modifying and
changing each other and leads to the development of
ecosystem.
According to Andrewartha, An Australian ecologist, defined
ecology as, the study concerned with the distribution of
organisms.

10

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According to S Mathavan, An ecosystem

is a sum total of living organism, the
environment and the process of
interaction
between
the
various
components of the ecosystem.
According to RL Linderman, The term
ecosystem applies to any system
composed of physical, chemical and
biological processes within a space time
unit of any magnitude.
According to AN Strahler and AN
Strahler, The total assemblage of
components interacting with a group of
organisms is known as ecological system
or more simply an ecosystem.

Kinds of Ecosystem
The ecosystem is broadly classified under two
categories

(b) The industrial and automobile generated air pollutants are trapped by
leaves of the trees and converted into harmless compounds.

Artificial Ecosystem
These are developed and maintained artificially by man. In them natural
balance is disturbed by addition of energy and planned manipulations, e.g.,
cultivation of crop plants like maize, wheat, rice crops, etc. In addition, the
rapid progress made during recent years led to the recognisation of some other
types of ecosystem such as space ecosystem, pond ecosystem, closed bottle or
aquarium, etc.

Functions
Such ecosystem are the creations of human beings. The kinds of species and
the size of artificial ecosystems may vary widely.
A few examples of artificial ecosystem may be enumerated as follows
Ecosystem

Natural Ecosystem
(controlled by natural)

Terrestrial
(based on vegetation)

Natural Ecosystem

Artificial Ecosystem
(controlled by human)
Aquatic

These are self-regulating ecosystem,

Forest Grassland Cultivated land Desert
which operate under natural conditions
independently without any major
interference of man. On the particular
Freshwater
Estuary
kind of habitat, the natural ecosystem are
further divided in terrestrial (forest,
grassland, cultivated land and desert Running water
Standing water
ecosystem).

Wastewater Spacecraft Closed

treatment
bottle
pond

Others

Marine

Deep sea

Ocean

Lagoons
Coral reefs
Aquatic which may be lotic (running Rivers Streams Springs Lakes Pool Ponds
water as spring, river, stream) or lentic
Different types of ecosystem
(standing water as lakes, pool, ponds) and
Agricultural fields sprinpled with pesticides.
marine (deep bodies and ocean ecosystem
as lagoons, corals reefs).
A waste water treatment plant.
A water filtration tank-pond, which purifies water before supplying if for
Functions
drinking.
These function themselves under natural A home-aquarium or an exhibition-aquarium such as marine drive, Mumbai,
conditions and are not influenced by etc.
man-made activities.

Some characteristics and

ecosystems are the following

functions

of

(a) In natural ecosystem, there is a

continued and rapid exchange of O 2 ,
CO 2 and H2O . The concentration of
these elements varies from season to
season and also throughout the year.

Some Important Ecosystems

Pond Ecosystem
A pond is a balanced system of water, biotic and abiotic substances. A small
pond (lentic ecosystem) is the best for ecological studies. They are smaller and
shallow and when become old, they possess rooted vegetation over most of the
bottom.

Introduction of Environmental Science

11

However, during dry periods ponds may become stagnant and

display unique adaptations and behavioural adjustments of
animals to meet the adverse conditions.

The consumers of second order (C 2 ) are rotifers, small

fish, frog, etc. The top carnivores (C 3 ) are the larger
fish and predatory bird like gulls, duck and stork.

The constituents parts comprise the following components

Bacteria, fungi and some invertebrate animals acts as

decomposers. They are found in water and
sediments. They decompose dead organic matter and
release the mineral substance from it. These minerals
again become available to producers.

Abiotic Components
These include mainly organic and inorganic compounds including
water, oxygen, nitrogen, calcium, salts, amino acids, humans, etc.
All the bottom most of the nutrients are available in plenty.

