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Environmental Science – Question Bank
(Journal Submission)
Topic 1: Natural Resources
1. What is a natural resource? State the difference between natural resources and man-
made
resources.
A. A material or substance occurring in nature which can be exploited for economic gain. A
natural resource occurs naturally on the earth while manmade resources are manufactured
by man by using natural resources. For example. Air is a natural resource while technology is
a man-made resource.
2. Elaborate types of natural resources.
A. Natural resources can be classified into biotic and abiotic resources and renewable and
non-renewable resources.
3. Write a note on conservation of natural resources.
A. Natural resources are resources which are naturally available on the earth. They are
indispensable part of our life. Natural resources include air, water, sunlight, coal, petroleum,
natural gas etc. Over the years, man has exploited these resources for his own selfish use
and that has led to a exponential depletion of these resources. Conservation of these
resources is necessary to ensure their abundance in future years. If not used judiciously,
these resources may create an imbalance in the environment. Global warming is the most
prominent change in the environment caused by the
4. State the issues related to natural resources in India.
A. Air pollution, poor management of waste, growing water scarcity, falling groundwater
tables, water pollution, preservation and quality of forests, biodiversity loss, and land/soil
degradation are some of the major environmental issues India faces today.
5. Explain the environment friendly natural materials used in Architecture, in India.
A. Bamboo is one of the most environmentally friendly material used for construction in
India. It has a high growth rate, more compressive strength than concrete and brick and lasts
incredibly long. Straw and hay are also used for construction in rural areas, they are
environment friendly and also free of cost. Wood is the most commonly used material for
construction in India. It has good strength.
Topic 2: Eco – Systems
1. What is an ecosystem? Explain all the allied terms w.r.t an ecosystem.
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A. An organism is any individual contiguous system that embodies the properties of life. The
term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an
area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. Biodiversity is the
biological variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the
genetic, species, and ecosystem level. An ecosystem is a community of living organisms in
conjunction with the non-living components of their environment. The biosphere, also known as
the ecosphere, is the worldwide sum of all ecosystems. It can also be termed the zone of life on
Earth
2. Explain the following eco-systems in India, with examples and sketches
• Forest Ecosystem
A forest ecosystem describes the community of plants, animals, microbes and all other
organisms in interaction with the chemical and physical features of their environment:
Specifically, a terrestrial environment dominated by trees growing in a closed canopy — a
forest, in other words. For example: The Amazon rainforest of South America.
• Grassland Ecosystem
Grassland Ecosystem is an area where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other
herbaceous (non-woody) plants. It is also called transitional landscape because grassland
ecosystems are dominated by the grass with few or no trees in the area where there is not
enough for a forest and too much of a forest. 'Chaurs' of the Himalayan foothills; 'Terai'
grasslands on the Gangetic and the Brahmaputra floodplains, are some examples of Indian
grasslands. Eurasian steppes, North American prairies, and Argentine pampas are some
other examples.
• Riverine Ecosystem
Riverine ecosystem, also called lotic ecosystem, any spring, stream, or river viewed as an
ecosystem. The waters are flowing (lotic) and exhibit a longitudinal gradation in
temperatures, concentration of dissolved material, turbidity, and atmospheric gases, from
the source to the mouth. There are two major zones: rapids, shallow water where currents
are strong enough to keep the bottom clear and firm; and pools, deeper waters where
currents are reduced and silt and other debris collect on the bottom. Each zone has its
specially adapted life forms. Example: The Ganges, Nile
• Estuarine Ecosystem
An estuary is a partially enclosed body of water, and its surrounding coastal habitats, where
salt water from the ocean typically mixes with fresh water from rivers or streams. They are
classified by the geology that defines them or the way in which water circulates throughout
them. The habitats that surround an estuary as well as the populations of plants and animals
that inhabit them are specially adapted. Other examples of estuaries include the Hudson
River in New York, Seine River in France.
• Dessert Ecosystem
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Intense solar radiation, lashing winds, and little moisture i.e. less than 10 inches (25 cm) of
rainfall create some of the harshest living condition in the biosphere called hot desert. For
example: Sahara Desert,
• Wetland Ecosystem
Wetlands can be found throughout the world, in areas intersecting bodies of water and land.
Their defining characteristic is the water they receive. A wetland can take many forms. Some
types of wetlands include marshes, fens, bogs, riparian wetlands, swamps and estuaries. The
Indian side of the Sundarbans is the largest wetland in India.
• Marine Ecosystem
Marine ecosystems are aquatic environments with high levels of dissolved salt. These
include the open ocean, the deep-sea ocean, and coastal marine ecosystems, each of which
have different physical and biological characteristics. Examples of marine ecosystem include
Indian ocean, Pacific Ocean.
3. Write a note on ecosystem conservation.
Ecosystem conservation considers entire communities of species as well as their interactions
with the physical environment and aims to develop integrated plans involving wildlife,
physical resources, and sustainable use.
4. Explain the components of an ecosystem
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An ecosystem can be categorized into its abiotic constituents, including minerals, climate,
soil, water, sunlight, and all other non-living elements, and its biotic constituents, consisting
of all its living members. Linking these constituents together are two major forces: the flow
of energy through the ecosystem, and the cycling of nutrients within the ecosystem. The
fundamental source of energy in almost all ecosystems is radiant energy from the Sun. The
energy of sunlight is used by the ecosystem’s autotrophic, or self-sustaining, organisms.
The autotrophs use the energy stored within the simple carbohydrates to produce the more
complex organic compounds, such as proteins, lipids, and starches, that maintain the
organisms’ life processes. The autotrophic segment of the ecosystem is commonly referred
to as the producer level. Organic matter generated by autotrophs directly or indirectly
sustains heterotrophic organisms. Heterotrophs are the consumers of the ecosystem; they
cannot make their own food.
Topic 3: Bio-Diversity and its conservation
1. Explain the definition of Bio-Diversity with examples
A. Biodiversity is the biological variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure
of variation at the genetic, species, and ecosystem level. Biodiversity is often recognized by
species—a group of individual living organisms that can interbreed. Examples of species
include blue whales, white-tailed deer, white pine trees, sunflowers, and microscopic
bacteria that can't even be seen by the naked eye.
2. State the issues related to biodiversity in India.
A. 1. Habitat Fragmentation 2. Introduced Species 3. Overexploitation of Plant and Animal
Species 4. Pollution of Soil, Water and Atmosphere 5. Global Climate Change 6. Ignorance about
Species and Ecosystems and Loss of Traditional Knowledge 7. Unplanned Development 8.
Economic Systems and Policies and Others.
3. Explain the role of architects in conserving the biodiversity and responding to the
same.
A. We as architects are closely related to the environment as the buildings, we design directly
impact it. Architects impact upon biodiversity in five main ways:
Decisions regarding roofs, walls, landscape
Materials used in construction- their sourcing, assembly and disposal
Resources needed to sustain buildings in use (energy, water etc)
Adverse effects of buildings in terms of air and water pollution
Conservation and rehabilitation of existing structures.
We should be well aware of the existing environmental issues so we can take informed design
decisions, and ensure that our designs are as environment responsive as possible.
4. Give any one example of a type of a biodiverse area in India and elaborate in detail.
A. The Western Ghats aka Sahyadri is a mountain range that covers an area of 160,000 km2
(62,000 sq. mi) in a stretch of 1,600 km (990 mi) parallel to the western coast of the Indian
peninsula, traversing the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, and
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Gujarat. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the eight hotspots of biological
diversity in the world. It is sometimes called the Great Escarpment of India. It contains a
very large proportion of the country's flora and fauna, many of which are only found in
India and nowhere else in the world. According to UNESCO, the Western Ghats are older
than the Himalayas. They influence Indian monsoon weather patterns by intercepting the
rain-laden monsoon winds that sweep in from the south-west during late summer. The
range runs north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, and separates the
plateau from a narrow coastal plain, called Konkan, along the Arabian Sea. A total of thirty-
nine areas in the Western Ghats, including national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserve
forests, were designated as world heritage sites in 2012 – twenty in Kerala, ten in
Karnataka, six in Tamil Nadu and four in Maharashtra.
