Environmental Studies

Environmental science, the study of the interactions among the physical, chemical and biological
components of the environment.
Environment is derived from the French word Environner which means to encircle or surround.
Thus environment is a term that comprises all living (biotic) and non-living (a-biotic) things that occur
naturally on Earth or some part of it (e.g. the natural environment in a country). This term includes a
few key components:
1. Natural environment which is

Complete landscape units that function as natural systems without massive human
intervention, including all plants, animals, rocks, etc. and natural phenomena that occur within
their boundaries.
Universal natural resources such as air, water and climate.
Natural features which occur within areas heavily influenced by man.

2.
Built environment, manmade surroundings that provide the setting for human activity, ranging
from the large-scale civic surroundings to the personal places.
The natural environment is contrasted with the built environment, which comprises the areas and
components that are heavily influenced by man.

Environmental Science- A multidisciplinary subject

It is not a single subject but it inputs knowledge from various disciplines. Life science including
Botany, Zoology, Microbiology, Genetics, and Biochemistry & Biotechnology deals with biotic
components & their interaction. Physical and chemical structure of abiotic components & energy
transfer & flow are understood with help of basic concept of Physics, Chemistry, Geology,
Atmospheric Science, Oceanography & Geography.
Mathematics, Statistic & Computer science serve as a effective tool in environmental modeling &
management. Education, Economics, Sociology & Mass communication provides the inputs for
dealing with socio-economic aspects associated with various developmental activities.
Civil Engineering, Hydraulics & Chemical Engineering form the basis for various technologies
dealing with control of environmental pollution, waste treatment & development of cleaner technology
that are important for protection of environment.
Thus environmental science is a multidisciplinary subject in which different aspects are dealt with
holistic approach.

Components of Environment
1. Atmosphere
Earth's atmosphere is a layer of gases surrounding the planet Earth and retained by the Earth's gravity.
It contains roughly (by molar content/volume) 78% nitrogen, 20.95% oxygen, 0.93% argon, 0.038%

carbon dioxide, trace amounts of other gases, and a variable amount (average around 1%) of water
vapor. This mixture of gases is commonly known as air. The atmosphere protects life on Earth by
absorbing ultraviolet solar radiation and reducing temperature extremes between day and night.
There is no definite boundary between the atmosphere and outer space.
Temperature and layers
The temperature of the Earth's atmosphere varies with altitude; the mathematical relationship between
temperature and altitude varies among six different atmospheric layers:
Troposphere: The troposphere is the lowest layer of the atmosphere; it begins at the surface and
extends to between 7 km (23,000 ft) at the poles and 17 km (60,000 ft) at the equator, with some
variation due to weather factors. The troposphere has a great deal of vertical mixing due to solar
heating at the surface.
Stratosphere: The stratosphere extends from the troposphere's 7 to 17 km (23 - 60,000 ft) range to
about 50 km (160,000 ft). Temperature increases with height. The stratosphere contains the ozone
layer, the part of the Earth's atmosphere which contains relatively high concentrations of ozone.
Mesosphere: The mesosphere extends from about 50 km (160,000 ft) to the range of 80 to 85 km (265
- 285,000 ft), temperature decreasing with height.
Thermosphere: from 80 85 km (265 - 285,000 ft) to 640+ km (400+ mi), temperature increasing
with height.
Ionosphere: is the part of the atmosphere that is ionized by solar radiation. It plays an important part
in atmospheric electricity and forms the inner edge of the magnetosphere. It has practical importance
because, among other functions, it influences radio propagation to distant places on the Earth. It is
located in the thermosphere and is responsible for auroras.
Exosphere: from 500 - 1000 km (300 - 600 mi) up to 10,000 km (6,000 mi), free-moving particles
that may migrate into and out of the magnetosphere or the solar wind.
The boundaries between these regions are named the tropopause, stratopause, mesopause,
thermopause and exobase.
The average temperature of the atmosphere at the surface of Earth is 15 C (59 F).

Exosphere: from 500 - 1000 km (300 - 600 mi) up to 10,000 km (6,000 mi), free-moving particles
that may migrate into and out of the magnetosphere or the solar wind.
The boundaries between these regions are named the tropopause, stratopause, mesopause,
thermopause and exobase.
The average temperature of the atmosphere at the surface of Earth is 15 C (59 F).

