Environmental Science

Paper Code: 
BOT 222
Credits: 
4
Contact Hours: 
60.00
Max. Marks: 
100.00
Objective: 

The objective of the course is to provide an idea of endangered and extinct plant species and emphasize on the role of environment in plant life.

 

12.00

Introduction to ecology and environment, factors affecting ecology (climatic, topographic, edaphic and biotic factors), ecological niche, life zones, major biomes and vegetation types of the world. 

12.00

Population Ecology: characteristics of population, population dynamics: community ecology: structure and development of community, community analysis, Clementsian’s categories, concept of continuum and ordination, mechanism of ecological succession- relay floristics and initial floristic composition, facilitation, tolerance and inhibition models.

12.00

Structure and function of ecosystem, primary and secondary productivity, energy dynamics (trophic organization, energy flow pathways, ecological efficiencies), litter fall and decomposition, global biogeochemical cycles of C, N, P and S.  

12.00

Environmental pollution and its management (air, water and soil), greenhouse gases, ozone depletion and global warming, environmental policies and regulations, impact of pollution on biodiversity, other causes of biodiversity loss, IUCN categories of threat, biodiversity hotspots.   

12.00

Concept of resistance and resilience, ecological perturbances (natural and anthropogenic), and their impact on plants and ecosystems, ecology of plant invasions, environmental impact assessments and ecosystem restoration. Ecological management: concept, sustainable development and sustainability indicators. 

Essential Readings: 
  • Anonymous . 1997. National Gene Bank: Indian Heritage on Plant Genetic Resources (Booklet). National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New York.
  • Arora, RK and Nayar,, ER. 1984. Wild Relatives of Crop Plants in India. NBPGR Science Monograph No. 7.
  • Baker, HG. 1978. Plants and Civilization (3rd edition).. CA Wadsworth, Belmont.
  • Bole, PV and Vaghani, Y. 1986. Field Guide to Common Indian Trees. Oxford University Press, Mumbai.
  • Barbour, MG; Burk, JH and Pitts, WD. 1987. Terrestrial Plant Ecology. Benjamin/ Cummings Publication Co., New York.
  • Begon, M; Harper, JL and Townsend, CR. 1996. Ecology. Blackwell Science. Cambridge, USA.
  • Brady, NC. 1990. The Nature and Properties of Soils. McMillan.
  • Chandel, KPS; Shukla, G and Sharma, N. 1996. Biodiversity in Medical and Aromatic Plants in India: Conservation and Utilization. NBPGR, New Delhi.
  • Chapman, JL and Reiss, MJ. 1988. Ecology: Principles and Applications. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge, UK.
  • Conway, G. 1999. The Doubly green Revelution: Food for All in 21st Century. Penguin Books.
  • Conway, G and Barbier, E. 1990. After the Green Revelution. Earthscan Press, London.
  • Frankel, OH; Brown, AHD and Burdon, JJ. 1995. The Conservation of Plant Biodiversity. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK
  • Gadgil, M and Guha, R. 1996. Ecology and Equity: Use and Abuse of Nature in Contemporary India.Penguin, New Delhi.
  • Heywood, VH and Watson, RT. 1995. Global Biodiversity Assessmeny. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge, UK
  • Hill, MK. 1997. Understanding Environmental Pollution. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge, UK
  • Kaushik, P. 1983. Ecological and Anatomical Marvel of the Himalayan Orchid. Today and Tommorow, New Delhi.
  • Kothari, A. 1997. Understanding Biodiversity: Life Sustainability and Equity. Orient Longman.
  • Kormondy, EJ 1996. Concepts of Ecology. Prentice-Hall of India Pvt., New Delhi
  • Ludwig, J and Reynolds, JF. 1988. Statistical Ecology. John Wiley & Sons, New York.
  • Mackenzie, A .et al, 1999. Instant notes in Ecology. Viva Books Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.
  • Mason, CF. 1991. Biology of Freshwater Pollution. Longman .
  • Moldan, B and Billharz, S. 1997. Sustainability Indicators. John Wiley & Sons, New York.
  • Muller-Dombois, D and Ellenberg, H. 1974. Aims and Methods of Vegetation Ecology. John Wiley & Sons, New York.
  • Odum, EP. 1971. Fundamentals of Ecology. Saunders, Philadelphia .New York.
  • Treshow, M. 1985. Air Pollution and Plant Life. Wiley Interscience.

 

Academic Year: