EVS Lecture Notes

noteson EVS lecture notes covering environment, Earth's structure, atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, forest resources, human impact, energy, and waste management.

What does 'Biotic' mean in the context of the environment?

Living components of the environment.

What does 'Abiotic' mean in the context of the environment?

Non-living components of the environment.

What is the Lithosphere?

Solid shell of inorganic material on the surface of the Earth.

What is the Hydrosphere?

The part of the Earth that includes all water.

What is the Atmosphere?

The layer of gases surrounding the Earth.

What is the Biosphere?

The part of the Earth where life exists, encompassing all living organisms and their environment.

What is the difference in thickness between oceanic and continental crust?

Oceanic crust is approximately 5km thick, while continental crust is approximately 32km thick.

What is Climate?

Long-term or seasonal variations in atmospheric conditions.

What is Weather?

Short-duration changes in atmospheric conditions.

What is Magma?

Molten rock inside the Earth.

What is Lava?

Molten rock that has erupted onto the Earth's surface.

Describe the structure and state of the Mantle.

Upper and lower sections, separated by a transition zone, with the lower mantle being in a semi-solid state due to high temperatures.

What are the layers and composition of the Earth's core?

Outer core (liquid) and Inner core (solid) primarily composed of Nickel and Iron (NiFe).

What is the Geothermal Gradient?

The rate at which temperature increases with depth.

What is the Asthenosphere and its role in volcanic activity?

Part of the upper mantle below the crust, where magma accumulates and can flow out as lava through cracks in the crust.

What does the Lithosphere consist of?

Crust and upper mantle combined.

What are the layers of the Atmosphere?

Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere, and Ionosphere.

What is the role of the ozone layer in the atmosphere?

Traps ultraviolet (UV) rays, causing an increase in temperature in the stratosphere.

What is the Lapse Rate?

The rate at which temperature decreases with height in the troposphere and mesosphere.

What is the Tropopause?

The layer separating the troposphere and stratosphere, trapping water vapor.

What is the Stratopause?

The layer separating the mesosphere and stratosphere.

What are Meteoroids?

Small stones in the universe.

What are Asteroids?

Big stones in the universe.

What is Hydrology?

Study of the occurrence, distribution, and circulation of water.

What is Hydrogeology?

Study of water flow in aquifers.

What are the steps of the Water Cycle?

Evaporation/Evapotranspiration, Condensation, Precipitation, and Runoff/Infiltration.

What is Ecology?

Study of the interactions between living organisms and their environment.

What is an Ecosystem?

A system resulting from the interaction of living and non-living components.

What are Producers/Autotrophs?

Self-feeders that convert light to chemical energy.

Who are Consumers/Heterotrophs?

Organisms that feed on other organisms (herbivores, carnivores, omnivores).

Who are Decomposers/Saprotrophs?

Organisms that feed on dead and decomposing matter; recyclers of the biosphere.

What is a Food Chain?

The transfer of energy and nutrients from one trophic level to another.

What are the types of Aquatic Ecosystems?

Fresh, Marine, and Estuarine.

What are the classifications of aquatic ecosystems related to water flow?

Lentic (standing water) and Lotic (flowing water).

What are the light zones in aquatic ecosystems?

Euphotic (more light), Limnetic (light penetration), and Aphotic/Profundal (less to dark).

What are the temperature layers in aquatic ecosystems?

Epilimnion, Thermocline, and Hypolimnion.

When is Forest Day?

March 21st.

What are the main functions of Forest resources?

Provides oxygen, maintains water cycle, prevents soil erosion, provides shelter for wildlife, and yields wood and non-wood forest products.

What are key acts related to forest protection?

Wildlife Act (1972) and Forest Act (1980).

What does FAO stand for and what is its role?

Food and Agriculture Organization: looks after total forest cover in the world.

What is the role of FSI?

Forest Survey of India: along with MOEF looks after the forest cover in India.

Which Indian state has the highest forest cover?

Madhya Pradesh.

Which Indian states have the lowest forest cover and highest deforestation?

Haryana and Punjab.

What are the classifications of forests according to tree cover?

Dense (>40% cover), Open (10-40% cover), and Mangrove (saline coastal areas).

What are the classifications of forests according to human activities?

