Environmental Science

AR6403Unit -1

INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND NATURAL RESOURCES

What is Environment ?

Definition of Environment

• Environment literally means surrounding and everything that affect an organism during its lifetime is collectively known as its environment.

• Environment is the physical and biotic habitat that surrounds us.

• “Environment is sum total of water, air and land interrelationships among themselves and also with the human being, other living organisms and property”.

• It includes all the physical and biological surrounding and their interactions.• Environmental studies provide an approach towards understanding the environment

of our planet and the impact of human life upon the environment. • Thus environment is actually global in nature, it is a multidisciplinary subject

including physics, geology, geography, history, economics, physiology, biotechnology, remote sensing, geophysics, soil science and hydrology etc.

Definition of Environment

Importance of Environmental Science

• Environment belongs to all the living beings and thus is, important for all. Each and every body of whatever occupation he or she may have, is affected by environmental issues like global warming, depletion of ozone layer, dwindling forest, energy resources, loss of global biodiversity etc.

• Environment study deals with the analysis of the processes in water, air, land, soil and organisms which leads to pollute or degrade environment. It helps us for establishing standard, for safe, clean and healthy natural ecosystem.

• It also deals with important issues like safe and clean drinking water, hygienic living conditions and clean and fresh air, fertility of land, healthy food and development.

• Sustainable environmental law, business administration, environmental protection, management and environmental engineering are immerging as new career opportunities for environment protection and management.

Scope of Environmental Science

Environmental science is a multidisciplinary science whose basic aspects have a direct relevance to every section of the society. Its main aspects are:• Conservation of nature and natural resources.• Conservation of biological diversity.• Control of environmental pollution.• Stabilization of human population and environment.• Social issues in relation to development and environment.• Development of non-polluting renewable energy system and providing new

dimension to nation’s security.

Need for Public Awareness

• Environmental literacy is the capability for a contextual and detailed understanding of an environmental problem in order to enable analysis, synthesis, evaluation and ultimately sound and informed decision making at a citizens level.

The objectives of environmental awareness should be:• Improving the quality of environment.• Creating an awareness among people on environmental problems and conservation.• Creating such an atmosphere as people find themselves fit enough to participate in

decision making process of environmental development programmes.• Public participatory role is possible only when the public is aware about the

ecological and environmental issues.

Natural resources

• The main problem associated with natural resources is unequal consumption. • A major part of natural resources are consumed in the ‘developed’ world. The

‘developing nations’ also over use many resources because of their greater human population.

• However, the consumption of resources per capita (per individual) of the developed countries is upto 50 times greater than in most developing countries. Advanced countries produce over 75% of global industrial waste and greenhouse gases.

• Energy from fossil fuels consumed in relatively much greater quantities in developed countries. Their per capita consumption of food too is much greater as well as their waste.

• The USA for example with just 4% of the world’s population consumes about 25% of the world’s resources.

Natural resources

• Frank Shuman commissioned the first large-scale solar power generator in Maadi, near Cairo, in 1913. Schuman dreamt of a completely solar powered world. It was theoretically possible then, as indeed it is now.

• With a solar collector area of 1240m2, his array powered a pump that irrigated elevated farmland with water from the River Nile.

Natural resources

• history of solar power it is clearly obvious that its development has suffered as a result of the abundance of fossil fuels. The world’s economy is currently predicated upon their use. Despite all the scientific evidence of the imminence of catastrophic climate change as a result of our continued use of these fuels, the companies and economies which rely on them are as enthusiastic as ever to exploit them.

Natural resources

• Natural resources can be defined as ‘variety of goods and services provided by nature which are necessary for our day-to-day lives’. Eg: Plants, animals and microbes (living or biotic part), Air, water, soil, minerals, climate and solar energy (non- living or abiotic part).

• They are essential for the fulfilment of physiological, social, economical and cultural needs at the individual and community levels.

• They are of two types namely Renewable and Non-Renewable Resources.Renewable resources: • Natural resources which can be used but can be regenerated by natural processes provided if

there is no intervention in natural regeneration cycle .Ex: water, woodNon Renewable Resources: • Those which will be exhausted in the future if we continue to extract these without a thought for

subsequent generations. Example: minerals, fossil fuels.• Different types of resources viz., forest, water, food, energy and land resources are detailed

below.

Forest resources

• A forest can be defined as a biotic community predominant of trees, shrubs or any other woody vegetation usually in a closed canopy. It is derived from Latin word ‘foris’ meaning ‘outside’.

• A forest is a highly complex, constantly changing environment made up of a variety of living- wildlife, trees, shrubs, wildflowers, ferns, mosses, lichens, fungi and microscopic soil organisms and non living – water nutrients, rocks etc.

• Trees are the dominant components of this complex community.• India’s Forest Cover was 6,76,000 sq.km (20.55% of geographic area). Scientists

estimate that India should ideally have 33% of its land under forests. • Today we only have about 12% thus we need not only to protect our existing forests

but also to increase our forest cover.

Forest resources

KEY BENEFITS OF INTACT FORESTProvides clean water• Trees intercept rainwater and slows it down by aiding soil absorption for gradual

release into streams at a slow and even rate.• Effectively prevents flooding filter toxins and impurities and facilitates water

availability in summer when needed• Trees cleanse ground water as it filters through their root system.Provides home to unique plants and animals• As forests are the natural home of diverse species of plants and animals, it becomes

essential to protect them.Source of economic growth• Timber production and other wood based industries still comprise an important part

of economy of many countries, paper production and other industries.• Tourism, trees also provide fruits, nuts, flowers and many products of economic

value.

Forest resources

KEY BENEFITS OF INTACT FORESTProvides clean air• Trees help to cool and refresh the air we breathe and moderates air temperature.• Helps reduce carbon dioxide pollution through photosynthesis. Each acre of forest

absorb 31.45 tons of carbon per year. The process of intake of carbon dioxide by forest for their growth is known as carbon sequestration.

• Mature tress have a cultural value- Sacred groves.Ecological benefits• Improves bio diversity and act as a habitat for various species both permanent and

migratory.• Trees prevent soil erosion

Forest resources

Deforestation:• Deforestation refers to the loss of forest cover; land that is permanently converted• from forest to agricultural land, golf courses, cattle pasture, home, lakes or desert.

The FAO ( Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN) defines tropical deforestation as “change of forest with depletion of tree crown cover more than 90%” depletion of forest tree crown cover less than 90% is considered forest degradation