5. Explain the need of conservation of biodiversity.
The variety in life existing on the earth, their interrelationships, and their relationships with the
environment is referred to as biodiversity. Biodiversity boosts ecosystem productivity where
each species, no matter how small, all have an important role to play. A larger number of plant
species means a greater variety of crops. Greater species diversity ensures natural sustainability
for all life forms. We should conserve biodiversity so as to maintain the food chain. The
disturbance in the food chain may affect the whole ecosystem.
Topic 4: Environmental Pollution
1. Which are the three laws related to environmental pollution? Explain each law in
detail.
2. What causes environmental pollution and state need for environmental law?
A. Pollution occurs when the natural environment cannot destroy an element
without creating harm or damage to itself. The elements involved are not produced
by nature, and the destroying process can vary from a few days to thousands of
years. This occurs due to the incorrect disposal of waste. Residential, commercial
and industrial waste is not processed properly and hence gets dumped near
riverbeds, barren land etc. Environmental laws are necessary to try and reduce the
improper disposal of waste and it is the first step towards conservation of nature
and towards a cleaner India
3. What is environmental pollution and its types?
Pollution occurs when the natural environment cannot destroy an element without
creating harm or damage to itself. The different types of pollution are: Water
pollution, Land pollution, air pollution, radioactive pollution, noise pollution, light
pollution.
4. Explain the noise standards prescribed by the government of India and the SPCBs.
Permissible noise level in India
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In industrial areas, the permissible limit is 75 dB for daytime and 70 dB at night. In
commercial areas, it is 65 dB and 55 dB, while in residential areas it is 55 dB and 45
dB during daytime and night respectively. There are State Pollution Control Boards
at various state capitals of the country to advise respective state governments to
control and protect environment. Till 1989 all except the states of Manipur,
Mizoram, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim have their SPCBs. All SPCBs look
after the interest of the respective states where they function. They implement the
directives from CPCB and all Acts which are enacted from time to time. The SPCB has
also branches at different towns in the states.
Topic 5: Environmental Legislation and Social aspects of environment
1. Which are the environmental laws related to wildlife? Explain in detail.
The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980: The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 an Act of
the Parliament of India to provide for the conservation of forests and for matters
connected therewith or ancillary or incidental thereto. It was further amended in
1988.[1] This law extends to the whole of India. It was enacted by Parliament of
India to control further deforestation of Forest Areas in India. The act came into
force on 25 October 1980. It has five sections.
The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: The Wild Life Protection Act, 1972 is an Act of
the Parliament of India enacted for protection of plants and animal species. Before
1972, India had only five designated national parks. Among other reforms, the Act
established schedules of protected plant and animal species; hunting or harvesting
these species was largely outlawed. The Act provides for the protection of wild
animals, birds and plants; and for matters connected there with or ancillary or
incidental thereto. It extends to the whole of India.
The Indian Forest Act, 1927: The Indian Forest Act, 1927 was largely based on
previous Indian Forest Acts implemented under the British. The most famous one
was the Indian Forest Act of 1878. Both the 1878 act and the 1927 act sought to
consolidate and reserve the areas having forest cover, or significant wildlife, to
regulate movement and transit of forest produce, and duty leviable on timber and
other forest produce. It also defines the procedure to be followed for declaring an
area to be a Reserved Forest, a Protected Forest or a Village Forest. It defines what
is a forest offence, what are the acts prohibited inside a Reserved Forest, and
penalties leviable on violation of the provisions of the Act.
2. What is environmental legislation and why is it required to protect the wildlife?
Explain with any one example.
