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The word ‘environment’ is derived from the old French word ‘environer’ – which means to ‘surround, enclose, and encircle’. Environment refers to an aggregate of conditions or surroundings in which living beings such as humans, animals, and plants live or survive and non-living things exist.
All living beings including man and their environment are mutually reactive, affecting each other in a number of ways. It is generally equated with nature wherein physical components of the planet earth such as earth, air, water, etc. support and affect life in the biosphere.
Environment represents the physical components of the earth, wherein man is an important factor affecting the environment.
Environment comprises interacting systems of physical, biological, and cultural elements, which are interlinked individually as well as collectively in various ways.
Physical elements constitute space, landforms, water-bodies, climate, soils, rocks, and minerals. These elements determine the variable character of human habitat, and also its opportunities and limitations.
Biological elements include plants, animals, micro-organisms, and man.
Cultural elements include economic, social and political conditions which are largely man-made features.
Since environment is a combination of physical and biological factors, it contains both living or biotic and non-living or abiotic components. On the basis of this basic structure, environment can be divided into physical or abiotic and living or biotic environment.
Physical or Abiotic Environment Physical environment is made up of the following states - solid, liquid, and gas. These three elements signify lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere respectively. On the basis of spatial distribution, smaller units are termed as coastal environment, plateau environment, mountain environment, lake environment, river environment, maritime environment, etc.
Living or Biotic Environment Biotic environment consists of plants (flora) and animals (fauna) including human beings as a significant factor. Thus, biotic environment can be of two types such as floral environment and faunal environment.
Apart from the above, there are social, cultural, and psychological environment.
Social and Cultural Environment This type of environment includes the varied aspects of socio-cultural interactions along with its outcomes such as beliefs, attitudes, stereotypes etc. The tangible and intangible aspects of environment are included in it.
Psychological Environment Psychological environment deals with the perception and experiences related to any environmental setting. Some environment may be stimulating and exciting for us, while others may be dull and boring. Psychological environment is more often used in the organizational context.
Man and environment relationship is as old as the evolution of mankind. Since the evolution of man, the physical elements of the planet earth, such as terrain, soil, water, climate, flora and fauna formed man’s environment. During that time man was a typically a ‘physical man’ because of his limited wants, requirements, and total dependence on nature.
With the growth in social and economic activities, advancement in technologies, man expanded his own environment through design and skill to have provisions for improved and better food, shelter, access, and comfort or luxuries. Man’s ability to survive in a variety of ecosystem and his unique ability to adapt to a great variety of external conditions make man-environment relationship quite a fascinating area of study.
The environment in which man survives and to which he adapts himself and which he influences include physical, socio-cultural, and biological aspects. Man and environment has never been static and a great many factors are responsible for the shifts in man environment relationship.
The man and environment relationship can be studied under the following approaches.
Determinism − Friedrich Ratzel, the German geographer, was responsible for the development of the concepts of determinism, which was further expanded by Ellsworth Huntington.
This approach is based on the concept of ‘nature controls man’ or ‘earth made man’. According to this approach, man is largely influenced by nature. In fact, the determinism states that man is subordinate to natural environment because all aspects of human life such as physical (health and well-being), social, economic, political, ethical, aesthetic, etc. not only depend on but are dominantly controlled by the physical environment.
World famous biologist, Charles Darwin, in 1859 laid the foundation stone of the concept of environment influences on man and other organism.
Possibilism − Lucien Febvre, the French historian, founded the concept of Possibilism. Possibilism approach in the study of man-environment relationship is an offshoot of the criticism of environmental determinism and the impact of science and technology on such a relationship.
Possibilism indicates that the physical environment is passive and man is the active agent at liberty to choose between wide ranges of environmental possibilities. According to it, the pattern of human activity is the result of the initiative and mobility of man operating within the natural framework. Nowadays, the role of natural elements in conditioning, though not controlling human activities, is often lost sight of.
Possibilists were largely aware of the limitations of freedom of man to dictate terms to environment. It was agreed upon by the possibilists that man lacks the abilities to fully tame the nature and is not always victorious over it. As result of the above, some geographers vouched for ‘cooperation with nature’ or ‘mutual interaction’ between man and environment.
Ecological Approach − This approach is based upon the basic principle of ecology, which is the study of mutual interaction between organisms and physical environment on the one hand, and the interaction among the organism on the other in a given ecosystem. This approach describes man as an integral part of nature or environment. Man, being most skilled and intelligent, has a unique role to play in maintaining a natural environment as healthy and productive as it should be.
This approach emphasizes on wise and restrained use of natural resources, application of appropriate environmental management programs, policies and strategies keeping in view certain basic principles of ecology so that already depleted natural resources are replenished, and health and productivity of the nature is restored.
Environmental studies refer to an extensive and systematic study of nature/environment and of its physical, biological, social, and cultural factors, and the nature and characteristics of relationship between man and environment. How far man influences nature and to what extent nature delivers its bounties constitute another objective of environmental studies.
It is an interdisciplinary study as subjects like ecology, biochemistry, toxicology, geography, geology, meteorology, sociology, etc. are dealt with under environmental studies.
Nature or environment sustains life. As a conscious and rational being, man needs to know the importance of environment and help keep the environment as healthy and productive as it can be. It is the environment that has made this beautiful world possible for him. Hence, there is an ever demanding need for environmental studies.
The natural environment that mankind had before the onset of industrialization, urbanization, and exponential growth in population was expectedly healthy and resilient. Nature was able to replenish the loss of its resources, which was very limited.
After the onset of modern civilization, the overall health and efficiency of natural environment started deteriorating gradually and went on to such an extent that nature has virtually lost its natural ability to replenish the loss of resources caused by man.
Environmentalists, geographers, and biologists the world over are constantly endeavoring for a sustainable solution to restore a sustainable environment.
There is a need for focus on environmental management, laws governing environment protection, pollution and recycling of non-bio-degradable material, etc. There is also a need for careful and cautious use of natural resources in the present time to establish sustainability in every aspect of nature.
There is a need to clarify modern environmental concepts such as how to conserve biodiversity and maintain an ecological balance.
Environmental studies help us understand the importance of our environment and teaches us to use natural resources more efficiently and embrace a sustainable way of living. It enables us to know the behavior of organisms under natural conditions and the interrelationship between organisms in population and communities.
The interaction and interrelationship between the living community (plants, animals, and organisms) in relation to each other and the non-living community (soil, air, and water) is referred to as an ecosystem. Thus, an ecosystem is a structural and functional unit of biosphere. It is made up of living and non-living beings and their physical environment.
In other words, a natural ecosystem is defined as a network of interactions among the organisms and between organisms and their environment. Nutrient cycles and energy flows keep these living and non-living components connected in an ecosystem.
Ecosystem is a part of natural environment consisting of a community of living beings and the physical environment both constantly interchanging materials and energy between them. It is the sum total of the environment or a part of nature.
The environment consists of four segments as follows −
The study of ecosystem or environmental studies has been seen to be multidisciplinary in nature, hence, it is considered to be a subject with great scope. It is no more confined only to the issues of sanitation and health; rather, it is now concerned with pollution control, biodiversity conservation, waste management and conservation of natural resources.
The ecosystems are classified into many types and are classified based on a number of factors. We will discuss major types of ecosystems and will try and understand on what basis these classifications are done. It is also essential to know the different factors which differentiate the ecosystems from one another.
Ecosystems can generally be classified into two classes such as natural and artificial. Artificial ecosystems are natural regions affected by man’s interferences. They are artificial lakes, reservoirs, townships, and cities. Natural ecosystems are basically classified into two major types. They are aquatic ecosystem and terrestrial ecosystem.
An ecosystem is a self-contained unit of living things and their non-living environment. The following chart shows the types of Natural Ecosystem −
Biotic components in ecosystems include organisms such as plants, animals, and microorganisms. The biotic components of ecosystem comprise −
Abiotic components consist of climate or factors of climate such as temperature, light, humidity, precipitation, gases, wind, water, soil, salinity, substratum, mineral, topography, and habitat. The flow of energy and the cycling of water and nutrients are critical to each ecosystem on the earth. Non-living components set the stage for ecosystem operation.
An ecosystem which is located in a body of water is known as an aquatic ecosystem. The nature and characteristics of the communities of living or biotic organisms and non-living or abiotic factors which interact with and interrelate to one another are determined by the aquatic surroundings of their environment they are dependent upon.
Aquatic ecosystem can be broadly classified into Marine Ecosystem and Freshwater Ecosystem.
These ecosystems are the biggest of all ecosystems as all oceans and their parts are included in them. They contain salt marshes, intertidal zones, estuaries, lagoons, mangroves, coral reefs, the deep sea, and the sea floor.
