Environmental Science

Environment

Came from the greek word enviromer which means to encircle, around or suround.

Jacob Van Uerkal

He introduced the term environment to ecology.

Habitat

A place an organism makes its home.

Physical, Biological, Cultural

Elements of the Environment

Physical Element

Space, landforms, water bodies, climate soil, rocks and minerals. They determine the variable character of the human habitat

Biological Element

Life. The plants, animals, microorganism, and humans. Basically all the components of the Biosphere.

Cultural Element

Economical, social and political elements are essentially man- made features, which make the cultural background.

Ecology

Is the study of the interactions between an organism of some kind and its environment.

Environment Protection Act 1986

“Environment is the sum total of land, water, air, interrelationships among themselves and also with the human beings and other living organisms”

Environmental Science

Is the interdisciplinary field and requires the study of the interactions among the physical, chemical and biological components of the Environment with a focus on environmental pollution and degradation. Environmental Science deals with the study of processes in soil, water, air and organisms which lead to pollution or environmental damages and the scientific basis for the establishment of a standard which can be considered acceptably clean, safe and healthy for human beings and natural ecosystems.

Environment studies

A multidisciplinary subject where different aspects are dealt with in a holistic approach

Branches of studies under Environment Science

Chemistry, physics, life science, medical science, agriculture, public health, sanitary engineering, geography, geology, atmospheric science, etc.

Environmental Science

It is the science of physical phenomena in the environment. It studies the sources, reactions, transport, effect and fate.

Ecosystem

Defined as a natural functional ecological unit comprising of living organisms (biotic community) and their non-living (abiotic or physio-chemical) environment that interact to form a stable self-supporting system. A pond, lake, desert, grassland, meadow, forest etc.

Abiotic

These are factors that are non-living parts of the environment. (sunlight, water, soil, wind, temperature)

Biotic

Living parts of the environment (plants, animals, and microorganisms

Ecological Niche

a term for the position of a species within an ecosystem

Climatic

Main Components of an ecosystem (Abiotic).

Rain, Temperature, Light, Wind and Humidity

Edaphic

Main Components of an ecosystem (Abiotic).

Soil, pH, Topography, Minerals

Soil

Provides nutrients and a home for living organisms. Much more complex than simple sediments. Contains weathered rock fragments, highly altered soil mineral particles, organic matter and living organisms

Atmosphere

Supplies oxygen for respiration and Carbon Dioxide for Photosynthesis.

Solar Radiation

Heats the atmosphere and evaporate and transpires water into the atmosphere

Water

Medium by which mineral nutrients enter and are translocated in plants. Necessary for the maintenance of the leaf turgidity and is required fore photosynthesis chemical reaction.

Precipitation

Original source of water

Producers/Autotrophs

Main producers are plants. They convert solar energy to chemical energy.

Consumers/Heterotrophs

depends on the producers for food.

Primary Consumers

First Order, Herbivores

Secondary Consumers

Second Order, Primary carnivores

Tertiary Consumers

Third Order, Eats both Primary and Secondary Consumers

Quaternary Consumers

Fourth Order, Omnivores

Decomposers/Scavengers

Without them, waste would pile up. Breaks down dead plants, dead animals and waste materials.

Scavenger

Animals that find dead animals or plants and eats them.

Decomposers/Reducers

Able to remove or degrade the bodies of dead organisms and due to their size they are also known as microconsumers.