The Multidisciplinary Nature of Environmental Studies : ■ Scope and importance ■ Need for public awareness ■ Questions.
The Multidisciplinary Nature of Natural Resources : ■ Natural Resources and associated problems : Renewable and non-renewable resources ■ Forest resources. ■ Water resources. ■ Mineral resources. ■ Food resources. ■ Energy resources. ■ Land resources. ■ Role of an individual in conservation of natural resources. ■ Equitable use of resources for sustainable lifestyle ■ Questions.
Ecosystems : ■ Concept of Ecosystem ■ Structure and function of ecosystem. ■ Producers, Consumers, and Decomposers ■ Energy flow in ecosystem ■ Food chains, Food webs and ecological pyramids ■ Ecological succession ■ Introduction, types & characteristic features; ■ Structure and function of the following ecosystems ■ Questions.
Biodiversity and its Conservation : ■ Introduction ■ Definition ■ Genetic diversity ■ Species diversity ■ Ecosystem diversity ■ Biogeographical classification of India. ■ Value of Biodiversity, Consumptive use, productive use, social, ethical, aesthetic and option values. ■ Biodiversity at global National and local levels. ■ India as a Mega-diversity nation. ■ Hot-spots of biodiversity ■ Questions.
The Multidisciplinary Nature of Environmental Pollution : ■ Definition ■ Causes effect and measures to control ■ Air Pollution ■ Water Pollution ■ Soil Pollution ■ Marine Pollution ■ Noise Pollution ■ Thermal Pollution ■ Nuclear hazard; Solid Waste Management : Causes, effects and control measures of urban and industrial wastes. ■ Role of individual in preservation of pollution ■ Pollution case studies ■ Disaster management : floods, earthquake, cyclone and landslides ■ Questions.
Social Issues and the Environment : ■ From Unsustainable to sustainable development. ■ Urban problems related to energy ■ Water conservation rain water harvesting, watershed management ■ Resettlement and rehabilitation of people; its problems and concerns case studies ■ Environmental ethics : Issues and possible solutions ■ Climate change, global warming, acid rain, ozone layer depletion, nuclear accidents and holocaut, case studies ■ Waste land reclamation ■ Environment protection Act. ■ Air (prevention and control of pollution) Act. ■ Water (prevention and control of pollution) ■ Wildlife protection Act ■ Forest conservation Act ■ Issues involved in enforcement of environmental legislation ■ Public awareness ■ Questions.
Human Population and the Environment : ■ Population growth, Variation among Nations ■ Population explosion ■ Family welfare programme ■ Human Rights ■ Value education ■ Environment and human health ■ HIV / AIDS ■ Women and child welfare ■ Role of Information Technology in Environment and human health, case studies ■ Questions.
Field Work : ■ Visit to Local areas to document environmental assets ■ Rivers Ecosystem ■ Forest ■ Grassland ■ Hill ■ Mountain ■ Visit to local polluted site ■ Urban area ■ Rural area ■ Industrial area ■ Agricultural area ■ Study of common plants ■ Insects ■ Birds ■ Study of Simple ecosystem ■ Pond ■ Rivers ■ Hill slopes ■ Questions.