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ECOLOGY & ENVIRONMENT

Ecology is a biological science that
studies the relationship between living
organism and their environment.
Biological clock: Plant species pos-
sess physiological mechanism that in-
dicates particular seasons of the year.
Hence, plant species are called biologi-
cal clocks.
The term Ecosystem involves all the
non-living and living factors working
in a complex.
The term Environment Etymologi-
cally means surroundings. Thus en-
vironment is a complex of so many
things (light, temperature, soil, water
etc.)
Light factor is well known for its ef-
fects on such basic physiological pro-
cesses of plants as photosynthesis,
transpiration, seed germination, flow-
ering etc.
Directly or indirectly light affects the
plants life in the following ways:
Cholorophyll production; Heating National river action plan.
action; Effect on transpiration rate;
Stomatal movement.
An ecosystem is an overall integration
of whole mosaics of interacting organ-
isms and their environment.
Different types of ecosystem of nature,
constituting the giant ecosystem called
the biosphere.
An ecosystem has two major compo-
nents: Abiotic (Non-Living) and Bi-
otic (Living).
Sustainable development is develop-
ment that meets the needs of the pres-
ent, without compromising the abil-
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ity of future generations to meet their
own needs.
India has already made a start to achiev-
ing the goal of sustainable development.
Sustainable development initiatives of
India:-
Establishment of the national waste-
land development board (Headquar-
ters, New Delhi).
Constitution of the forest conservation
act 1980.
Association of tribal and rural poor in
regeneration of degraded forest.
National Forestry programme under
national forest policy 1988.
National fund for Afforestation.
Water (prevention and control of pol-
lution) Act 1974.
Air(prevention and control of pollu-
tion (Act 1981).
Environment (protection) Act 1986.
Central and state pollution control
board.
Indian board of wildlife(reconstituted
in 1991).
The Wildlife Protection Act ,1972.
Biosphere reserve.
Conservation of fragile ecosystem i.e.
wetlands, mangroves and coral reef.
National bureau of plant genetic
resources(NBPGR),New Delhi.
India acceded to the Vienna conven-
tion for the protection of the ozone
layer, March 1985.
India signed the convention on the
Conservation of Migratory Species
of wild animals (The Bonn Conven-
tion) in 1979.

India signed the International Con-
vention for the prevention of pollution
of the sea by the oil, 1954(London).
India signed convention of the Antarc-
tica.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTANTS
The principal pollutants which pollute
our air, water, land are as follows:-
Deposited Matter- Soot, smoke, tar,
dust etc.
Gases- Oxides of nitrogen (NO, NO2),
Sulphur (SO2), carbon mono oxide,
Halogens (Chlorine, Bromine, iodine)
Acids droplets- sulphuric acid etc.
Fluorides
Metals- mercury, lead, iron, zinc, nick-
el, tin etc.
Radioactive wastes.
ATMOSPHERE
The atmosphere is a mixture of many
discrete gases as nitrogen (78%),
oxygen(21%), argon(0.93), carbon di-
oxide(0.03)%, hydrogen, helium and
ozone.
Ozone (O3) layer in the stratosphere
protects us from the harmful UV ra-
diations from sun. Depletion of ozone
layer is due to SO2, NO2, aldidydes etc.
An aerosol is a colloid of fine solid
particles or liquid droplets, in air or
another gas. Aerosols are of two types.
Examples of artificial aerosols are
haze, dust, particulate air pollutants
and smoke
Examples of natural aerosols are fog,
forest exudates and geyser steam.
Aerosols are harmful to human health,
being easily passed to lungs.
Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) is
the amount of oxygen required for bio-
logical oxidation by microbes in any
unit volume of water.
WETLANDS CONSERVATION
IN INDIA
Greenhouse Gas Chemical Formula
Carbon dioxide CO2
Methane CH4
Nitrous oxide N2O
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2
Wetlands conservation in India is in-
directly influenced by an array of policy
and legislative measures (Parikh and
Parikli, 1999). Some of the key legislation
is given below:
The Indian Fisheries Act - 1857
The Indian Forest Act - 1927
Wildlife (Protection) Act - 1972
Water (Prevention and Control of Pol-
lution) Act - 1974
Territorial Water, Continental Shelf,
Exclusive Economic Zone and other
Marine Zones Act - 1976
Water (Prevention and Control of Pol-
lution) Act - 1977
Maritime Zone of India.(Regulation
and fishing by foreign vessels) Act
1980
Forest (Conservation Act) - 1980
Environmental (Protection) Act - 1986
Coastal Zone Regulation Notification -
1991
Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act -
1991
National Conservation Strategy and
Policy Statement on Environment and
Development - 1992
National Policy and Macro level Action
Strategy on Biodiversity-1999
GLOBAL WARMING AND
CLIMATE CHANGE
Greenhouse Effect- A greenhouse is
an enclosure of glasses in which tropi-
cal plants are grown during winters in
areas of colder climate. Heat trapped
by the glass keeps the temperature in-
side the greenhouse much higher than
the surrounding atmosphere. A similar
heating phenomenon occurs in the at-
mosphere.
Greenhouse effect is a natural phe-
nomenon which keeps the earth warm
at normal level.
Anthropogenic Sources
Fossil-fuel combustion, Land-use con-
version, Cement Production
Fossil fuels, Rice paddies, Waste dumps
Fertilizer, Industrial processes, Com-
bustion
 3

