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UNIT II Ecosystems (7 Hours)

Definition and concept of Ecosystem, Structure of ecosystem (biotic and abiotic components);
Functions of ecosystem: Physical (energy flow models), Biological (Food chains, food web,
ecological succession) and biogeochemical cycles (nutrient cycling), ecological pyramids and
homeostasis, Ecosystem services (Provisioning, Regulating, Cultural and Supporting); Ecosystem
preservation and conservation strategies: Basic of ecosystem restoration. Basic of ecosystem
classification, types of ecosystems: desert, forest, rangeland wetlands, lotic, lentic, estuarine
(mangrove), oceanic. Biomes: Concept, classification, and distribution. Characteristics of different
biomes, community ecology

UNIT III Environmental Pollution and Control (6 Hours)

Environmental Pollution (Air, water, soil, noise, thermal, marine and Radioactive pollution):
cause, effects and control, Ambient air quality standards and Indian standards for drinking water,
Primary and secondary air pollutants, Photochemical smog, waste water treatment, Nuclear
hazards and human health risks, Solid waste- types and sources. Solid waste characteristics, solid
waste processing and recovery, hazardous waste, E-waste: classification, methods of handling and
disposal, Biomedical waste generation and management, Pollution case studies: Ganga Action
Plan, air pollution and public health issues, Bhopal gas tragedy
UNIT IV Natural Resources (6 Hours)

Land resources: minerals, soil, agricultural crops, natural forest products, medicinal plants and
forest-based industries and livelihoods, land degradation, man-induced land-slides, soil erosion
and desertification. Forest resources: use and over-exploitation, deforestation, case studies, timber
extraction, mining, dams and their effects on forests and tribal people. Water resources: use and
over-utilization of surface and ground water, floods, drought, conflicts over water, dams- benefits
and problems. Mineral resources: use and exploitation, environmental effects of extracting and
using mineral resources, case studies. Energy resources: Increasing energy needs, renewable/non-
renewable, use of alternate energy sources, case studies.

UNIT V Natural Hazards and disaster management (5 hours)
Definition, cause, classification and impacts of: Hydrological, atmospheric, and geological
hazards; Earthquake, volcanoes, Floods, Landslides, Drought, Tornadoes, Cyclones and
Hurricanes, tsunamis, coastal erosion, Risk and vulnerability assessment, disaster management in
India