ENV-415 ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES – I B. Sc. (PCM/ PCFS/ PMCS/ LSCFS/ CBZ)-

1: The Multidisciplinary Nature of Environmental Studies Definition, Scope and Importance

(i) Ecosystems-

 Concept of an ecosystem
 Structure and function of an ecosystem
 Producers, consumers and decomposes
 Energy flow in the ecosystem
 Ecological succession
 Food chains, types, Chacretistics features, structures and function of the following ecosystem:
(a) Forest Ecosystem
(b) Grassland Ecosystem
(c) Desert Ecosystem
(d) Aquatic ecosystem (Ponds, streams, lakes, river, oceans, estuaries.)

(ii) Social Issues and the Environment-

 From Unsustainable of sustainable development
 Urban problems related to energy
 Water conservation, rain water harvesting, water shed management
 Resculement and rehabilitation of people; Its problems and concerns Case studies
 Environmental ethics, Issues and possible solutions
 Climate change, global warming, and rain ozone layer depletion, nuclear accidents and holocaust, Case studies.
 Wasteland reclamation.
 Consumerism and waste products.
 Environment Protection Act.
 Air (Prevention and Control of pollution) Act.
 Visit to local polluted site-Urban/ Rural/ Industrial/ Agricultural
 Study of Common plants, insects, birds
 Study of simple ecosystems-Ponds, river, Hills/ Pocs etc (Field work equal to 5 lecture hours).
 Issues involved in enforcement of environmental legislation, Public awareness.