When the quality or composition of water changes directly or indirectly as a result of man’s activities such that it becomes unfit for any useful purpose is said to be polluted. Two types of pollutions : Point source of pollution: This source of pollution can be readily identified because it has a definite source and place,…
Soil is a natural resource for which there is no substitute. Environmental historian Donald Worster reminds us that fertilizers are not a substitute for fertile soil. Soil can not be manufactured with a tank of chemicals. Soil is formed from the parent material by physical and chemical weathering of rocks. Climate and time are also…
Air pollution occurs due to the presence of undesirable solid or gaseous particles in the air in quantities that are harmful to human health and environment. It can be defined as presence of foreign matter either gaseous or particulate or combination of both in the air which is detrimental to the health and welfare of…
Pollution is derived from Latin word ‘polluere’ which means ‘to contaminate’ any feature of environment. Pollution is the effect of undesirable changes in our surroundings that have harmful effects on plants, animals and human beings. This occurs only when short term economic gains are made at the cost of long term ecological benefits of humanity….
The reasons for conservation of biodiversity can be grouped into three categories: narrowly utilitarian, broadly utilitarian, and ethical. The narrowly utilitarian arguments for conserving biodiversity are obvious; humans derive countless direct economic benefits from naturefood (cereals, pulses, fruits), firewood, fibre, construction material, industrial products (tannins, lubricants, dyes, resins, perfumes) and products of medicinal importance. More…
Several species of plants and animals have been endangered due to human activities. The Species whose existence is in danger by human activities are called Man-wild life conflict. Man- wild life conflicts endangered species. These endangered species have been categorized into four viz,1)Vulnerable 2) Rare 3) Intermediate 4) Threatened. Endangered species which are on verge of…
Our country can be divided into ten major regions based on the geography, climate and pattern of vegetation seen and the communities of mammals, birds, reptiles, ambhibians, insects and other invertebrates that live in them. Each of these regions contain a variety of ecosystems such as forests, grass lands, lakes, rivers, mountains and hills which…
INTRODUCTION The word biodiversity refers to the variety of living organisms (flora and fauna). Biodiversity or Biological diversity is defined as the variability among all living organisms from all sources, including terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and ecological complexes of which they are part. Wilson (1988) defined ‘Biological diversity’ or ‘biodiversity’ as that part…
Water is an essential medium for all living processes of biota. Approximately, 71 % of the earth’s surface is covered by ocean. The aquatic ecosystem constitutes the marine environments of the seas called ‘marine ecosystem’ and the fresh water systems in lakes, rivers, streams, ponds and wetlands called ‘fresh water ecosystem’. These ecosystems provide human…
The ecosystem can be mainly classified into two types namely Terrestrial ecosystem and Aquatic ecosystem. Terrestrial ecosystem can be of forest, grassland, deserts, mountains etc., whereas aquatic ecosystem types can be of water bodies like pond, lake, wetland, river, delta etc. For these ecosystems we have to understand the nature, structure and functions. What for…