Marine ecosystem has a unique flora and fauna, and supports a vast kingdom of species. These ecosystems are essential for the overall health of both marine and terrestrial environments.
Salt marshes, seagrass meadows, and mangrove forests are among the most productive ecosystem. Coral reef provides food and shelter to the highest number of marine inhabitants in the world. Marine ecosystem has a large biodiversity.
Freshwater ecosystem includes lakes, rivers, streams, and ponds. Lakes are large bodies of freshwater surrounded by land.
Plants and algae are important to freshwater ecosystem because they provide oxygen through photosynthesis and food for animals in this ecosystem. Estuaries house plant life with the unique adaptation of being able to survive in fresh and salty environments. Mangroves and pickle weed are examples of estuarine plants.
Many animals live in freshwater ecosystem. Freshwater ecosystem is very important for people as they provide them water for drinking, energy and transportation, recreation, etc
Terrestrial ecosystems are those ecosystems that exist on land. Water may be present in a terrestrial ecosystem but these ecosystems are primarily situated on land. These ecosystems are of different types such as forest ecosystem, desert ecosystem, grassland and mountain ecosystems.
Terrestrial ecosystems are distinguished from aquatic ecosystems by the lower availability of water and the consequent importance of water as a limiting factor. These are characterized by greater temperature fluctuations on both diurnal and seasonal basis, than in aquatic ecosystems in similar climates.
Availability of light is greater in terrestrial ecosystems than in aquatic ecosystems because the atmosphere is more transparent on land than in water. Differences in temperature and light in terrestrial ecosystems reflect a completely different flora and fauna.
Biodiversity, a shortened form of Biological diversity, refers to the existence of number of different species of plants and animals in an environment.
The Convention on Biological Diversity (1992) of the United Nations gives a formal definition of biodiversity in its Article 2: "Biological diversity means the variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine, and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems."
Biodiversity is also defined as the existence of variability among living organisms on the earth, including the variability within and between species, and within and between ecosystems.
Species diversity refers to the variety of different species of plants, animals, fungi, and organisms that are present in a region. It is estimated that there are above 30 million species on the earth. Species diversity is a part of diversity. Even within a small pond, we can notice a great variety of species. Species diversity differs from ecosystem to ecosystem. For example, in a tropical ecosystem more diversity is found than in temperate ecosystem. The most diverse group of species is invertebrates - animals without backbones.
At present, conservation scientists have been able to identify and categorize about 1.8 million species on earth. Many new species are being identified. Areas that are rich in species diversity are called ‘hotspots’ of diversity.
It is the variation in genes that exists within a species. Genetic diversity corresponds to the variety of genes contained in plants, animals, fungi, and micro-organisms. It occurs within a species as well as between species. For example, poodles, German shepherds and golden retrievers are all dogs, but they all are different in look, color, and abilities. Each human being is different from all others. This genetic variability is essential for a health breeding of a population of species.
The diversity in wild species make the ‘gene pool’ from which crops and domestic animals have been developed over thousands of years.
It is the diversity of ecosystems, natural communities, and habitats. In other words, ecosystem diversity refers to the variety of ways that species interact with each other and their environment. Tropical or temperate forests, grasslands, hot and cold deserts, wetlands, rivers, mountains, and coral reefs are instances of ecosystem diversity.
Each ecosystem corresponds to a series of complex relationships between biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) components.
The importance of biodiversity is second to none. It boosts the ecosystem of productivity where each species, irrespective of their size, have an important role to play. Greater diversity in species ensure natural sustainability for all life forms. Hence, there is a need to preserve the diversity in life on the earth.
According to the UN sources at least 40 percent of the world’s economy and 80 percent of the needs of the poor are derived from biological resources. In addition, the richer the diversity of life, the greater the opportunity for medical discoveries, economic development, and adaptive response to such new challenges as climate change.
Environmental services from species and smooth running cycles of ecosystems are necessary at global, regional, and local levels.
Biodiversity is essential for maintaining the water cycles, production of oxygen, reduction in carbon dioxide, protecting the soil, etc. It is also essential for preserving ecological processes, such as soil formation, circulation of and cleansing of air and water, global life support, fixing and recycling of nutrients, maintaining hydrological balance within ecosystems, maintaining rivers and streams throughout the year, etc.
Biodiversity has many values such as consumptive use value, productive use value, social values, ethical and moral values.
