A Text Book of Environmental Science

Contents: Preface. 1. Nature  of environmental studies: a multidisciplinary subject. 2. Natural resources. 3. Forest resources. 4. Water resources. 5. Mineral resources. 6. Energy and food resources. 7. Land resources. 8. Ecosystem. 9. Ecological succession. 10. Biodiversity and its conservation. 11. Environmental pollution. 12. Diaster management. 13. Social issues and the environment. 14. Acts and laws. 15. Human population and environment. 16. Field work. Questions for revision. Glossary. Suggested readings.

"This book has been organized according to the UGC prescribed syllabus of environmental studies for under graduate students of all disciplines. The entire book has been divided into eight units as has been given in the UGC syllabus, and each units has further divided into different chapters.

Unit one has been discussed in chapter one of the book, which deals with the multidisciplinary nature of environment, various definitions of environment, branches of ecology, and scope and importance of ecology. Unit two has been divided into 6 chapters. Chapters two deals with definitions of natural resources, renewable and non-renewable resources and their conservation. Chapter 3 to 7 deal with forest resources, water resources, mineral resources, energy and food resources and land resources, their use and over-exploitation and methods of their conservation. Unit three has two chapters, chapter eight deals about the concept of ecosystem its structure and function, producers, consumers and decomposers. Energy flow in the ecosystem and different types of ecosystems their structure and functions have been discussed in this chapter. Chapter nine is about the ecological succession and its importance. Unit four has one chapter, chapter ten, which is devoted to the subject of biodiversity and its conservation. Unit five is discussed in chapter eleven and twelve. Chapter 11 deals with different types of pollutions their causes, effects and control. It also deals with the role of individuals in prevention of pollution and pollution case studies. Chapter twelve covers natural disasters and their management particularly with reference to India. Unit six has been divided into two chapters. Chapter 13 deals with various social issues and the environment, while chapter 14 deals with various acts, which have been discussed very briefly. Unit seven is discussed in chapter 15 which included issues related with human population and the environment. Unit 8 of the syllabus is covered under chapter 16 of this book. A guideline has been prepared for the students to perform their field studies and to observe various assets in the environment and study common plants, insects and birds." (jacket)