3. Write history and salient features of environment protection act in India.
This act was enacted by the Parliament of India in 1986. This was due to Bhopal Gas Tragedy
which was considered as the worst industrial tragedy in India. It has 26 sections and 4
chapters. The purpose of the Act is to implement the decisions of the United Nations
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Conference on the Human Environment. They relate to the protection and improvement of
the human environment and the prevention of hazards to human beings, other living
creatures, plants and property. The Act is an “umbrella” legislation designed to provide a
framework for central government coordination of the activities of various central and state
authorities established under previous laws, such as the Water Act and the Air Act.
4. Write short note on CPCB, MOEF.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) of India is a statutory organisation under the
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (Mo.E.F.C.C.). It was established in 1974
under the Water (Prevention and Control of pollution) Act, 1974. The CPCB is also entrusted
with the powers and functions under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
It serves as a field formation and also provides technical services to the Ministry of
Environment and Forests under the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. It
Co-ordinates the activities of the State Pollution Control Boards by providing technical
assistance and guidance and also resolves disputes among them. It is the apex organisation
in country in the field of pollution control, as a technical wing of MoEFCC. The board is led by
its Chairperson appointed by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet of the
Government of India. The current acting chairman is Shri Shiv Das Meena and the Member
Secretary is Dr. Prashant Gargava.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is an Indian government
ministry. The ministry portfolio is currently held by Prakash Javadekar, Union Minister of
Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The ministry is responsible for planning,
promoting, coordinating, and overseeing the implementation of environmental and forestry
programmes in the country. The main activities undertaken by the ministry include
conservation and survey of the flora of India and fauna of India, forests and other wilderness
areas; prevention and control of pollution; afforestation, and land degradation mitigation. It
is responsible for the administration of the 1947 national parks of India. The Ministry of
Environment, Forest and Climate Change is the cadre controlling authority of the Indian
Forest Service (IFS), one of the three All India Services.
Topic 6: Environment Friendly Buildings
1. What are the components of environment friendly buildings?
a. Materials for Green Building
Materials for a green building are obtained from natural, renewable sources that
have been managed and harvested in a sustainable way; or they are obtained locally
to reduce the embedded energy costs of transportation; or salvaged from reclaimed
materials at nearby sites. Materials are assessed using green specifications that look
at their Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) in terms of their embodied energy, durability,
recycled content, waste minimisation, and their ability to be reused or recycled.
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b. Energy Systems in Green Buildings
Passive solar design will dramatically reduce the heating and cooling costs of a
building, as will high levels of insulation and energy-efficient windows. Natural
daylight design reduces a building’s electricity needs, and improves people’s health
and productivity. Green buildings also incorporate energy-efficient lighting, low
energy appliances, and renewable energy technologies such as wind turbines and
solar panels. Passive solar design uses sunshine to heat, cool and light homes and
other buildings without mechanical or electrical devices. It is usually part of the
design of the building itself, using certain materials and placement of windows or
skylights.
c. Water Management in Green Building
Minimising water use is achieved by installing greywater and rainwater catchment
systems that recycle water for irrigation or toilet flushing; water-efficient appliances,
such as low flow showerheads, self-closing or spray taps; low-flush toilets, or
waterless composting toilets. Installing point of use hot water systems and lagging
pipes saves on water heating. Using non-toxic materials and products will improve
indoor air quality, and reduce the rate of asthma, allergy and sick building syndrome.
These materials are emission-free, have low or no VOC content, and are moisture
resistant to deter moulds, spores and other microbes.
2. What the different criteria for environmental clearance.
3. Explain the concept of ‘Green Building’ and ‘Green Rating Systems’.
A green building is a building which is designed with environmentally friendly components.
Systems like rainwater harvesting, passive design strategies and solar panels are used to
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reduce the carbon footprint of the building and reduce energy consumption. A green
building rating system is a tool that evaluates the performance of a building and its impact
on the environment. It comprises a predefined set of criteria relating to the design,
construction, and operations of green buildings.
