ENS 101  -  Principles of Environmental Sciences   1+1 Syllabus 

Theory

Unit I: Introduction to Ecology and Environment

                Introduction – Ecology – Environment : components, segments (hydrosphere, atmosphere, lithosphere and biosphere) - Ecosystem concepts – Species, Population, Community and Succession, Species interaction – Energy efficiencies and Energy flow – Food chain, food web and ecological pyramids, cropping pattern

Unit II: Natural resources and Biodiversity

                Natural resources – Soil, Water, Air, Mineral, Energy, Forest resources; Bio diversity - importance, hot spots and conservation

Unit III: Environmental Pollution

                Pollution: Problems, types and sources – Soil, Water and Air pollution:  Sources, effects and control measures - Noise Pollution: Sources, effects and control measures - Radioactive, thermal and nuclear pollution - Global warming and climate change: GHG emission, GH effect, impact on environment and agriculture- mitigation strategies.

Unit IV: Solid and liquid waste management

                Types of wastes - Industrial wastes, Agricultural wastes, Domestic wastes and e wastes: Characteristics and Environmental Impact - Solid waste management techniques: Principles and practices. Waste water treatment Techniques – Physical, chemical and biological methods. Standards for waste water disposal.

Unit V: Environmental protection

                Global treaties, conventions – National and state level organizations: TNPCB, CPCB –– Environmental Laws and Acts – Environmental Education – CDM – Prevention of land degradation - Afforestation

Practical

Estimation of population indices of an agro-ecosystem – Diversity of flora and fauna in agricultural ecosystem - Laboratory safety and handling of chemicals and Glass wares - Characterization of waste water and collection & sampling methods - Estimation  of pH, EC and total Solids – Dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand- acidity, alkalinity, hardness, chlorides and sulfates - Visit to Common effluent treatment plant and degraded ecosystem (Orathupalayam dam) - Assessment of water quality indicators (bio-indicators - coli forms) - Treatment of waste water : Physical , chemical and biological methods – Monitoring Air Pollution – Solid waste management - Composting of various solid wastes using microorganisms and vermicomposting – Heavy metals in contaminated soil and water ecosystem.

Theory schedule

1.       Introduction to Ecology and Environment, Ecosystem concepts

2.       Species, Population, Community and Succession, Species interaction

3.       Energy efficiencies and Energy flow – Food chain, food web and ecological pyramids.

4.       Soil,  Water and Mineral resources

5.       Forest and Energy resources

6.       Bio diversity- importance, hot spots and conservation.

7.       Pollution : Problems, types and sources – Soil pollution  :  Sources, effects and control measures

8.       Water  pollution :  Sources, effects and control measures

9.       Mid Semester Examination

10.   Air pollution :  Sources, effects and control measures

11.   Noise Pollution: Sources, effects and control measures ; Radioactive, thermal and nuclear pollution.

12.   Global warming and climate change : GHG emission, GH effect, impact on environment and agriculture – mitigation strategies

13.   Types of wastes - Industrial wastes, Agricultural wastes, Domestic wastes and e wastes : Characteristics and Environmental Impact

14.   Solid waste management techniques: Principles and practices.

15.   Waste water treatment Techniques – Physical, chemical and biological methods. Standards for waste water disposal.

16.   Global treaties, conventions – National and state level organizations

17.   Environmental Laws and Acts – Environmental Education – CDM.

Practical schedule

1.       Estimation of population and its indices of species in an agro-ecosystem.

2.       Diversity of flora and fauna in agricultural ecosystem

3.       Laboratory safety and handling of chemicals and glass wares

4.       Characterization of waste water: Collection and sampling methods

5.       Estimation  of pH, EC and total Solids in waste water samples

6.       Estimation  of Dissolved oxygen and Biochemical oxygen demand in waste water samples

7.       Estimation  of Chemical oxygen demand in waste water samples

8.       Estimation  of acidity, alkalinity and hardness in waste water samples

9.       Estimation of chlorides and sulfates in waste water samples

10.   Visit to Common effluent treatment plant.

11.   Visit to degraded ecosystem (Orathupalayam dam) and Environmental Impact assessment

12.   Assessment of water quality indicators (bio-indicators - coli forms)

13.   Treatment of waste waters : Physical , chemical and biological methods

14.   Monitoring Air Pollution and methods

15.   Solid waste management - Composting of various solid wastes using microorganisms and vermicomposting

16.   Estimation of Heavy metals in contaminated soil and water ecosystem

17.   Final Practical Examination

References

1.     Balakrishnamoorty 2005. Environmental Management .Prentice- Hall of India Private Ltd. New Delhi.

2.      P.D. Sharma, 2009, Ecology and Environment, Rastogi Publications, Meerat, India

3.      William P. Cunningham and Mary ann Cunningham, 2007. Principles of Environmental Sciences, Tata McGraw hill Publishing company, New Delhi.

4.       Stanley E. Manahan. 1997. Environmental Science and Technology. Lewis Publishers New York.

5.  Sharma P.D. 2006.Environmental Microbiology. Narosa Publishers, New Delhi.

Journals

1. Environmental science and pollution research (Elsevier publication)
2. Journal of environmental management (Elsevier publication)
3. Indian Journal of Environmental Health

Web resources

1.       www.envfor.nic.in

2.       www.epa.org

3.       www.ndtv.com (pollution watch)

4.       www.epa.nsw.gov.auhttp://umbbd.ahc.umn.edu/bsd/index.html

5.       www.geocities.com/hotspur311

6.       http://faculty.rio.edu/lindas/essyl.html