Biotic Components
These may be categorised as
Producers In a pond ecosystem, the primary producers are diatoms
and microscopic free floating algae (phytoplankton) like
Chlamydomonas, Euglena, etc. There are also the larger algae like
Spirogyra, Cladophora, Chara, etc.
Consumers The primary consumers (C 1 ) are minute floating water
flea, larvae of insects that feed on green plant.

Grassland Ecosystem
This is a type of terrestrial ecosystem.
The various components of a grassland ecosystem are as
follows

Abiotic Components
These are the nutrients presents in soil and the aerial
environment. Thus, the element like C, H, O, N, P, S,
etc., are supplied by carbon dioxide, water, phosphates
and sulphates, etc.

Benthos

Primary consumers
(herbivores)

Consumers

Producers
Macrophytes
(rooted)

Phytoplanktons

Sun

Water

Mud
Abiotic components (basic inorganic
and organic compounds)

Tertiary consumer
(carnivores)

Ecosystem of natural pond

Decomposers

12

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Biotic Components

Functions of Ecosystem

These may be categorised as

The ecosystem is lolistic unit as it brings together the environment,

biological organisms and man within a single framework, where
the interaction between the components can be analysed. Its
functions involve continuous input and movement of matter and
energy.

(a) Producers They are mainly grasses, as Cynodon,

Setaria, etc. Beside them a few forbs and shrubs
also contribute to primary production.
Carnivores

However, ecosystem is very broad term it incorporates following aspects in it

(i) Ecosystem tend to move from less complex to a more complex
state through succession.
(ii) The main function of ecosystem is flow of energy and the
cycling of materials through the various components of the
ecosystem.

Herbivores

(iii) The ecosystem has historical aspects, the present is related to

the past and the future is related to the present.
(iv) It contains abiotic and biotic components through which
nutrients are cycled and energy flow.

Abi

otic

mat
er

ial

Decomposers

Grassland ecosystem

(b) Consumers In a grassland ecosystem, the

primary producers and shrubs. Some grasses and
grazing animals as sheep, cows, rabbit, mouse,
etc. The consumer of second order (C 2 ) are fox,
snakes, frog, lizards, birds, etc. Sometimes the
hawks feed on the secondary consumers, thus
occupying tertiary consumers level in the food
chain.
(c) Decomposers The microbes active in the
decay of dead organic matter of different forms
of higher life are fungi as species of Mucor,
Rhizopus, etc., and some bacteria and
Actinomycetes.

Balanced Ecosystem
A balanced ecosystem is such a biome in which the natural
balance of energy flow, structure and functions are not disturbed
and they occur in a natural way. Natural ecosystem are examples
of balanced ecosystem.

(v) To maintain these cycles and flows, the ecosystem provides a

number of structural relationships between soil, water
nutrients, producers, consumers and decomposers.

Environmental Acts and Awards

Environment Related Acts
1972 The Wildlife Act
1980 The Forest Act
1986 The Environment (protection) Act
Environment Related Organisation
IUCN
International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural
Resources
NCEPC
National Committee on Environmental Planning and
Coordination
WHO
World Health Organisation
WWF
World Wildlife Found now renamed as World Wide Fund
for nature
WRI
World Resources Institute
CSIR
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research
CEE
Centre for Environmental Education
Environment Awards

units that have made significant contribution towards development of clean

technologies and innovation solution to environmental problems created by
industrial operations.

Unbalanced Ecosystem
Artificial ecosystem are generally unbalanced. They are
maintained to serve certain specific purpose. Pond ecosystem,
crop field, etc., are some example of artificial ecosystem. In
agricultural fields, the control of biotic community as well as
physio-chemical environment is also unbalanced due to such
manipulations.

Rajiv Gandhi Environment Award for Clean Technology To industrial

Indira Gandhi Paryavaran Puraskar To an organisation and individual for

significant contributions in the field of environment.

The Mahavriksha Puraskar To an organisation individual for trees of

notified species having the largest girth and height and in good health and
vigour.

Important Days/Dates Related to Environment

World Environment DayJune, 05

World Environment Protection DayNovember, 26

World Ozone Day-September, 16