Reserved (no human activity), Protected (activities permitted unless prohibited), and Unclassed (given to people for agriculture).

Name some national parks in Karnataka.

Bannerghatta, Bandipur, Nagarhole, Kudremukh, Anshi.

What is Biodiversity?

Variety of species present in an area.

What are the levels of Biodiversity?

Species diversity, Genetic diversity, and Ecosystem diversity.

What are the key components of species diversity?

Species richness (number of species) and species abundance (population of all species).

What is a Biodiversity Hotspot?

Geographical region rich in endemic, rare, and threatened species.

What does 'endemic' mean in the context of biodiversity?

Species restricted to a certain region.

Name some Biodiversity Hotspots.

Western Ghats, The Himalayas, Indo-Burma region, The Sundarlands.

What is Ex-situ conservation?

Protected in specially created environment (zoo, botanical garden, seed bank).

What is In-situ conservation?

Protected in their natural habitat (national reserves).

What are the effects of agriculture on the environment?

Deforestation, Soil erosion, Habitat loss, and Pollution.

Name some banned pesticides.

DDT and Endosulphan.

What are the problems caused by pesticides?

Evolution of genetic resistance, Imbalance in the ecosystem, Biomagnification and bioaccumulation.

What does NPK stand for in fertilizers?

Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K).

What is Eutrophication?

Excess nutrients in a water body leading to algae growth.

What are some stages of Eutrophication?

Oligotrophic, Mesotrophic, Eutrophic.

What is Hypoxia?

Condition in which oxygen level starts to decrease.

What is Anoxia?

Complete absence of oxygen.

What is Sedimentation?

Settling down of sediments.

What is Turbidity?

Unclear water.

What is water logging?

Stagnant water.

What is Organic farming?

Farming without synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers.

What are the types of Mining?

Surface mining and sub-surface mining.

What is Dredging?

Extraction of minerals from water

What are Evaporites?

Minerals obtained by evaporation of water.

What are Laterites?

Minerals from weathering action.

Which state is the Mineral heartland of India?

Jharkhand.

What are the side effects of mining?

Dust causing respiratory problems, gases causing global warming and acid rain, releases acids, tailing, leaching, Sedementation and turbidity

What are tailings/slicks in mining?

Waste produced after the mining process

What is Leaching?

Chemicals entering soil along with rainwater

What does Dereliction mean?

Failure of doing one's duty.

What are the solutions for the side effects of mining?

EIA, and Reclamation.

What is a Disaster?

Sudden calamity which destructs or disrupts the normal pattern of life.

What are the types of Disasters?

Natural and Anthropogenic.

What is an earthquake?

Also called Tremor/Tremblor which is the sudden shake in the earth's crust

What is the structure of an earthquake

Hypocenter (focus) and Epicenter

What are the Seismic waves?

P-waves, S-waves, Love waves and Rayleigh waves

What are conventional sources of energy?

Nuclear and fossil fuel

What are non-conventional sources of energy?

Solar, wind, hydel, geothermal, biomass, ocean energy

What is Nuclear energy?

Energy obtained by the nucleus of an atom by fission or fusion

What is nuclear Fission?

splitting o + heat (nuclear reactor

What is nuclear Fusion?

merging :> + heat (sun & star)

When was the first use of the atom bomb?

1945 on hiroshima and nagasaki

What are the 2 nuclear minerals found in India?

Uranium and thorium

What is a Nuclear reactor?

Device where a controlled fission reaction takes place for the electricity production

What is Cast Meltdown?

condition where fission reaction goes out of control

What are the 2 theories in ocean energy?

Horizontal movement of water and rise and fall of water

What is a Tidal turbine?

turbine that works on the rise and fall of water

When is the International day against nuclear testing?

October 29th

What are the types of Ocean energy methods?

Tidal turbine, Tidal barrages and OTEC

What are the types of Wind energy?

Horizontal and Vertical wind mill

What is Biomass?

Waste obtained from living things

What is a Biogas?

Anaerobic fermentation of biomass

What does a grobar waste have?

Vegetable and toilet wastes

What are the types of waste?

Solid, E-waste, and Biomedical waste

What is Sludge?

Waste obtained after the treatment process