Module I

Environment
and
Ecosystem
 Key environmental problems
 Basic causes and sustainable solutions
 IPAT Equation
 Ecosystem
 Earth – life support system
 Ecosystem components
 Food Chain, Food Web
 Energy flow in ecosystem
 Ecological succession- stages involved,
 Primary and secondary succession,
 Hydrarch, mesarch, xerarch
 Nutrient, water, carbon, nitrogen cycles
 Effect of human activities on these cycles.
 Multidisciplinary nature

Life Sciences Physical Sciences

Modelling, Statistics, Environmental Studies Engineering Sciences

Computer Science

Management, Law, Sociology

Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, Social studies, Engineering and several

other subjects are all needed for environmental studies and can be said to be
components of Environmental studies..
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 Range of Environmental Issues
• Global Issues
Global warming (global surface temperature increased 0.74 ± 0.18 °C
during the 20th century)
Ozone layer depletion
Depletion of Forest, energy resources
Loss of biodiversity

• Local Issues
River pollution
Dams
Man-animal conflicts
Solid waste disposal

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 Need for public awareness
• The goals of sustainable development cannot be achieved by any
government without the participatory role of public which is possible only
when they aware about ecological and environmental issues.

• Degrading our environment is actually harming our own selves since we

are a part of the complex network of environment where every
component is linked up.

• Chinese proverb “If you plan for one year, plant rice, if you plan for 10
years, plant trees and if you plan for 100 years, educate people.”

• World environment day 5th of June

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 Indian Environmentalists

Rajender Singh
M.C. Metha
Water Conservation
Green advocate
“Waterman of India”
Ramon Magsaysay awardee
Ramon Magsaysay awardee

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 Indian Environmentalists

Salim Ali Arundhati Roy

Ornithologist Narmada Bacho Andolan
“Birdman of India”,
Padma Vibooshan awardee
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 Indian Environmentalists

Sunderlal Bahuguna Menaka Gandhi

Chipko movement Wildlife protection

Padma Vibooshan awardee

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 Need for public awareness
• The 2004 nobel peace prize was awarded to kenyan
environmentalist Wangari Maathai

• This is the greatest recognition given to the cause of

environment at international level.

• Maathai kenya’s Deputy Environment Minister and

Founder of Kenya based Green Belt Movement.

• This movement planted about 30 million trees across

Africa.

• This has helped in slowing desertification, preserving

forest for wildlife and food for future generation.

• “When we plant new trees, we plant the seeds of peace.”

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 What is environment?

Air

Living organisms
Soil
water Humans

Materials

Air, water, land, living organisms and materials surrounding us and their interactions together
constitute environment

All these are Earth-Life support systems 11

 Definition
Environment -Surroundings.
• Environmental study means study of our surroundings
• In the present environmental studies we concentrate more on the study
of surroundings of we, human beings.

What is meant by surroundings?

Things or conditions around a person or place.
• which include materials (non living), non-materials and living things.

What are the components of our environment?

One way of classification of our surroundings is into Chemical, Physical and
Biological components.
Chemical – all material things
Physical – mainly concerned with energy processes
Biological – both flora and fauna, as well as their interactions.

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Earth’s Life-Support System Has Four Major Components

The four major components of the

earth’s life-support system are the
 atmosphere (air)
 hydrosphere (water)
 geosphere (rock, soil, and sediment),
 biosphere (living things).
Life is sustained by the flow of energy
from the sun through the biosphere,
the cycling of nutrients within the
biosphere and gravity.
Population Explosion
Environmental Impact of Population
 Ecological Footprint
Human demand on nature.
As our ecological footprints grow, we are depleting and degrading more of the
earth’s natural capital.
 Environmentally Sustainable Society
Living sustainably means living off the earth’s natural income without
depleting or degrading the natural capital that supplies it.
Rely more on renewable energy from the sun, including indirect forms of
solar energy such as wind , flowing water, to meet most of our heating and
electricity needs.
Protect biodiversity by preventing the degradation of the earth’s species,
ecosystems, and natural processes, and by restoring areas we have degraded.
 Help to sustain the earth’s natural chemical cycles by reducing the
production of wastes and pollution, not overloading natural systems with
harmful chemicals, and not removing natural chemicals faster than nature’s
cycles can replace them.
Ecosystems

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 Ecology
Definition:
•Ecology is the study of interactions among organisms or group of organisms with

their environment.

• The environment consists of both biotic components (living organisms) and abiotic

components (non-living organisms).

•Habitat refers to the physical and chemical factors of the place where the

organisms live.

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Ecosystem
Definition:
 The term ecosystem was first coined by A.G. Tansley 1935.
 ‘eco’ means environment and ‘system’ implies a complex
of co-ordinated units.
 An ecosystem is a community of different species interacting
with one another and with their non-living environment
exchanging energy and matter.

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Levels of the organization of
matter in nature.

Ecology focuses on the top

five of these levels.
 group of organisms with their environment.
Structure of Ecosystem
 The environment consists of both biotic components
(living organisms) and abiotic components (non-living
organisms).
Ecosytem

 Habitat refers to the physical and chemical factors of the

place whereBiotic
the organisms live. Abiotic

Autotrophic Heterotrophic Physical Chemical

components components Components Components

(producers) (Consumers)

Air, Water, organic inorganic

Soil, Sunlight substances substances
Macro Micro etc.
consumers consumers

(decomposers)
Proteins, micro and
Carbohydrates macro
1. Primary consumers elements
2. Secondary consumers
3. Tertiary consumers
4. Quaternary consumers 25
Biotic
• Producers – Green plants which can synthesize their food
themselves (Plants)

• Consumers – All organisms which get their organic food by

feeding upon other organisms (Rabbit, man)

• Decomposer – They derive their nutrition by breaking down

the complex organic molecule to simpler organic compound
(Bacteria, fungi)

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• Consumers

• Herbivores – Plant eaters, They feed directly on producers known

as primary consumers (e.g. Rabbit, human)

• Carnivores – Meat eaters, They feed on other consumers

» If they feed on herbivores they are called secondary consumers
(Frog)
» If they feed on other carnivores they known as tertiary
consumers (snake, big fish)

• Omnivores – They feed on both plants and animals. (humans, rat)

• Detritivores - They feed on the parts of dead organisms (ants,

earthworm)

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• Decomposer
– They derive their nutrition by breaking down the
complex organic molecules to simpler organic
compounds and finally into inorganic nutrients.
(bacteria and fungi)

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 Abiotic Structure

• Physical factors:
– The sunlight, average temp, annual rainfall, wind,
soil type, water availability etc. are some of the important
physical features which have strong influence on the
ecosystem

• Chemical factors:
– Availability of major essential nutrients like carbon,
nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, hydrogen, oxygen and
sulphur largely influence the functioning of the ecosystem

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 Functions of an Ecosystem
In the ecosystem, biotic components and other materials like N, C, H2O circulated within and
outside of the system.

The energy is transferred from one trophic level to the other in the form of a chain called as
food chain.

Important source of energy is the Sun.

Climatic changes

The major functional attributes of an ecosystems are as follows

Food chain, Food webs and tropic structure
Energy flow
Cycling of nutrients (Biogeochemical cycles)
Primary and secondary production
Ecosystem development and regulation
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 Food Chains
Definition: The transfer of food energy from the source in plants through series of
organisms that consume and are consumed is called the ‘food chain’.
Sunlight Plants Herbivores Carnivores
(Producers) (Primary consumers) (Secondary consumers)

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Grazing food chain Detritus food chain

Eagle Fish

Snake Crab

Rabbit Algae

Grass Dead leaf

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 FOOD WEB
Definition: The interlocking pattern of various food chains in an ecosystem is known as food
web.

