Our Environment
TERMS TO REMEMBER
1. Environment: The combination of all the physical and biological conditions affecting the responses of living
organisms is called environment.
2. Biodegradable wastes: The wastes which are broken down by the activity of micro-organisms and enter into the
biogeochemical cycle are known as biodegradable wastes.
3. Non-biodegradable wastes: The wastes which cannot be broken down by the enzymes produced by microorganisms
into simpler and harmless products in nature are called non- biodegradable wastes.
4. Garbage: Domestic wastes including the kitchen waste are termed as garbage.
5. Incineration: Destruction of waste materials by burning at high temperature is called incineration.
6. Biotic Community: A group of various populations of organisms living in a region is called the biotic community.
7. Ecosystems: The self-contained and distinct functional unit capable of independent existence made by the
interaction of living(biotic) and non-living(abiotic) components is called an ecosystem.
8. Autotrophs: Those organisms which can produce their own food are called autotrophs or producers. All green plants
are producers.
9. Consumers: Those organisms which are unable to synthesise their food themselves and consume the food produced
by producers or eat other organisms as food, are known as consumers.
10. Decomposers: Bacteria and fungi which break down the complex organic compounds present in the dead plants
and animals and their products into simpler substances are known as decomposers.
11. Food Chain: A series of organisms in a community in which one organism consumes another organism to transfer
food energy is called a food chain.
12. Trophic levels: Each step of the food chain is known as a trophic level. 10% of food taken by one trophic level is
available for the next trophic level.
13. Food Web: The web formed by the interconnection of food-chains of the various trophic levels is called a food
web.
14. Biomagnification: The increase in the concentration of the harmful chemicals in the body of an organism per unit
its mass at each successive trophic level in a food chain is known as biomagnification.
15. Ozone Depletion: The thinning of the ozone layer is called ozone depletion.
16. Ozone-depleting substances: Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), oxides of nitrogen, methane, carbon tetrachloride and
chlorine are the ozone-depleting substances.
ECO SYSTEM & ITS COMPONENT
All the interacting organisms in an area together with non-living components form an ecosystem.
Example of Biological magnification
Difference Between Food Chain and Food Web
Basis of Food Chain Food Web
Difference
Definition A series of organisms each dependent on the next A network of interconnected food chains.
as a source of food.
Complexity Simple Complex
Number of Only one Many interconnected chains
Chains
Stability Less stable as it depends on a single path More stable due to multiple paths
Representation Linear Web-like
Flexibility Less flexible, any change can have a significant More flexible, can handle changes better.
impact.
Example Grass → Rabbit → Fox Grass → Rabbit, Grass → Mouse, Mouse →
Snake, Rabbit → Fox
Levels Usually involves a shorter chain with fewer Involves many levels of consumers.
levels.
Energy Flow Straightforward and direct Complex and indirect
ECOLOGICAL PYRAMIDS
An ecological pyramid is dened as graphical representation of ecological parameters like number of individuals or
amount of biomass or amount of energy present at various trophic levels of a food chain. Producer is always placed at
base and carnivore at top. is pyramid is upright (tapering at tip) or inverted (wide at tip) or spindle shaped. On the
basis of parameters used there are three types of ecological pyramids.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS
Changes in environment affect us and our activities change the environment around us. This led to the slow
degradation of environment that arose many environmental problems. Eg. Depletion of the Ozone Layer and
waste disposal.
I Depletion of Ozone Layer
• Ozone (O) layer is largely found in the stratosphere which is a part of our 3 atmosphere from 12 km – 50km
above sea level.
• Ozone is a deadly poison at the ground level.
• Ozone is formed as a result of a following photochemical reaction.
Ozone layer is a protective blanket around earth which absorbs most of the harmful U.V. (Ultraviolet)
radiation of the Sun, thus protecting the living beings of the earth from health hazards like skin cancer,
cataract in eyes, weaken immune system, destruction of plants etc. The decline of Ozone layer thickness is
Antartica was first discovered in 1985 and was termed as OZONE HOLE.
Reason of Ozone Depletion:
Excessive use of CFCs (Chloro Flouro Carbon) a synthetic, inert chemical Eg. Freon which are used as
refrigerants and in fire extinguishers, caused Ozone depletion in the upper atmosphere. A single chlorine
atom can destroys 1,00,000 Ozone molecules. U.N.E.P. (United Nation Environment Programme) did an
excellent job in forging an agreement to freeze CFC production at 1986 levels (KYOTO Protocol) by all
countries.