UNIT-I
The Multidisciplinary Nature of Environmental Studies: Definition, scope and importance, need for
public awareness.
Natural Resources: Water Resources – Use and over utilization of surface and ground water, flood,
drought, conflicts over water, Dams: Benefits and Problems. Food Resources –World Food Problems,
effects of modern agriculture, fertilizer-pesticides problems, water logging, salinity, Forest Resources –
Use and over exploitation, deforestation & its effect on tribal people.Land Resources –Land
Degradation, environmental effect of mining, man induced landslides, soil erosion and desertification.
Energy Resources –Growing energy needs, Renewable and Non-renewable energy resources.
UNIT-II
Ecosystems: Concept of an ecosystem, Structure and function of an ecosystem, Producers, consumers
and decomposers, Energy flow in ecosystem, food chains, ecological pyramids, ecological succession,
types of ecosystems (marine, pond, river, forest, grassland, desert)
UNIT-III
Biodiversity: Levels of Biodiversity, Bio-geographical classification of India, Value of biodiversity,
Threats to biodiversity, endangered and endemic species of India, Conservation of biodiversity, global
and national efforts.
UNIT-IV
Environmental Pollution: Definition, Causes, effects and control measures of air pollution, water
pollution, soil pollution, noise pollution, thermal pollution, solid waste management.
Environment Protection Act: Air, water, forest and wildlife Acts, issues in the enforcement of
environmental legislation.
UNIT-V
Social Issues and the Environment: Watershed management and environmental ethics. Climate
change, global warming, acid rain, ozone layer depletion.
Environmental Disaster Management: Types of disasters, impact of disasters on environment,
infrastructure, and development. Basic principles of disaster mitigation, disaster management, and
methodology. Disaster management cycle and disaster management in India.
Field Work:
Visit to a local area to document environmental issues- agricultural area/ pond/lake/terrestrial
ecosystem
Visit to a local polluted area- market/slum area/Industrial area/traffic area
Suggested Reading:
1. A.K. De, Environmental Chemistry, Wiley Eastern Ltd.
2. E.P. Odum, Fundamentals of Ecology, W.B. Sunders Co., USA.
3. M.N. Rao and A.K. Datta, Waste Water Treatment, Oxford and IBK Publications.
4. Benny Joseph, Environmental Studies, Tata McGraw Hill, 2005.
5. V.K. Sharma, Disaster Management, National Centre for Disaster Management, IIPE,1999.