Introduction To Environment:

The term environment owes to its origin to another word “environ” which means “to be
around”. The term Environment is generally understood to mean the surrounding
conditions which affect people and other organisms. In other words Environment is
everything that affects an organism during its life time.
In the dictionary of environmental terms defines environment as “the region surrounding
or circumstances in which anything exists, everything external to the organism”.
Environment is defined as the sum total of all external conditions and influences which
affect life on earth. Environment is everything that affects on organism during its life
time.
Environment is a set of relationship between a person and nature. Environment
comprises the surrounding in which a person lives, works and plays. It includes the air
he breathes, the water he drinks, the food he consumes and the shelter.

Elements Of Environment:
The environment of all living organism (human, animal & plants) comes under to
categories: the living/ biotic components and non living/ abiotic components. The biotic
environment includes all the organisms which influence the lives of animals and plants.
The abiotic environment includes location, mountains, climate, etc.

Abiotic components:
The non living or abiotic components of an ecosystem include various physical factors.
Many physical factors affecting ecosystem are:
1] Location: The geographical location of a country is most important factor as it
decides the climate of that country. Location can be referred 1) Absolute 2) Relative.
Absolute location is the exact position of a country in space according to latitude and
longitudes. Relative location that is in relation to other countries or features. The
absolute geographical location of a country has profound influence on the formation of
natural environment and thereby the growth of economic activities of that country.
Relative location is studied with a reference to a point or features on earth.
2] Mountains: These are high relief features above sea level. Most of the mountainous
have remained economically backward. The steep slopes do not favour agriculture,
heavy rainfall erodes soil rapidly development of transport and communication facilities
further constrains on development. The undulating terrains limit human settlement and
development of industries. However, mountains are store houses of minerals and forest.
Mountains slopes also provide opportunities to develop and generate hydro-electric
power and are sources of many rivers.
3] Plains: Plains occupy about 55% of the earth and supports about 90% of the world’s
population. The river valleys with their extensive plains and fertile soils have always
been attracting human settlements. The plain leveled land is highly suitable for
cultivation, industrialization, urbanization and development of transport and
communication network which facilitates economic development.
4] Climate: Of all the physical components of our environment, climate is the most
important component. It influences man and his activities in a number of ways. Soil,
types of plants, house type, lines of transport and communication, etc depend upon the
climate.
5] Minerals: Minerals are the most unevenly distributed resource on the earth surface.
Some countries possess large amount of world’s known deposit of minerals and power
resources while others are completely devoid of those particular minerals. This uneven
distribution of minerals and power resources has to lead large scale trade in mineral and
power resources. The areas with rich mineral deposits have attracted large number of
people, from distant places to areas which were considered to be less suitable for
human settlement.
6] Soils: Different types of soils are found in different regions. Soil is a governing factor
in raising a particular crop. The fertility of soil controls the quality and quantity of a
particular crop.

Biotic components:
Biotic or living components of the environment consist of plant, animal and micro
organisms. These three constitute the biosphere:
1] Plants: Plants are the basic component of environment. They are primary producers
because they convert light energy into chemical energy which are consumed by living
beings. Plants help in cycling and recycling of organic matter and nutrients. Plants act as
natural filters by absorbing pollutant gaseous from the atmosphere large scale
destructions of vegetation has taken place due to development of industries. Natural
vegetation attracts rain, keep temperature under control and preserve soil.
2] Animals: Animals are called heterotrophic components of the environment. They are
of three types:[a] Primary Consumers: These are the animals which feed on green plant.
They are called herbivores. [b] Secondary Consumers: These animals feed on
herbivores. They are called as carnivores. [c] Tertiary Carnivores: These animals feed
on both herbivores and carnivores.
3] Micro organisms: Bacteria and fungi break down complex components of dead
plants and animals. The micro organisms decompose the organic matters into simpler
compound for their own use and make them also available for the plants.