‘Environmental studies’ has become an undisputed requirement in the syllabi of all undergraduate courses. The first edition of this textbook was the outcome of the efforts of the Expert Committee constituted by the UGC in response to the directive given by the Supreme Court of India, on the necessity for a basic course on the environment. The Second Edition has incorporated the feedback from the students and faculty to make it more user-friendly.
Salient features:
Questions are provided at the end of each chapter to test comprehension.
Dr Erach Bharucha is Director, Bharati Vidyapeeth Institute of Environment Education and Research, Pune. He has been engaged in implementing a variety of environmental education programmes for schools and colleges. He has been associated with the NCERT, SCERT and UGC to further the cause of formal environmental education.
Foreword Preface to the Second Edition Preface to the First Edition Acknowledgements Vision Core Module Syllabus for Environmental Studies for Undergraduate Courses of all Branches of Higher Education
Unit 1: The Multidisciplinary Nature of Environmental Studies 1.1 Definition, Scope and Importance 1.1.1 Definition 1.1.2 Scope 1.1.3 Importance 1.2 Need for Public Awareness 1.2.1 Institutions in Environment 1.2.2 People in Environment
Unit 2: Natural Resources 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Renewable and Non-Renewable Resources 2.2.1 Natural Resources and Associated Problems 2.2.2 Renewable Resources 2.3 Role of an Individual in the Conservation of Natural Resources 2.4 Equitable Use of Resources for Sustainable Lifestyles
Unit 3: Ecosystems 3.1 Concept of an Ecosystem 3.1.1 Understanding Ecosystems 3.1.2 Resource Utilisation 3.2 Structure and Functions of an Ecosystem 3.3 Producers, Consumers and Decomposers 3.4 Energy Flow in the Ecosystem 3.4.1 The Water Cycle 3.4.2 The Carbon Cycle 3.4.3 The Oxygen Cycle 3.4.4 The Nitrogen Cycle 3.4.5 The Phosphorus Cycle 3.4.6 The Sulphur Cycle 3.4.7 The Energy Flow 3.4.8 Integration of Cycles in Nature 3.5 Ecological Succession 3.6 Food Chains, Food Webs and Ecological Pyramids 3.6.1 The Food Chains 3.6.2 The Food Webs 3.6.3 The Ecological Pyramids 3.7 Introduction, Types, Characteristic Features, Structure and Functions 3.7.1 Forest Ecosystems 3.7.2 Grassland Ecosystems 3.7.3 Desert Ecosystems 3.7.4 Aquatic Ecosystems 3.8 Degradation of Ecosystems
Unit 4: Biodiversity 4.1 Introduction 4.1.1 Genetic Diversity 4.1.2 Species Diversity 4.1.3 Ecosystem Diversity 4.2 Biogeographic Classification of India 4.3 Value of Biodiversity 4.3.1 Consumptive Use Value 4.3.2 Productive Use Value 4.3.3 Social Values 4.3.4 Ethical and Moral Values 4.3.5 Aesthetic Value 4.3.6 Option Value 4.4 Biodiversity at Global, National and Local Levels 4.5 India as a Mega-Diversity Nation 4.6 Hotspots of Biodiversity 4.7 Threats to Biodiversity: Habitat Loss, Poaching of Wildlife, Human–Wildlife Conflicts 4.8 Endangered and Endemic Species of India 4.8.1 Common Plant Species 4.8.2 Common Animal Species 4.9 Conservation of Biodiversity: In Situ and Ex Situ 4.9.1 In situ Conservation 4.9.2 Ex situ Conservation