In a food web, many food chains are interconnected, where different types of organisms are
connected at different tropic levels, so that there are a number of opportunities of eating and
being eaten at each tropic level.

Example: Insects, rates, deer’s, etc. may eat Grass; these may be eaten by carnivores (Snake,
tiger). Thus, there is an interlocking of various food chains called food webs.

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Natural Capital:
The main structural components of an ecosystem (energy, chemicals, and organisms).
Nutrient cycling and the flow of energy—first from the sun, then through organisms, and
finally into the environment as low-quality heat
 Pyramid of energy
• Pyramid of energy gives the best representation of the trophic
relationships and it is always upright.

• At every successive trophic level, there is huge loss of energy about 90% in
the form of heat, respiration etc.

Pyramids of energy

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 Energy flow in the Ecosystem
Energy is needed for every biological activity.

Solar energy is transformed into chemical energy by a process of

photosynthesis. This energy is stored in plant tissue, and then transformed in
to mechanical and heat form during metabolic activities.

In the biological world, the energy flows from sun to plants and then to all
heterotrophic organisms like micro-organisms, animals, and man i.e. from
producers to consumers. 1% of the total sunlight falling on the green plants is
utilized in photosynthesis.

This is sufficient to maintain all life on this earth. There is no 100% flow of
energy from producers to consumers. Some is always lost to environment.
Because of this, energy cannot be recycled in an ecosystem ‘it can only flow
one way’.

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 The flow of energy follows the two laws of
thermodynamics
st
I law of thermodynamics: The law states that energy can
neither be created nor be destroyed but it can be transformed from one
form to another. Similarly, solar energy utilized by green plants
(producers) in photosynthesis converted into biochemical energy of
plants and later into that of consumers

nd
II law of thermodynamics: The law states that energy
transformation involves degradation or dissipation of energy from a
concentrated to a dispersed form. We have seen dissipation of energy
occurs at every trophic level. There is loss of 90% energy, only 10% is
transferred from one trophic level to the other.

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Models of ecological energy flow

A single trophic level A food chain

Universal energy flow model Single channel energy flow model
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 Matter in Ecosystem
Matter, in the form of nutrients, cycles within and among ecosystems and the biosphere

 Human activities are altering these chemical cycles.

The elements and compounds that make up nutrients move continually through air,

water, soil, rock, and living organisms within ecosystems, as well as in the biosphere in

cycles called biogeochemical cycles (life-earth-chemical cycles), or nutrient cycles.

 NUTRIENT CYCLE
• Imp functional attribute of an ecosystem.

• Nutrients move in circular paths through biotic & abiotic components known as
biogeochemical cycle.

eg:- C,N,S,O,H,P.

• Water moves in a cycle –hydrological cycle

• Nutrients move to foodchain & ultimately reach detritus compartment & causes
decomposition.

• Dead plants & animals converted into inorganic substances by microbial

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decomposition that are used plants & the cycle starts afresh.
 WATER CYCLE
Biogeochemical cycle that collects, purifies, and distributes
the earth’s fixed supply of water from the environment to
living organisms and then back to the environment.
WATER CYCLE
 Human influence on water cycle
We withdraw large quantities of freshwater from streams, lakes, and aquifers
sometimes at rates faster than nature can replace it.

We clear vegetation from land for agriculture, mining, road building, and other activities,
and cover much of the land with buildings, concrete, and asphalt. This increases runoff,
reduces infiltration that would normally recharge groundwater supplies, accelerates
topsoil erosion, and increases the risk of flooding.

We increase flooding when we drain and fill wetlands for farming and urban
development. Wetlands provide the natural service of flood control, acting like sponges to
absorb and hold overflows of water from drenching rains or rapidly melting snow.
 NITROGEN CYCLE
Cyclic movement of nitrogen in different chemical forms
from the environment to organisms and then back to the
environment.
• N2 is present in atm in large amount-78%

• N2 taken up by plants & used in metabolism for biosynthesis of amino acids proteins,
vitamins.