Tropospheric Ozone O3 Fossil fuel combustion, Industrial emis-

sions, Chemical solvents
CFC-12 CCL2F2 Liquid coolants, Foams
HCFC-22 CCl2F2 Refrigerants
Sulfur Hexaflouride SF6 Dielectric fluid
International Effort to tackle and microorganisms present in a given
Climate change region under natural condition.
The country has been divided into four
Intergovernmental panel on climate climatic regions.
change (IPCC) was jointly established (a) Wet Zone- Rainfall (200 cm), West-
by United Nations Environmental pro- ern Ghats ,hills of Meghalaya and
gramme (UNEP) and the World Meteo- Bengal, Evergreen forest type,
rological Organization in November (b) Intermediate Zone- (Rainfall 100
1988. and 200 cm), West Bengal, Bihar,
United Nations Framework Conven- Orissa, U.P, H.P. etc. Deciduous forest
tion on Climate change (UNFCCC) was (c) Dry Zone- (Rainfall 50- 100 cm) Pun-
adopted on 9 May 1992. Montreal pro- jab, Delhi, Gujarat etc, Wheat and Mil-
tocol on substances that deplete the lets.
ozone layer adopted in 1985. (d) Arid Zone- (Rainfall 50 cm) Punjab,
Rajasthan and North West Gujarat.
Conventions on Climate change Thorn forests, semi-desert condition
Rio de Janeiro: The Earth Summit (3-
14 June 1992). National Parks
Kyoto Protocol (UNFCCC), 1-10 De-
cember 1997. It is a treaty among in- National Park State
dustralized nations that sets mandato- Bandhavgarh National Park Madhya
ry limits on green house gas emissions. Pradesh
World summit on Sustainable
Development(WSSD), 2002. Bandipur National Park Karnataka
Bali Action Plan, Bali Indonesia, De- Bannerghatta National Karnataka
cember 2007. Park
Climate talks in Copenhagen, Denmark,
December 2009. Buxa Tiger Reserve West Bengal
Cancun Agreement, Cancun Mexico, Dachigam National Park Jammu and
December 2010. Kashmir
El Nino and La Nino are major tem-
perature fluctuations in the surface Darrah National Park Rajasthan
waters of the tropical Eastern Pacific Dibru-Saikhowa National Assam
Ocean. Park
Montreal Protocol on substances that
depletes the Ozone layer is an inter na- Dudhwa National Park Uttar
tional treaty designed to protect the Pradesh
Ozone layer by phasing out the pro- Eravikulam National Park Kerala
duction of numerous substances that
are responsible for Ozone depletion. It Great Himalayan National Himachal
Park Pradesh
was signed on 16 sept., 1987.
Jaldapara National Park West Bengal
Biodiversity and Wildlife of Jim Corbett National Park Uttarakhand
India Kanha National Park Madhya
The term biodiversity is used for the Pradesh
variety and variability among all forms Kaziranga National Park Assam
of living organism- plants, animals,
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 4

Khangchendzonga Na- Sikkim Namdapha National Park Arunachal

tional Park Pradesh
Mahatma Gandhi Marine Andaman Nanda Devi National Park Uttarakhand
National Park and Nicobar
Islands Periyar National Park Kerala
Manas National Park Assam Rajaji National Park Uttarakhand
Marine National Park, Gulf Gujarat
of Kutch Ranthambore National Rajasthan
Park
Mathikettan Shola Na- Kerala
tional Park Sunder ban Tiger Reserve West Bengal