Unit 5: Pollution 5.1 Definition 5.2 Air Pollution 5.2.1 The History of Air Pollution 5.2.2 Structure of the Atmosphere 5.2.3 Types and Sources of Air pollution 5.2.4 Control Measures for Air Pollution 5.3 Water Pollution 5.3.1 Causes of Water Pollution 5.3.2 The State of India’s Rivers 5.3.3 Control Measures for Water Pollution 5.4 Soil Pollution 5.4.1 Causes of Soil Degradation 5.5 Marine Pollution 5.5.1 Pollution Due to Organic Wastes 5.5.2 Effects of Marine Pollution 5.6 Noise Pollution 5.6.1 Effects of Noise Pollution 5.6.2 Noise Control Techniques 5.7 Thermal Pollution 5.7.1 Effects 5.7.2 Control Measures 5.8 Nuclear Hazards 5.9 Solid Waste Management: Causes, Effects and Control Measures of Urban and Industrial Waste 5.9.1 Characteristics of Municipal Solid Waste 5.9.2 Vermicomposting 5.9.3 Hazardous Waste 5.10 Role of an Individual in the Prevention of Pollution 5.11 Pollution Case Studies 5.12 Disaster Management: Floods, Earthquakes, Cyclones, Landslides 5.12.1 From Management to Mitigation of Disasters
Unit 6: Social Issues and the Environment 6.1 From Unsustainable to Sustainable Development 6.2 Urban Problems Related to Energy 6.3 Water Conservation, Rainwater Harvesting, Watershed Management 6.3.1 Water Conservation 6.3.2 Rainwater Harvesting 6.3.3 Watershed Management 6.4 Resettlement and Rehabilitation of People: Its Problems and Concerns 6.5 Environmental Ethics: Issues and Possible Solutions 6.5.1 Resource Consumption Patterns and the Need for Equitable Utilisation 6.5.2 The Need for Gender Equity 6.5.3 Preserving Resources for Future Generations 6.5.4 The Rights of Animals 6.5.5 The Ethical Basis of Environment Education and Awareness 6.5.6 The Conservation Ethics and Traditional Value Systems of India 6.6 Climate Change, Global Warming, Acid Rain, Ozone Layer Depletion, Nuclear Accidents And Holocaust 6.6.1 Climate Change 6.6.2 Global Warming 6.6.3 Acid Rain 6.6.4 Ozone Layer Depletion 6.6.5 Nuclear Accidents and Nuclear Holocaust 6.7 Wasteland Reclamation 6.8 Consumerism and Waste Products 6.8.1 Reduce, Reuse, Recycle 6.8.2 What can an Individual Do? 6.9 The Environment (Protection) Act 6.10 The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 6.11 The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 6.12 The Wildlife Protection Act 6.13 Forest Conservation Act 6.14 Issues Involved in Enforcement of Environmental Legislation 6.14.1 Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) 6.14.2 Citizens Actions and Action Groups 6.15 Public Awareness 6.15.1 Using an Environmental Calendar of Activities 6.15.2 What Can I Do?
Unit 7: Human Population and the Environment 220 7.1 Population Growth, Variation Among Nations 7.1.1 Global Population Growth 7.2 Population Explosion: Family Welfare Programme 7.2.1 Methods of Sterilisation 7.2.2 Urbanisation 7.3 Environment and Human Health 7.3.1 Environmental Health 7.3.2 Climate and Health 7.3.3 Infectious Diseases 7.3.4 Water-Related Diseases 7.3.5 Risks Due to Chemicals in Food 7.3.6 Cancer and the Environment 7.4 Human Rights 7.5 Value Education 7.5.1 Environmental Values 7.5.2 Valuing Nature 7.5.3 Valuing Cultures 7.5.4 Social Justice 7.5.5 Human Heritage 7.5.6 Equitable Use of Resources 7.5.7 Common Property Resources 7.5.8 Ecological Degradation 7.6 HIV/AIDS 7.7 Woman and Child Welfare 7.8 Role of Information Technology in Environment and Human Health
Unit 8: Field Work 8.1 Visit to a Local Area to Document Environmental Assets: River/Forest/Grasslands/Hill/Mountain 8.2 Visit to a Local Polluted Site 8.2.1 Solid Waste Study Site 8.2.2 Water Pollution Site 8.2.3 Air Pollution Site 8.3 Study of Common Plants, Insects, Birds 8.4 Study of Simple Ecosystems 8.4.1 Field Visit to a Forest 8.4.2 Field Visit to a Grassland 8.4.3 Field Visit to a Desert or Semi Arid-Area 8.4.4 Field Visit to an Aquatic Ecosystem 8.4.5 Field Visit to a Hill/Mountain The Need for Sustainable Development and Biodiversity Conservation for a New Emerging India Multiple Choice Questions Websites Further Reading Index