Environmental Science

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

Course Objectives:

This course will enable the students to –

  1. To provide an idea of endangered and extinct plant species and emphasize on the role of environment in plant life.
  2. To teach the students the importance of renewable and nonrenewable resources, the importance of biodiversity conservation and how to achieve sustainable development targets.
  3. To impart knowledge about various ecosystem dynamics and their productivity assessment.
  4. To develop a comprehensive understanding of Autecology and Synecology.

 

Course Outcomes (COs):

     Course

Course Outcome

Learning and teaching strategies

Assessment Strategies

Paper Code

Paper Title

BOT 222

 

Environmental Science

On completion of this course, the students will be able to:

CO31:  Classify the soils on the basis of physical, chemical and biological components

CO32: Analysis of the phytogeography or phytogeographical division of India

CO33:  Evaluate energy sources of ecological system

CO34: Assess the adaptation of plants in relation to light, temperature, water, wind and fire.

CO35: Conduct experiments using skills appropriate to subdivisions

CO36: Understand the role of anthropogenic and climatic perturbations in Ecosystem Stability.

CO37:Understanding the population structure of the organisms, organization into communities and their functional relationships with their environment

Class lectures

Seminars

Tutorials

Group discussions and Workshops

Question preparation

 

 

Class test, Semester end examinations, Quiz, Solving problems in tutorials, Assignments, Presentation, Individual and group projects
 

 

12.00
Unit I: 
UNIT 1

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
Unit II: 
UNIT II

Population Ecology: characteristics of population – natality, mortality, vital index, biotic potential, survivorship curve, exponential and logistic growth, population dynamics: community ecology: structure and development of community, community analysis.      

12.00
Unit III: 
UNIT III

Clementsian’s categories, concept of continuum and ordination, mechanism of ecological succession- relay floristics and initial floristic composition, facilitation, tolerance and inhibition models. 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
Unit IV: 
UNIT IV

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
Unit V: 
UNIT V

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: 

Essential Readings:

  • Odum, E.P., & Barrett, G.W. (2009). Fundamentals of Ecology. Australia: Cengage Learning.
  • Kormondy, E.J. (1996). Concepts of ecology. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Prentice Hall.
  • Chapman, J.L. and Reiss M.J. (1998). Ecology: Principles and Applications. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge, UK.
  • Frankel, O.H.; Brown, A.H.D and Burdon, J.J. 1995. The Conservation of Plant Biodiversity. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK
  • Hill, M.K. 2010. Understanding Environmental Pollution. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge, UK.
  • Kothari, A. 2018. Understanding Biodiversity: Life Sustainability and Equity. Orient Longman.
  • Bhargava, R.N., Rajaram, V., Olson, K., & Tiede, L. (2019). Ecology and Environment. The Energy and Resources Institute,New Delhi
  • Sharma, P.D. (2014). Ecology and environment: A text book for University students. Meerut: Rastogi Publications.

 

Suggested Readings:

  • Baker, H.G. (1978). Plants and Civilization (3rd edition) Belmont, C A.
  • Bole, P.V. and Vaghani Y. (1986). Field Guide to Common Indian Trees. Oxford University Press, Mumbai.
  • Barbour, M.G., Burk, J.H. and Pitts, W.D. (1998). Terrestrial Plant Ecology. Benjamin/ Cummings Publication Co., New York.
  • Begon, M., Harper, J.L. and Townsend, C.R. (2005). Ecology: From Individuals to Ecosystems, 4th Edition Blackwell Science. Cambridge, USA.
  • Brady, N.C. (2016). The Nature and Properties of Soils. Pearson
  •  Chandel, K.P.S, Shukla, G. and Sharma, N. (1996). Biodiversity in Medical and Aromatic Plants in India: Conservation and Utilization. NBPGR, New Delhi.
  • Gadgil, M. and Guha, R. (2000). Ecology and Equity: Use and Abuse of Nature in contemporary India. Penguin, New Delhi.
  • Heywood, V.H and Watson, R.T. (1995). Global Biodiversity Assessment. Cambridge University Press Cambridge, UK

 

 

References: 

e-Resources:

 

Journals:

 

Academic Year: 
2023-2024
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