ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
UNIT I: ENVIRONMENT & ECOSYSTEM

Lecture prepared for F.Y.B.Com. By Pradnya P. Nadkarni

ENVIRONMENT

Definition:

It is the sum total of external conditions within which an object, organism
or community exists

It is the complex of physical, chemical and biotic factors (climate, soil &
living things etc.) that act upon an organism and ultimately determine its form
and survival

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

Need:

Only environmental study can make us conscious and careful about
the environment

Environmental study also teaches people to understand their role in
the environment and learn to live with limited natural resources so as to avoid
future disasters

Scope:

Green Business Initiatives
CSR (Corporate Social Resposibility)
Ecotels

ENVIRONMENT

Components:

Environment

Natural Human

Abiotic Biotic Social Economical Cultural Political

Abiotic Components:

1. Location

2. Topography

3. Climate:

4. Size and shape of a country:

5. Coastlines: 6. Minerals:

7. Soil:

Biotic Components:

1. Natural vegetation:

2. Animal life:

Ecology:

The study of the interrelationships between life forms and their environment

Ecosystem:

A region, usually a small
one, where interaction between
biotic and abiotic components
results into exchange of energy
and materials.

Types of ecosystems:

Grassland, rainforest,
Terrestrial

desert etc.
Natural

Freshwater, marine
Aquatic

etc.
Ecosystems

Zoo, agricultural
Atrificial farm, botanical

garden etc.

Components of ecosystem:

Functions of ecosystem:

Terrestrial food chain:

Aquatic food chain: