Environment

                                     Environment 

The word Environment is derived from the French word ‘Environ’ that means to encircle, around & Surrounding. ‘Environ’- to be around.

 Environment can be defined as natural surroundings of that organism which directly or indirectly influence the growth and development of the organism. Thus, the term environment means the thing which surround us. It includes all our surroundings.

 Environment can also be defined as the surroundings in which an organism operates including air, water, land and natural resources viz. flora, fauna, human and their inter-relations.

Environment is the sum total of all living and non-living factors that compose the surroundings of man.

The natural environment includes. The land (earth crust), water, sunlight, air and the sky (space). These basic five elements form our natural environment. The man on the earth is surrounded by natural environment, but also by the man-made features or artificial environment. The man-made features on the earth are building, house, industry, road, rail, dam and canal, flyover, bridge etc. We have different factory or industrial products, vehicles, offices, playgrounds, gardens, etc. They form our artificial surroundings called as Anthropogenic environment.

 In reality, the environment is a mixture of both natural and man-made environment. So, it is called as heterogenous nature of environment. These two types of environment may be variable from place to place. In urban areas, there is dominance of man-made features or artificial environment where as in rural areas (villages), we can see the influence of natural environment. In short, environment comprises of the interaction between natural and artificial environment of world in a specific geographic area (region).

Importance of Environmental Studies

Environmental studies become important as it helps us to understand the relation between man and environment, different components and interrelation between them.

Environmental study is a systematic study of environmental factors which influence life on the earth include human being.

It involves better understanding of a change or damage of any of natural components or resources, may gradually affect the entire natural system. Therefore, environmental science is a logical study of complex, natural abiotic and biotic factors, interrupted by man, creating imbalance in environment.

Environmental studies make people to understand the values and need of our natural resources, by protecting them. It focuses on awareness about harmful practices or social beliefs, environmental issues and development and social conflict.

It also educates the people to develop responsible environmental behaviour and change the attitude of people towards environment or nature.     

Scope of Environment

Environment Science is a multi-disciplinary subject viz. ecology, environmental biology, environmental chemistry, biogeochemistry, toxicology. Besides these there are many areas of study in environment as below.

1.   Environmental Degradation: Study of pollution, desertification, deforestation, land   degradation, etc.

2. Environmental Analysis: Study of the analysis of environment into its basic    components viz. atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere and biosphere.

3.  Environment Monitoring: Focuses on observation of status of chemical, physical and biological factors of environment.

4.  Ecosystem Analysis: Deals with structure and functions of ecosystems and energy,  organic matter and minerals flows between non-living and living components.

5. Population Biology: Intra and inter-relationship or interaction of population of different species.

6. Biodiversity Conservation: Focuses on the scientific methods of conservation. Management of natural resources and wildlife.

7. Environmental Awareness and legislation: Concern with creating awareness in public for environmental problems through education (formal/informal). Need to set up laws and legislation to protect the deterioration of quality of life and the environment.

Components of Environment 

Components of environment are as follows

1.     Abiotic (Non-living) viz. Atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, etc.

2.     Biotic (Living) viz. Biosphere, includes plants, animals and micro-organism.

a)     Atmosphere- various gases and smaller solid particles

b)    Lithosphere- (soil & rocks) – Landforms

c)     Hydrosphere- all the water bodies

d)    Biosphere- Living beings or organisms.

The environment is made up of many different elements like topography, soil, vegetation, wildlife, climate, etc. All these elements (Punchmahabhuta- air, water, light, dust, fire) are parts and parcel of one coherent system. These coherent systems can be classified into three parts as follows:

1)    Abiotic or Non-living components: Abiotic components includes

a)     The Lithosphere (Land)- Earth’s Crust (Soil/rocks)

b)    The Atmosphere (Air)

c)     The Hydrosphere (Water)

a)     The Lithosphere (rock or soil): The soil layer on the surface of the earth with thickness varies from few meters to 50 km. The lithosphere is an important component of the environment. It refers to continents (land mass) which occupy 29% of total earth’s surface. It mainly includes physical elements viz., soils, rocks, minerals etc. in the solid earth’s crust. The landforms like mountains, plains and plateaus, provide habitat for the plants and animals. It is the topography (Geographical areas), which may decide the economic activity of a region for example agricultural and industrial activities are normally preferred on the plain areas. The Lithosphere, earth’s crust is composed of various elements like iron, aluminum, silicon, magnesium, nickel, sulphur, calcium, etc. which are responsible for the formation of mineral and metal and thus form raw material for industrial pollution.

b)    The Atmosphere (a mixture of gaseous): The blanket of gaseous mixture around the earth in space is called as Atmosphere. It consists of nitrogen (78%), oxygen (21%), carbon dioxide (0.035%), helium, dust particles, water vapour, etc. Atmosphere is also an important component of the environment. It acts as temperature regulating cover of the earth and provides all the gases, necessary for the survival of all life forms on the earth. The ozone (o₃) layer and the upper atmosphere, acts as a filter for the dangerous ultraviolet rays and thus, protects the biological communities of the environment.

c)     The Hydrosphere (water bodies): The hydrosphere consists of surface, ground and oceanic water, which occupy 71% of the total earth’s surface. Without water no life is possible on the earth and hence it is also considered as one of the basic components of the environment. Water plays an important role in the circulation of nutrients in the various forms of the ecosystems. Water makes the biogeochemical cycles effective in the environment.

 

2) Biotic or Living components: Biotic components of the environment consist mainly of the following.

a)     Plants (Primary Producers) or Autotrophs

b)    Animals (consumers) or Heterotrophs

c)     Micro-organisms (Decomposers or Reducers) or Derivers.

a)     Plants (primary producers) or Autotrophs: Plants are known as primary producers or autotrophs. They produce their own food through the process of photosynthesis. These food (Carbohydrates) are then consumed by human and other animals as well as micro-organisms. Thus, plants are the main source of food and energy to all other forms of life on the earth. Woodland, Forest, Grassland, Shrub land are different form of plants, collectively known as natural vegetation.

b) Animal or Heterotroph: Like bird, insect, reptile, amphibian, fish, mammal, invertebrate (wildlife) etc. Animals are consuming plant or other animal and so called as heterotrophic fall under three categories:

   Primary consumer: Those feed on green plant are known as herbivores like cow, buffaloes, sheep, goat, etc.

  Secondary consumer: Those obtaining energy by eating herbivore are called as carnivore like snake, eagle, etc.

    Tertiary consumer: Those feed on both herbivore and carnivore are called as tertiary consumer or omnivore viz. lion, tiger, man, etc.

c)   Micro-organisms: Micro-organism like bacteria, virus and fungi which break down the dead bodies (complex) of plant and animal in the process of decompositions. Here micro-organisms break down the complex matter into simple inorganic forms. Hence, they are known as decomposer or reducer or detrivore. All the biotic components of environment are interlinked and interdependent.

 Key word Environment, importance, scope, component