Environment

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Environmental StudiesS di An Introduction

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Environment
i. ii. The term Environment is derived from the French word Environner which means to encircle or surround surround. All the biological and non-biological things surrounding an organism are thus included in environment environment. iii. The Environment is sum total of Water, Air, land, inter-relationships among themselves and also with the human beings and other living g g g organisms. iv. The living organisms vary from the lowest micro-organisms such as bacteria, virus, fungus, etc. to the highest, including man. v. Each organism has its own environment.

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Components of Nature

Atmosphere (Air)

Cryosphere (Ice) Biosphere Bi h

Hydrosphere ( (Water) ) Lithosphere (Land)

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Atmosphere
i. The multilayered gaseous envelope surrounding the planet earth i called At th is ll d Atmosphere. h ii. Filters sunlight reaching the earth and affects climate iii. A reservoir of several elements essential for life

Zones of Atmosphere
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 8 Troposphere p p Tropopause Stratosphere Stratopause Mesosphere Ionosphere Thermosphere Exosphere h

IT - B Troposphere
It is the lowest region of atmosphere up to a height of 8 to 10 km Differential heating, temperature inversion s and convection currents Most imp zone for living organisms because of important climatic M ti f li i i b f i t t li ti events such as Cloud formation Lightening Thundering Thunder storm formation Contains 75% of atmospheric gases Temperature decreases with height Upper region of the troposphere has a narrow boundary called the tropopause which has a constant temperature.

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Stratosphere
Next to troposphere, about 30 km in height. p p , g Free from clouds and aeroplanes usually fly in its lower zone The temperature of stratosphere increases up to 90C Ionization of oxygen to ozone in Ozonosphere Absorbs ultraviolet & also a lot of the infra-red radiations

Mesosphere
40 km in height. Also known as the middle atmosphere In mesosphere, temperature shows again a decrease up to 80C Destruction of the meteors that fall on earth Upper layers of this zone form the mesopause
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Ionosphere
Up to height of about 300 km above earths surface Contains several layers of ionized air Gases undergo ionization , remain as ions. Ionosphere reflects short radio waves, useful for telecommunication l i i

Thermosphere
The hottest and thinnest region of the atmosphere. It derives much of its energy from photoionization Most thermally variable Day time temperatures can reach 1500C At night temperatures drop as much as 1000C.
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Exosphere
The exosphere is the outer fringe of earth s atmosphere and earths outer space begins after it. The air density is very low in this zone; hydrogen being y y y g g dominant element of it.

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IT - B Atmospheric composition

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Hydrosphere y p
Includes oceans, rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, pools, polar ice caps, caps water vapour, etc.. vapour etc three-fourth of the earths surface (75%) covered with water most unusual and imp. compounds found on earth p p Exists in solid, liquid and gaseous forms Life on earth began in the seas absolutely essential for all living forms marine environment and fresh water environment The oceans holding marine environment are two and one half times more extensive than land and provide over 300 times the living space

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Lithosphere
The Earth - cooled, spherical, solid planet The solid component of the Earth is called lithosphere. The lithosphere is multilayered, includes A. Core i. ii. ii Central fluid or vapourised sphere Diameter of about 2500 k Di t f b t kms

iii. Composed of Nickel-Iron. B. B Mantle i. ii. C. Crust i. ii. Outer most solid zone of the earth About 8 to 40 kms above the mantle
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Extends about 2900 kms above the core In molten state

iii. Complex and covered with soil

Soil Profile
A vertical section of earth crust up to the depth of 1.83 meter To study different layers or horizons of soil Soils have following four horizons i. ii. Organic or O-horizon mineral (A,B,C) horizons

iii. R-horizon

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1. O-horizon
i. ii. composed of fresh or partially decomposed organic material Mostly found in forest soils but not in cultivated soils and grasslands. and moisture conditions and contains most organic carbon.) iv. Abundance of life O1 (Aoo) region. Uppermost layer Consists of freshly-fallen dead leaves, branches, flowers and fruits, dead remains of animals, etc. No N much d h decaying can b observed i be b d O2 (Ao) region. Present below the O1 region Consists of partially decomposed organic matter
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iii. Contains humus (subjected to the greatest changes in soil temperatures

2. A-horizon
i. ii. Accumulation of organic matter, clay, iron and aluminium Development of organo-mineral complexes, g p g p granules, etc..

iii. Divided into following two sub-layers : A1 region Dark in colour & rich in organic matter Presence of humus (brown or black-coloured) A2 region Light-coloured region Presence of mineral particles of large size as sand (silica) Little amount of organic matter Also ll d l i l Al called eluvial zone or zone of leaching f l hi
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3. B-horizon. 3 Bh i
It lies below A-horizon Also ll d b il illuviation illuvial Al called sub-soil or ill i ti or ill i l zone Dark-coloured and coarse textured due to the presence of silica rich clay, organic compounds, aluminium iron etc. clay compounds aluminium, iron, etc

4. C-horizon.
Below B-horizon and above the weathered parent rock B horizon Light coloured horizon containing weathered parent material

5. R-horizon. 5 R horizon
The parent, unweathered bedrock. The percolated soil water is collected at the surface of the bedrock. bedrock
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Giant Isopod

Biosphere
The biological component of earth h bi l i l f h Include the lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere Includes all living organisms on earth, together with the earth dead organic matter produced by them. Exist in the zone 600 meters above earth s surface and earths 10,000 meters below sea level.

Skeleton Shrimp

Sandworm

Tubularia Flower

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Biosphere - Levels
Atom Molecule Macromolecule Organelle Cell Tissue Organ O F L E V E L S O R G A N I Z A T I O N Organ System Organism Population p Community Ecosystem Biome Biosphere
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Macromolecules

Protein

DNA

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Organelle

Mitochondria

Chloroplast

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The Cell

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Tissue

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Organ

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Organ System

Digestive system

Respiratory system
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Organism

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P o p u l a t i o n
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Community

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Ecosystem

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Biome

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B i o s p h e r e

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