Introduction and scope                                                  

 

Conservation of natural resources i.e. forest resource, water resource, mineral resource, energy resource, land resource etc. Role of individual for resource conservation and sustainable development.    

 

Ecosystem and its basic concept, Structure and function of an ecosystem, Producers, consumers and decomposers, Energy flow in the ecosystem, Ecological succession, Food chains, food webs and ecological pyramids. Examples of ecosystems.                                                                     

 

Biodiversity and its conservation: Introduction - Definition: genetic, species and ecosystem diversity, National and global scenario.

 

Environmental Pollution, Definition, Causes, effects and control measures of: Air pollution, Water pollution, Soil pollution, Marine pollution, Noise pollution, Thermal pollution, Nuclear hazards                                       

 

Sustainable development, Urban problems related to energy, Water conservation, rain water harvesting, watershed management, Environmental ethics: Issues and possible solutions, Climate change, global warming, acid rain, ozone layer depletion, nuclear accidents and holocaust Case studies, Wasteland reclamation, Consumerism and waste products, Environmental Management through Acts                                                                                    

 

Human Population and the Environment: Environment and human health, Role of Information Technology in Environment and human health, Case studies

                                                                                                                                                                                         

Field Work

 

·        Visit to a local area to document environmental assets-river/forest/grassland/hill/mountain

·        Visit to a local polluted site- Urban/Rural/Industrial/Agricultural

·        Report submission on field visit