the global environmental crisis r. rajagopalan 2011 environmental studies: from crisis to cure. new...

The Global Environmental CrisisR. Rajagopalan 2011 Environmental Studies: From Crisis to Cure. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, Chapter 1-2 (pages 2-35)

Environment: that which surrounds any entity

Natural Environment Socio-Cultural Environment Ecology: the science that studies the

relationship between living things an their environment

Environmental Science: Systematic and scientific study of our environment, and our role in it.

Environmental Studies: above + social aspects.

Ecological Footprint The amount of biologically productive land and

sea area needed to regenerate the resources a human population consumes and to absorb and render harmless the corresponding waste. (wikipedia)

Land and water area a human population requires to produce the resource it consumes and to absorb its carbon dioxide emissions, using prevailing technology. (global footprint network)

Area of biologically productive space required per person in order to maintain the person's current lifestyle through the "provision" of resources and eco-services.

Sustainable Development: development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Everything is Connected Malaria, Songbird stories Study too is interdisciplinary.

Kalahandi Case study Extremes of temperature and

precipitation. Traditional systems of resource use Lack of maintenance, clear felling of

forests. Unstable eco system, leading to

livelihood disruption

Global Crisis Water Biodiversity (loss of species) Forests Land Pollution (e.g. CO2 emissions) Coastal and Marine degradation Increasing disasters

causes Urbanization Deforestation Pollution Overutilization of resources Population pressure

Result: Global Warming

Other problems Armed conflicts Poverty, Inequality

New? High rate of changes (exponential

curve) Scientific and Industrial revolution?

Ecosystem Organism: - any living thing Species: set of organisms that resemble one

another in appearance and behaviour. Population: members of a species living and

interacting within a geographical region (e.g. neem trees in a forest).

Ecosystem: community of living organisms interacting with one another and with its non-living physical and chemical environment.

Atmosphere – upto 50 km from surface, thin envelope of air around the earth.

- troposphere: upto 17 km from sea level, contains the planet’s air

- stratosphere: above troposphere, contains ozone, filters out harmful UV.

Hydrosphere: liquid water, ice, water vapour.

Lithosphere: earth’s upper crust Biosphere: area in which all living being

interact with each other and environment (hydrosphere, lower atmosphere, upper lithosphere).

Biomes: Divisions within terrestrial portion of the Biosphere (usually has distinct climate and life form, e.g. grasslands, deserts, tropical rain forest…)

Aquatic life zones: non-terrestrial part of biosphere (e.g. freshwater swamps, marshes….)

Ecosystems Biotic community: living species within

ecosystem (e.g. plants, animals…) Abiotic conditions: e.g. water, air… Boundaries of ecosystems not fully

clear, are permeable Ecotones: where two or more

ecosystems meet (transitional zone).

Food Chain: a sequence of organisms, in which each is the food of the next

Producers: Plants take simple organic substances and convert them to complex molecules using solar energy. Process called photosynthesis.

Trophic Levels Autotrophs – self feeding organisms Heterotrophs – organisms that consume

organic matter to get energy. 3 types:\ Primary Consumers – herbivores Secondary – carnivores Tertiary – eat other carnivores

Omnivores – eat both plants and animals Detrivores – feed on detritus (e.g. earthworm) Decomposers – decompose organic matter

(e.g. fungi)

Ecosystem establishment – initial stage of growth of a few species

Ecological succession – when an initial stage is successful, it allows for another community to move in and prosper (e.g. shrubs give way to forests)

Climax ecosystem: when all the species reach a dynamic equilibrium (e.g. a tropical rainforest).

Habitat: area where a species is biologically adapted to live

Ecological niche: All aspects of the organism’s existence – all the physical, chemical, and biological factors that it needs in order to live and reproduce.

Cycles in an ecosystem: Cycles: energy flows Water/Hydrologic cycle:

The Carbon cycle:

Ecosystem Services 1. provisioning services: e.g. fresh water 2. Regulating services: e.g. climate 3. Cultural services: e.g. recreation 4. Supporting services: e.g. oxygen

Can we calculate its Economic value??? Inestimable?

Instrumental value Value in itself?

Intrinsic value