FOUNDATION COURSES

 ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

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UNIT- I                                                                                                       

INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND NATURAL RESOURCES     

Definition, scope and importance – Need for public awareness – Forest resources: Use, effect of their over exploitation and Deforestation, Timber extraction and Mining – Water resources: Surface source, subsurface source and ground water, Rainwater harvesting (Methods & merits and simple layout) floods, drought- Dams, benefits and problems–Food resources: World food problems, changes caused by agriculture and overgrazing, effects of modern agriculture, fertilizer-pesticide problems, water logging, salinity, Drainage and their effects – Energy resources: Growing energy needs, renewable and non-renewable energy sources, use of alternate energy sources – Land resources: Land as a resource, land degradation, soil erosion, Desertification and Landslides.

 

UNIT- II    ECOSYSTEMS AND BIODIVERSITY                                                  

Concept of an ecosystem – Structure and function of an ecosystem – Producers, consumers and decomposers – Energy flow in the ecosystem – Ecological succession – Food chains, food webs and ecological pyramids – Introduction, types, characteristic features, structure and function of the (a) Forest ecosystem (b) Aquatic ecosystems (ponds and oceans) – Introduction to Biodiversity – Definition: genetic, species and ecosystem diversity –Value of biodiversity: consumptive use, productive use, social, ethical, aesthetic and option values – Biodiversity at local level – India as a mega-diversity nation – Hot spots of biodiversity – criteria for recognizing hot spots – Biodiversity hot spots in India – Threats to biodiversity: habitat loss, poaching of wildlife - Endangered and endemic species of India – Conservation of biodiversity: In-situ and Ex-situ conservation of biodiversity.

 

UNIT III

ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

Definition – Causes, effects and control measures of: (a) Air pollution (b) Water pollution (c) Soil pollution (d) Marine pollution (e) Noise pollution (f) Thermal pollution (g) Nuclear hazards – Soil waste Management: Causes, effects and control measures of urban and industrial wastes –Pollution case studies – Disaster management: floods, earthquake, cyclone and landslides and tsunami

 

UNIT -IV  SOCIAL ISSUES AND THE ENVIRONMENT                   

                      

From Unsustainable to Sustainable development – Urban problems related to energy – Water conservation, rain water harvesting, watershed management – Resettlement and rehabilitation of people; its problems and concerns, case studies –Climate change, global warming, acid rain, ozone layer depletion, nuclear accidents and holocaust, case studies. – Wasteland reclamation – Consumerism and waste products – Environment Production Act – Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act – Water (Prevention and control of Pollution) Act –Forest Conservation Act.

 

UNIT- V   HUMAN POPULATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT         

            

Population growth, variation among nations – Population explosion – Family Welfare Programme – Environment and human health – Human Rights – Value Education – HIV / AIDS – Women and Child Welfare – Role of Information Technology in Environment and human health.