• After the death of plants & animals, the organic nitrogen in dead tissues is
decomposed by several groups of ammonifying & nitrifying bacteria which convert
organic nitrogen into ammonia, nitrates & nitrites again used by plants.

• Some bacteria converts nitrates in to molecular nitrogen which is released to

atmosphere and the cycle goes on. 46
NITROGEN CYCLE
 Human Impact on Nitrogen cycle
1. Add large amounts of nitric oxide (NO) into the atmosphere. When N2 and O2
combine as we burn any fuel at high temperatures, such as in car, truck, and jet
engines. In the atmosphere, this gas can be converted to nitrogen dioxide gas (NO2)
and nitric acid vapor (HNO3), which can return to the earth’s surface as damaging acid
deposition, commonly called acid rain.

2. Add nitrous oxide (N2O) to the atmosphere through the action of anaerobic bacteria
on commercial inorganic fertilizer or organic animal manure applied to the soil. This
greenhouse gas can warm the atmosphere and deplete stratospheric ozone, which keeps
most of the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation from reaching the earth’s surface.

3. Release large quantities of nitrogen stored in soils and plants as gaseous compounds
into the atmosphere through destruction of forests , grasslands, and wetlands.

4. Upset the nitrogen cycle in aquatic ecosystems by adding excess nitrates (NO3 –) to
bodies of water through agricultural runoff of fertilizers and animal manure and through
discharges from municipal sewage systems. This can cause excess growth of algae.

5. Remove nitrogen from topsoil when we harvest nitrogen-rich crops, irrigate crops
(washing nitrates out of the soil), and burn or clear grasslands and forests before
planting crops.
 CARBON CYCLE
Cyclic movement of carbon in different chemical forms from
the environment to organisms and then back to the
environment.
• C in the form of CO2 taken up by green plants as raw material for
photosynthesis.

• Through food chain it moves & ultimately organic carbon present in

dead matter is returned to atm as CO2 by micro organisms.

• Over use of Fossil fuel leads to imbalance in C cycle.

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CARBON CYCLE
 Human Impact on Carbon Cycle
Adding large amounts of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere – growing
carbon footprint

When we burn carbon-containing fossil Fuels - coal to produce

electricity

Clearing carbon-absorbing vegetation from forests faster than it can

grow back.

We alter both the rate of energy flow and the cycling of nutrients
within the carbon cycle.

Increased concentrations of atmospheric CO2 and other greenhouse

gases such as methane (CH4) are very likely to warm the atmosphere by
enhancing natural greenhouse effect, and thus to change the earth’s
climate.
Ecological succession
 Ecological succession

• Ecological succession is the gradual process by which

ecosystems change and develop over time. Nothing remains
the same and habitats are constantly changing.

• Types:

 Primary Succession

 Secondary Succession

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 Process of Succession
• Nudation : It is the development of a bare area without any life form.

• Invasion: It is the successful establishment of one or more species on a bare area

through dispersal or migration.

• Competition and coactions : As the number of individuals grows there is

competition, both inter-specific and intra-specific for space, water and nutrition.

• Reaction : The living organism grow use water and nutrients from the substratum
and modify the environment in such a way that it become unsuitable for the
existing species and favor some new species and leads to several seral
communities.

• Stabilization: The succession ultimately stabilize in a more or less stable

community called climax which is in equilibrium with the environment

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Ecological successions starting on different types of areas are
named differently

Hydrarch or Hydrosere: Starting in watery area like pond, Swamp, bog

Mesarch: Starting in an area of adequate moisture

Xerarch or xerosere: Starting in a dry area with little moisture such as

bare rock, sand and saline soil
 Hydrosere

Phytoplankton

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 Xerosere

Crutose and foliose lichen

Weathering – Disintegrating the rock

Gradual building up of humus, organic matter and soil

Mosses community

Climax - Forest

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