Ecology And Environment - पारिस्थितिकी एवं पर्यावरण

Program/Class:

Degree/ B.Sc. (Bachelor of Science)

Year: Third

Semester: Sixth

Subject: Botany

Course Title: Ecology & Environment

Course Outcome:  

1. acquaint the students with complex interrelationship between organisms and environment;

2. make them understand methods for studying vegetation, community patterns and processes, ecosystem functions, and principles of phytogeography.

3. This knowledge is critical in evolving strategies for sustainable natural resource management and biodiversity conservation.

Credits: 4

Core Compulsory/Elective

Max. Marks: 25+75

Min. Passing Marks: 33

Unit

Topics

I

Natural resources & Sustainable utilization: Land Utilization, Soil degradation and management strategies; Restoration of degraded lands. Water, Wetlands; Threats and management strategies, Ramsar sites, Forests: Major and minor forest products; Depletion, Biological Invasion, Energy: Renewable and non-renewable sources of energy, Contemporary practices in resource management: EIA, GIS, Participatory Resource Appraisal, Ecological Footprint with emphasis on carbon footprint, Resource Accounting

II

Ecology & Ecosystem

Definition of Ecology, Ecological Factors, Positive and negative interactions. Ecosystem – Concept of an ecosystem-structure and function of an ecosystem. Abiotic and biotic components and their interrelationshipBiogeochemical and hydrological cycles, and Energy flow in an ecosystem Ecological Succession-Definition & types. Processes and types (autogenic, allogenic, autotrophic, heterotrophic, primary & secondary), Hydrosere and Xerosere. Food chains and food webs, Concept of Ecological perturbations and balance, Ecological pyramids, Primary and Secondary Production and Productivity;Types of ecosystems: Natural and Man-made- Forest Grassland, Aquatic and AgroEcosystems. Ecological Adaptations – Hydrophytes, Xerophytes, Halophytes, Epiphytes and Parasites.

III

Soil Formation, Properties & Conservation

Soil: Origin, Formation, composition, Soil types, Soil Profile, Soil Microorganisms, soil processes, Soil Erosion, Biogeochemical cycles, Soil Conservation: Biological– Contour farming, Mulching, Strip cropping, Terracing and Crop rotation. Mechanical–Basin Listing, Construction of dams, Watershed Management, Soil reclamation

IV

Biodiversity and its conservation: Definition -genetic, species, and ecosystem diversity. Value of biodiversity: I n d i a n socio-cultural,ethical and aesthetic values; hotspots of Biodiversity threatsto biodiversity, Biotic communities and populations, their characteristics and dynamics. Endemic and endangered species of plants in India. Ecological niche, ecade, ecotypes, ecological indicators. Conservation of Biodiversity: Ex-situ and in-situ conservation, Red data book, botanical gardens, National park, Sanctuaries, hot & hottest spots and Biosphere reserves. Role of Seed Bank and Gene Bank Valuing plant resources, ecotourism, Role of NBPGR, FAO, BSI, Indian value system

V

Phytogeography

Biogeographic regions of India & world, Agroecological & Floristic zones of India. Natural vegetation of India, static and dynamic plant geography, basic principles governing geographical distribution of plants, Phytogeographical regions of India, Vegetational types in Uttar Pradesh

VI

Environmental audit & Sustainability

Elementary knowledge: Concept of environmental audit; Guidelines of environmental audit; Methodologies adopted along with some industrial case studies; Environmental standards: ISO 14000 series; Scheme of labelling of environment friendly products (Ecomark); Life cycle analysis; Concept of energy and green audit, Strategies and debates on sustainable development; Concept of Sustainable Agriculture; India‘s environment action programme: issues, approaches and initiatives towards Sustainability; Sustainable development in practice.

VII

Pollution, Waste management & Circular Economy

Environmental pollution, Environmental protection laws, Bioremediation, Activated Sludge Process (ASP) – Trickling Filters – oxidation ponds, fluidized bed reactors, membrane bioreactor, neutralization, ETP sludge management; digesters, up flow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor, fixed film reactors, sequencing batch reactors, hybrid reactors, bioscrubbers, biotrickling filters; regulatory framework for pollution monitoring and control; case study: Ganga Action Plan; Yamuna Action Plan; implementation of CNG ;Waste- Types , collection and disposal, Recycling of solid wastes (hazardous & non-hazardous) – classification, collection and segregation , Incineration, Pyrolysis and gasification, Sanitary landfilling; composting, Biogas production ,Circular Economy & sustainability.

VIII

Environmental ethics, Carbon Credits & Role of GIS

Carbon credit: concept, exchange of carbon credits. Carbon sequestration, importance, meaning and ways. Climate change, global warming, acid rain, ozone layer depletion, nuclear accidents and holocaust. Wasteland reclamation. Consumerism and waste products. Clean development mechanism. Geographical Information Systems: definitions and components; spatial and non-spatial data; GIS software packages; GPS survey, data import, processing, and mapping. Applications and case studies of remote sensing and GIS in land use planning, forest resources & agriculture studies