INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

Definitions

The term environment is derived from a French word environner which means‘surrounding’. It refers to an aggregate of all conditions that affect the existence, growth, and welfare of an organism or a group of organisms.  The term may be defined in a number of ways.

Environment is the sum total of all social, economical, biological, physical, and chemical factors which constitute the surroundings of  humans, who are both creators and

moulders of the environment.

 

Environment is the sum total of influences which modify and determine the development of life and its associated characteristics.

Types of Environment

Natural Environment

It includes components such as air, water, soil, land,forest, wildlife,flora, fauna, etc

The natural environment on Earth is divided into the following four realms:

 

• Mesosphere

• Biosphere

• Lithosphere

• Hydrospher

Anthropogenic Environment

It includes components that have been introduced by human   beings depending on their needs and requirements.

Components of Environment

The components of environment are broadly

classified as abiotic and biotic components.

 

Abiotic or non-living components of environment include all the physical and chemical factors that influence living organisms. Examples of abiotic components are air, water, soil, rocks, etc.

 

Biotic or living components are the living components of environment and include microbes, plants, animals, and human beings.

 

Environmental Studies

Environmental Studies refers to the study of the environment. It is not restricted to the point of view of one particular discipline but involves all disciplines that may affect the environment in any possible way. It involves the study and understanding of the fact that even a single phenomenon can affect the environment in a variety of ways with varying degrees of complexity, and each of these effects can be understood from different perspectives rooted in different disciplines.

Scope of Environmental Studies

•Ecosystem structure and function

•Natural resource conservation

•Environmental pollution control

•Environmental management

•Environmental impact assessment

•Research and development

•Social development

•Forest management

•Environmental consulting firms

•Environmental journalism

•Environmentalists

 

Importance of Environmental Studies

•Environmental Studies is useful in checking environmental pollution

•It helps in maintaining ecological balance.

•It helps to gain skills to assess the environmental impact of  human activities.

•It gives us basic knowledge of environment and associated problems.

•It helps to achieve sustainable development

•It helps to educate people regarding their duties towards the protection of environment.