A healthy biodiversity offers many valuable services as follows.
Productive Use Value refers to the commercial value of products that are commercially harvested for exchange in formal markets.
Modern civilization is invariably a gift of biodiversity. The food we eat, the medicine we take in, the furniture we use, the industries, for example, are derivatives of biological diversity.
The agricultural crops of the present day have originated from wild varieties. Biotechnologists use the wild plants for developing new, high-yielding, and pest or diseaseresistant varieties. Biodiversity is home to original stock from which new varieties are being developed.
Similarly, all our domesticated animals came from their wild-living ancestral species. With the help of scientific breeding techniques, animals giving better yield of milk, meat, etc. are being developed. The animal products used by modern society come from the advances made in the fields of poultry farming, pisciculture, silviculture, dairy farming, etc.
Fossil fuels, considered to be pivotal in modern society, such as coal, petroleum, and natural gas are gifts of biodiversity from the geological past.
Most of the pharmaceutical drugs and medicines used in the present time are extracted from different plants.
Biodiversity provides rich storehouse for industrialists and entrepreneurs to develop new products. It provides agricultural scientists and biotechnologists with ample scope for developing new and better crops. New crop varieties are being developed using the genetic material found in wild relatives of crop plants though biotechnology.
The need of the hour is the preservation of biodiversity for industrial, economic, and above all, environmental safety. This is called ‘biological prospecting’.
Considering the degree of threat to biodiversity around the world and the vital importance of biodiversity for living beings of which mankind is a major part, there is an urgent need to conserve biodiversity in the world. Further, we should be concerned about saving biodiversity because of the benefits it provides us – biological resources and ecosystem services, and the social and aesthetic benefits.
There are two main methods for the conservation of biodiversity.
In-situ or on-site conservation refers to the conservation of species within their natural habitats. This is the most viable way of biodiversity conservation. It is the conservation of genetic resources through their maintenance within the environment in which they occur.
Examples − National Parks, Wild Life sanctuaries, Biosphere Reserves, Gene Sanctuaries
Ex-situ conservation means the conservation of components of biological diversity outside their natural habitats. In this method, threatened or endangered species of animals and plants are taken out of their natural habitat and placed in special settings where they can be protected and provided with natural growth.
In ex-situ conservation methods, the plants and animals taken away from their habitats are taken care of in an artificially created environment.
Examples − Captive Breeding, Gene Banks, Seed Banks, Zoos, Botanical gardens, Aquaria, In vitro fertilization, Cryopreservation, Tissue Culture.
National Biodiversity Act in India draws from the objectives of Convention of Biodiversity (CBD). It aims at conservation of biodiversity, sustainable use and equitable sharing of the benefits of such use.
To achieve its objectives, it has put in place a three-tier institutional structure such as −
The Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MoEF) is the nodal agency.
Environmental pollution or simply pollution refers to undesirable changes occurring in the physical, chemical, and biological composition of natural environment consisting of air, water, and soil. Pollution also means the presence of harmful pollutants in an environment that makes this environment unhealthy to live in.
According to National Academy of Science, USA (1966), pollution is defined as, “An undesirable change in physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of water, air, and soil that may harmfully affect human, animal, and plant life, industrial progress, living conditions and cultural assets.
Pollution is also viewed as ‘an unfavorable alteration’ in the sustaining and carrying capacity of the natural environment wholly or largely by the byproducts of human activities. Natural environment has an inbuilt capacity to replenish the losses or reduction in its constituents to restore it as sustainable and healthy as required.
Ever expanding population and evolution of man into modern homo sapiens have led to rapid urbanization, industrialization and unprecedented rise in human habitations. All these human endeavors have, in turn, virtually perpetuated deforestation, loss of habitats for flora and fauna, depletion of natural resources at a large scale over the last couple of centuries, which have told upon the inherent resilience of the natural environment. As a result, natural environment continues to be undesirably polluted.
A pollutant is defined as any form of energy or matter or action that causes imbalance or disequilibrium in the required composition of natural objects such as air, water, etc. A pollutant creates damage by interfering directly or indirectly with the biogeochemical process of an organism.
Pollutants may be −
Different types of pollution are classified based on the part of the environment which they affect or result caused by a particular pollution. Each type of pollution has its own distinctive cause and consequences.
The major types of pollution are as follows.
By: MIRZA SADDAM HUSSAIN ProfileResourcesReport error
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