ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

Teaching methodology

The syllabus for environment studies is divided into seven units covering 50 lectures.

The course will carry 100 marks. The exam will be conducted along with the 3rd year
examination. The structure of the question paper shall be as follows:

Part A objective type 15 marks

Part B Short answer pattern 35 marks
Part C Essay type with inbuilt choice 50marks

SYLLABUS

UNIT-1: Multidisciplinary nature of Environmental studies

• Introduction
• Environment: weather and climate, habitat, components of environment, types of
environment.
• Human interference with environment
• Need for public awareness
• Environmental ethics
• Environmental education: objectives, stages, importance and scope

UNIT-2: Natural Resources

• Introduction
• Classification of natural resources
• Principal natural resources and their problems
• Deforestation: Causes and effects
• Case Study: Chipko movement, desertification in hilly regions of Himalayas
• Forest conservation and management, afforestation programmes
• Water resources: forms of fresh water, effects of overuse of ground water, water use and
overexploitation, Problems related with water resources, water crisis and conflicts over
water, conservation and management of water.
• Dams : benefits and problems
• Mineral resources: Mining, effects of mining, conservation of minerals
• Food resources: world food problems
• Energy resources: Non renewable and renewable energy
• Renewable: Solar energy, hydropower, geo-thermal, wind power, tidal power.
• Land resources, land degradation, control of land degradation
• Soil erosion, Soil conservation
• Shifting cultivation, desertification
 • Equitable use of resources for sustainable lifestyles

UNIT-3
Concept of Ecology Ecosystems
• Introduction
• Types of ecosystems
• Components of ecosystem
• Biotic components: producers, consumers, decomposers
• Abiotic components: climate regime, inorganic substances, organic substances
• Ecosystem: structure and function
• Food chain and food web
• Ecological pyramids
• Major ecosystems: forest ecosystem, grassland ecosystem, desert ecosystem, Aquatic
ecosystem
• Ecological succession: characteristics, types, mechanism, importance

UNIT-4
Biodiversity and Its Conversation
• Introduction
• Magnitude of biodiversity
• Levels of biodiversity
• Gradients of biodiversity
• Benefits of biodiversity
• Threats to biodiversity
• Man and wild life conflicts
• Extinction of species
• Conservation of biodiversity: strategies, In-Situ and Ex-Situ conservation.
• Hotspots of biodiversity
• Biodiversity conservation of India
•

UNIT-5: Environmental Pollution

• Introduction
• Pollutants : Classifications and types
• Sources of pollution
• Effects of air pollution on human health, vegetation, animals, deterioration of materials and
climate.
• Control of air pollution
• Water pollution: sources, effects and control
• Soil pollution: sources, effects and control
• Radioactive pollution: sources, effects and control
 • Noise pollution: sources, effects and control
• Solid waste management: causes, effects, and control measures
• Disposal of solid wastes
• Role of individual in prevention of pollution
• Environmental disaster and their management: tropical cyclones, floods, droughts,
earthquake, tsunamis,

UNIT: 6
Social Issues and the Environment
• Introduction
• Sustainable development
• Urban problems related to energy
• Water conservation
• Watershed management
• Resettlement and rehabilitation of people: their problems and concerns
• Environmental ethics and resources use
• Global environmental changes
• Greenhouse effects
• Global warming
• Depletion of ozone layer in the stratosphere
• nuclear components and holocaust
• wasteland development and reclamation
• consumerism and waste products
• The environmental law and protection acts
• The air Act 1981
• Wildlife Act 1972
• Forest conservation act 1980
• Public environmental awareness

UNIT-7
Human population & the environment
• Introduction
• Human population and growth
• Maximum carrying capacity
• Population growth rate
• Environment and human health
• HIV/AIDS: transmission, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment
• Family welfare programme
• Human rights
• Value education
• Women and child welfare
• Role of information technology in environment and human health
UNIT -8

FIELD WORK

Recommended books

1. Agarwal K.C 2001, environmental biology, NIdhi publications. Ltd, Bikaner

2. Bharuch erach, The biodiversity of india, Mapin publishing pvt. Ltd.
3. Comprehensive Environmental studies, J.P Sharma, laxmi publications
4. Miller T.G. Jr. Environmental sciemnce, Wadsworth publishing co.
5. Wanger K.D., 1998 Environmental Management. W.B saunders Co. Philadelphia, USA
6. Down to earth, centre for science and environment