Lithosphere
The lithosphere, is derived from the Greek means "rocky" sphere) is the solid outermost shell of a
rocky planet. On the Earth, the lithosphere includes the crust and the uppermost mantle. Lithosphere is
underlain by asthenosphere, the weaker, hotter, and deeper part of the upper mantle. The base of the
lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary corresponds approximately to the depth of the melting
temperature in the mantle. As the conductively cooling surface layer of the Earth's convection system,
the lithosphere thickens over time. It is fragmented into tectonic plates ,which move independently
relative to one another. This movement of lithospheric plates is described as plate tectonics.

Hydrosphere
The hydrosphere is the liquid water component of the Earth. It includes the oceans, seas, lakes, ponds,
rivers and streams. The hydrosphere covers about 70% of the surface of the Earth and is the home for
many plants and animals.
The hydrosphere, like the atmosphere, is always in motion. The motion of rivers and streams can be
easily seen, while the motion of the water within lakes and ponds is less obvious. Some of the motion
of the oceans and seas can be easily seen while the large scale motions that move water great distances
such as between the tropics and poles or between continents are more difficult to see. These types of
motions are in the form of currents that move the warm waters in the tropics toward the poles, and
colder water from the Polar Regions toward the tropics. These currents exist on the surface of the
ocean and at great depths in the ocean (up to about 4km).
The hydrosphere is the liquid water component of the Earth. It includes the oceans, seas, lakes, ponds,
rivers and streams. The hydrosphere covers about 70% of the surface of the Earth and is the home for
many plants and animals.

Biosphere
All the living organisms exist in a variety of habitats like land, water and air. The water
includes both surface water like ponds, lakes, and rivers as well as oceanic water. The soil includes
land as well as snow-bound mountains. Thus, the earth has land surface, water and air, which support
living organisms like plants and animals. A zone consisting of land, water and air, where life exists is
called a biosphere. Biosphere includes all the living organisms of earth and all the life supporting
regions of earth. Thus the world of living organisms together with the layers of soil, water and air on
the surface of earth is called biosphere.
The biosphere is called a biological system because just like any
other system, biosphere has different components which receive certain inputs, undergo interaction
and give some output. This is because in biosphere there is a constant interaction between non living
components on the earth where each component perform a certain function. The over-all result of
these functions makes biosphere dynamic and stable.

Lecture No.-3
Need for Public Awareness
With the advancement in technology, increase in human population, scarcity of food and space,
depletion of natural resources and socio-economic problems exhaustive study of environment is
required for the benefit of human beings.
An understanding of working of the environment requires the knowledge from wide ranging fields.
Thus environmental education is aimed at increasing the public awareness and knowledge about the

environmental issues and provides facts, opinions or skills to make informed decisions and take
environmentally responsible actions. It does not advocate a particular viewpoint or cause of action. It
teaches individuals how to weigh various sides of an issue through critical thinking and it enhances
their own problem solving skills.
The United Nation Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 and
popularly known as Earth Summit followed by the World Summit on Sustainable Development at
Johannesburg in 2002, just 10 years after the first summit, have highlighted the key issue of global
environment concern and have attracted the attention of general public towards the deteriorating
environment. Any government at its own level cannot achieve the goals without the participation of
public. Public participation is possible when the public is aware about the environmental issues. The
public has to be educated about the fact that if we are degrading our environment, we are harming
ourselves.
Individual may help in many ways for the improvement
of environment. Some may be as below:
1. Natural resources such as underground water, minerals etc. should not be exhaustively used.
2. Deforestation should be avoided.
3. Forest cover area should be preserved.
4. Over exploitation of renewable sources of energy should be avoided.
5. Moral codes meant for achievement of a better environment should be obeyed.

Importance of Environmental Education

The 1997 UNESCO Statement 'Educating for a Sustainable Future: A transdisciplinary vision for
concerted action' states:
'It is widely agreed that education is the most effective means that society possesses for confronting
the challenges of the future. Indeed, education will shape the world of tomorrow.'
For the foreseeable future, sustainable management of the environment will be one of the greatest
challenges confronting the world. Over the past 30 years, the international community has been
confronted with a wide range of transboundary environmental problems which involve more than one
country in terms of being responsible for the problem, dealing with its impact, and ultimately
providing solutions.
Climate change, loss of biodiversity, declining fisheries, ozone layer depletion, and trade in
endangered species, are only a few of the major environmental threats which have led to a global
cooperative response.
Worldwide recognition that these problems reflect a need for global commitment to sustainability
culminated at the Earth Summit in Rio De Janeiro in 1992 when 150
nations participated.