Environment Studies

                                                                                    Syllabus

                                                         EVS102-18 ENVIRONMENT STUDIES

Unit 1: Introduction to environmental studies

• Multidisciplinary Nature of Environmental Studies;

• Scope and Importance; Concept of Sustainability and Sustainable Development.

Unit 2: Ecosystems                                                              (2 lectures)

• What is an Ecosystem? Structure and Function of Ecosystem; Energy flow in an Ecosystem: Food Chains, Food webs and Ecological Succession. Case studies of the following ecosystems:

a) Forest Ecosystem

b) Grassland Ecosystem

c) Desert Ecosystem

d) Aquatic Ecosystems (Ponds, Streams, Lakes, Rivers, Oceans, Estuaries)

Unit 3: Natural Resources: Renewable and Non-‐Renewable Resources

• Land Resources and Land use Change; Land Degradation, Soil Erosion and Desertification.

• Deforestation: Causes and Impacts Due to Mining, Dam building on Environment, Forests, Biodiversity and Tribal Populations.

• Water: Use and over-‐Exploitation of surface and Ground Water, Floods, Droughts, Conflicts over Water (International & Inter-‐State).

• Energy Resources: Renewable and Non-Renewable Energy Sources, use of Alternate Energy Sources, Growing Energy Needs, Case Studies.

Unit 4: Biodiversity and Conservation                                 (8 lectures)

• Levels of Biological Diversity: Genetic, Species and Ecosystem Diversity; Biogeographic zones of India; Biodiversity Patterns and Global Biodiversity hot spots

• India as a mega-‐biodiversity nation; Endangered and Endemic Species of India

• Threats to Biodiversity: Habitat loss, Poaching of Wildlife, Man-‐Wildlife Conflicts, Biological Invasions; Conservation of Biodiversity: In-‐situ and Ex-‐situ Conservation of Biodiversity.

• Ecosystem and Biodiversity Services: Ecological, Economic, Social, Ethical, Aesthetic and Informational Value.

Unit 5: Environmental Pollution                                         (8 lectures)

• Environmental Pollution: Types, Causes, Effects and Controls; Air, water, Soil and Noise Pollution

• Nuclear Hazards and Human Health Risks

• Solid waste Management: Control Measures of urban and industrial waste.

Unit 6: Environmental Policies & Practices                          (8 lectures)

• Climate change, global warming, ozone layer depletion, acid rain and impacts on human communities and agriculture

• Environment Laws: Environment Protection Act; Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act; Water (Prevention and control of Pollution) Act; Wildlife Protection Act; Forest Conservation Act. International Agreements: Montreal and Kyoto protocols and Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

• Nature Reserves, Tribal Populations and Rights, and Human Wildlife Conflicts in Indian Context.

Unit 7: Human Communities and the Environment            (7 lectures)

• Human Population Growth: Impacts on Environment, Human Health and Welfare.

• Resettlement and Rehabilitation of Project Affected Persons; Case studies.

• Disaster Management: Floods, Earthquake, Cyclones and Landslides.

• Environmental Movements: Chipko, Silent Valley, Bishnois of Rajasthan.

• Environmental Ethics: Role of Indian and other Religions and cultures in environmental Conservation.

• Environmental Communication and Public Awareness, Case Studies (e.g., CNG Vehicles in Delhi).