Environmental Biology Lecture 1 Introduction Scope and pressure

Environmental Biology

Lecture #1 Introduction Scope and pressure

Introduction to Environmental Biology • Environmental Biology: • The branch of biology concerned with the relations between organisms and their environment. bionomics, ecology. biological science, biology - the science that studies living organisms. • Environmental biology studies: • The branch of Study concerned with environmental issues. It has a broader coverage than environment science and includes the social aspects of the environment”.

Definition of Environment • The word environment is derived from French word “ environ” which means surrounding or enveloping. • All the factors such as physical, geographical, chemical, biological, and ecological which affects human life and its existence on this planet are called environment. • The environment includes earth, lakes, forests, farms, vegetation and other biological life such as animals, plants, bacteria and microorganisms etc.

Components of Environment • Biotic environment includes all living organisms and biological life such as animals, birds, forests, reptiles, insects, bacteria and micro- organisms like algae, fungus etc. • Abiotic environment includes all non-living components such as land, mountains, rivers, air, water, temperature, humidity, water vapour, sand, dust, clouds etc.

Components of Environment • Atmosphere: The region surrounding the earth is known as atmosphere. Atmosphere is generally a mixture of gases surrounding the earth. • Hydrosphere: All the water bodies on the earth surface are included in hydrosphere. It includes Oceans, rivers, glaciers, lakes, ponds, etc. • Lithosphere: The uppermost part of the earth crust is known as Lithosphere includes, soil and its particles, rocks, metal. etc. • Biosphere The life supporting mantle of the earth extending from few kilometer into the atmosphere to the deep ocean is known as Biosphere The region of the earth where life exist is known as Biosphere. oceans, rivers, glaciers, lakes, ponds, etc.

Scope of Environmental. Biology • Our surrounding includes forest, combination of these elements. rivers, mountains, desert, or a • Most of us live in landscapes that have been heavily modified by the human beings in villages, towns and cities. • But even those of us who live in cities get our food supply from surrounding villages. • We use water to drink and other day to day activities, we breath air, we use resources from which food is made. • Our dependence on nature is so great that we cannot continue to live without protecting the earths environmental resources.

Conti. • Environment is not a single subject. It is an integration of several subjects that includes both science and social science. To understand all the different aspects of our environment we need to understand biology, chemistry, physics, geography, resources management, economics and population issue. Thus the scope of environmental studies is extremely wide and covers some aspects of nearly every major discipline. • We will in a world in which natural resources are limited. Water, air, soil, minerals, oils, the product we get from the forests, grasslands, oceans, and from agriculture and from livestock are all the part of our life support system. Without them life it self will be impossible.

Objectives of Environmental biology Awareness: To help individuals and social groups to acquire basic awareness of and sensitivity towards the environment & its related problem. Knowledge: To help individuals and social groups to acquire basic understanding of the environment, its associated problems and their responsible role towards the betterment of the environment. Attitude To help individuals and social groups to acquire social values, strong feeling of concern for the environment and the motivation for actively participating in its protection and improvement.

Continue Evaluation ability: To help individuals and social groups to evaluate environmental measures and education program in terms of ecological, political, economical, social, aesthetic and education factors. Participation To help individuals and social groups to develop a sense of responsibility and urgency regarding environmental problems to ensure appropriate action to solve those problems.

Environmental Pressure A variety of environmental problems now affect our world. As globalization continues and the earth's processes transform local problems into international few societies are being left untouched by environmental problems. entire natural issues, major Some of the largest problems now affecting the world are: Acid Rain, Air Pollution, Global Warming, Hazardous Waster, Ozone Depletion, Smog, Water Pollution, Overpopulation, and Rain Forest Destruction.