Wild Life Sanctuaries

Name of the Sanctuaries Location Major Species
Gir Wild Life Sanctuary Sasan Gir Dist: Junagadh, Lion, Leopard, Chausinga, Chital,
Amreli Hyena, Sambar, Chinkara,
Herpetofauna, Crocodiles and
birds
Wild Ass Sanctuary Little Rann of Kachchh Wild Ass, Chinkara, Blue bull,
Houbara bustard, Wolf, Water-
fowls, Herpetofauna
Hingolgadh Sanctuary Hingolgadh Dist: Rajkot Chinkara, Blue bull, Wolf, Hy-
ena, Fox, Birds, Herpetofauna
Marine Sanctuary Gulf of Kachchh Dist: Sponges, Corals, Jellyfish,
Jamnagar Sea horse, Octopus,Oyster,
Pearloyster, Starfish, Lobster,
Dolphin, Dugong, waterfowls
Simlipal Sactuary Odisha Elephant, Tiger, Leopard, Gaur,
Cheetal
Kutch Desert Sanctuary Great Rann of Kachchh Chinkara, Hyena, Fox, Flamin-
go, Pelicans & other water-
fowls, Herpetofauna
Rampara Sanctuary Rampara Dist: Rajkot Blue bull, Chinkara, Wolf, Fox,
Jackal, Birds, Herpetofauna
Ghana Bird Sanctuary Rajasthan Water Bird, Black-buck,
Cheetal, Sambar

Panchmarhi Madhya Pradesh Tiger, Panther, Sambhar, Nilgai,

Baskeng, Deer

Dandeli Sanctuary Karnataka Tiger, Panther, Elephant,

Cheetal, Sanbhar, Wild Boar

Kutch Bustard Sanctuary Near Naliya Dist: Great Indian Bustard, Lesser
Kachchh Florican, Houbara bustard,
Chinkara, Blue bull, Herpeto-
fauna

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 5
Biosphere reserves in India and display of large amount of spatial
data.
Nilgiri Biosphere Tamil Nadu, Kerala, GIS has applications in:
Reserve Karnataka Air pollution control
Gulf of Mannar Bio- Tamil Nadu Biodiversity analysis
sphere Reserve Sustainable Development
Soil and watershed management
Sundarbans Bio- West Bengal Coastal Zone management Global
sphere Reserve Changes (as Global warming and Cli-
Nanda Devi Bio- Uttarakhand mate change)
sphere Reserve
World Wide fund for nature
Nokrek Biosphere Meghalaya It was set up in India in 1969
Reserve Its coordinating body the WWF inter-
Pachmarhi Bio- Madhya Pradesh national is located in Gland in Switzer-
sphere Reserve land.
Simlipal Biosphere Odisha It has five broad programme compo-
Reserve nents:
Promoting Indias ecological security
Achanakmar- Chhattisgarh, Mad- Conserving biological diversity
Amarkantak Bio- hya Pradesh Ensuring sustainable use of the natu-
sphere Reserve ral resource base
Nicobar Islands Andaman and Minimum pollution
Nicobar Islands Promoting sustainable lifestyle.
Mangrove Conservation GLOSSARY
The ministry of Environment and For- Afforestation Planting of trees in an
est launched Mangrove Conservation area to provide a forest cover
Programme in 1987. Alluvial- Relating to mud and /or sand
Sunderbans are the largest contiguous deposited by flowing water
mangrove area in the world Biodegradation- Oxidative breakdown
Sunderbans are one of the world heri- of synthetic or natural organic sub-
tage sites of India designated by the stances by microbial activity.
world heritage convention. Biomass- Standing crop (living matter)
The main threat includes excess fish- of living organism, in terms of weight
ing, aquaculture practices and harvest- present at any given time in the envi-
ing of timber and firewood. ronment.
International Efforts for Coral reef- A coral reef is a community
conservation of Biodiversity of living organisms. It is made up of
plants, fish, and many other creatures.
Convention on international trade Coral reefs are some of the most di-
in Endangered species (CITES) was verse ecosystems in the world.
signed in 1975 in Washington. Ecological footprint - The ecological
The international union for conserva- footprint is a measure of human de-
tion of nature and natural resources mand on the Earths ecosystems. It is
(IUCN) now known as world conserva- a standardized measure of demand for
tion union (WCU) was founded in 1948. natural capital that may be contrasted
Remote Sensing with the planets ecological capacity to
Remote Sensing is actually a system regenerate.
for collecting information on earths Halocline- The boundary between two
biosphere from a distance. masses of water whose salinity is dif-
Geographical Information System ferent.
(GIS) Lagoon- Lagoons are shallow coastal
bodies of water separated from the
It is a computer based system for the
ocean by a series of barrier islands
capture storage, retrieval analysis
which lie parallel to the shoreline.
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