Multidisciplinary Nature Of

Environmental Studies

Prepared by :- Guided By :-
Mr. Aniket B. Dode. Prof. K. N. Tarkase
M. Pharm 1st Year M. Pharm (QA)
(PQA - Sem II)
Roll No:02

Dr.V.V.P.F’s COLLEGE OF PHARMACY, AHMEDNAGAR

(2018-2019)

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 The term environment is derived from french word
‘ENVIRON’ which means encircle .
 So in other words everything that affects living organism
is called as environment .
Environmental science is called as Multidisciplinary as it
brings about an interaction between our natural world
( air, water, soil, and material) and living organism .

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Environmental study is an interdisciplinary study that utilizes
information from physical science and social science .

Component Of Environment

Abiotic Biotic

Climate Edaphic Producer Consumers Decomposers

Fig.1: Components of Environment

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 Segments of Environment

Atmosphere Hydrosphere Lightsphere Biosphere

Fig. 2: Segments of Environment

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 Conservation of nature and natural resources .

 Conservation/ protection of biological diversity .

 Control of environmental and human pollution.

 Social issues in relation to development and environment .

 Development of non- polluting renewable energy system

and provide new diamension to nature’s security .

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 Multidisciplinary nature of
environmental studies
 It utilizes information from different streams of
science to deal with various environmental
problems
Management Life Science
and
awarness

Environmental
Studies

Modelling
Physical
Physical
science Technology

Fig.3 Environmental Studies 6

Resources
Any thing which is useful for man or can be transformed
into a useful product or can be used to produce a useful
thing.

Natural Resources
Its defined as anything that we get from the environment
to fullfill our requirments and used without any
modification.
Ex: air ,water, land ,forest, minerals.

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Classification of natural environment
1. On the basis renewability

Renewable /Flow Non –Renewable Cyclic

Resources. /stock resources . Ex: Water can be
Ex: solar energy of Ex: Minerals, coal, regenerated by
the sun, oxygen in oil, natural gases. water cycle
air ,soil in forest .

Fig.4 Classification on the basis of renewability

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 2. On the basis of utility

Energy Raw Material

Ex . Solar Energy Ex. Iron, Sillca
Fossil Fuels ,Diamond ,Vegetable .

Fig .5: On the basis of utility

3. On the basis of origin

Biotic Abiotic
Ex. Green plants , Ex .Land , Water ,
Animals, Fungi etc. Air.

Fig.6: On the basis of origin

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Natural Resources and Associated Problem

The Natural Resources are as follows :

1.Forest Resources.

2.Water Resources.

3.Mineral Resources.

4.Energy Resources .

5.Land /Soil Resources.

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Forest Resources
Problems
Soil erosion ,loss of biodiversity , global warming ,
Floods, Drought.
 Causes
Deforestation and exessive use of forests , increased
population.
Solution
Reserve forests by saving trees ,more plantation, cantrol
birth rates to control over population.

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 Functions of forests
1. Protective function : protect against soil erosion,
floods, drought, noise, radiation.
2. Productive function: provide gum resins, medicine,
kattha , honey, pulp, bamboo, timber and fruits.
3. Regulative function : regulate level of oxygen ,carbon
dioxide, temperature, and water cycle.
4. Accessory function: regulate aesthetics , habitat for
wildlife and place for recreartion .

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Water Resources
 Water resources are sources of water that are useful

or potentially useful to humans.

 Uses of water include agricultural, industrial, household,
recreational and environmental activities.
 Virtually all of these human uses require fresh water.

 Water forms 60% of our body weight.

 Water is a renewable and limiting resource.

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 About three – fourth of earth’s surface is occupied by oceans.
 About 97% of the earth’s water is strong saline and
The rest 3% is freshwater.
 Pure, usable water on land is only 0.3%.

WATER DEPLETION
It is caused by over exploitation, excessive use and
unequal access to water among different social groups.
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Increasing population, intensive industrialization,
deforestation and
mismanagement of water resources have caused a crisis.

Conservation of Water
It is essential for the survival of mankind, plants and
animals.
This can be achieved by adopting the following
methods:
 Constructing dams and reservoirs to regulate
supply of water to the fields, as well as to enable
generating hydroelectricity.
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 Sewage should be treated and only the clear water should
be released into the rivers.
 Industrial wastes (effluents) should be treated to
prevent chemical and thermal pollution of fresh
water.
 Judicious use of water in our day-to-day life.
 Rainwater harvesting should be done by storing
rainwater and recharging groundwater.

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MINERALS RESOURCES
Minerals are naturally occurring, inorganic, crystalline
solids having a definite crystalline solids having a definite
chemical composition and characteristic .
physical properties.
 Minerals are exhaustible and nonrenewable.
 Minerals are relatively plentiful.
 Minerals are over used by industries.
 Disposal of minerals have negative effects
 on environment.
 Metallic minerals – e.g., iron, copper, silver, gold.
 Non-metallic minerals – e.g., sand, stone salt, phosphates.

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Use of Minerals
• The main uses of minerals are as follows:
• Development of industrial plants and machinery.
• Generation of energy e.g. coal, lignite, uranium.
• Construction, housing, settlements.
• Defence equipment weapons, armaments.
• Transportation means.

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 Soil Resources
 Arable land (from Latin arabilis, "able to be plowed”)is land
capable of being ploughed and used to grow crops.
 Land is among the most important natural resources.
 It covers up only 29% of the earth’s surface and all parts of
the land are not habitable.
 The uneven distribution of population indifferent parts of
the world is mainly due to varied characteristics of land and
climate.

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• Land degradation means:
1) Loss of natural fertility of soil because of loss of nutrients.
2) Less vegetation cover.
3) Changes in the characteristic of soil.
4) Pollution of water resources from the contamination of soil
through which water.
5)sweeps into ground or runoff to the water bodies.
6)Changes in climatic conditions because of unbalance created
in the environment.

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Causes of land degradation
 Deforestation.
Soil erosion by wind or water.
 Rainfall.
Industrialization.
Unsustainable Urban agricultural practices expansion.
Biotic Factor.

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 Ecosystem
 A biological community of interacting organisms and their
physical environment such as forest, grassland, desert etc.

 Biotic/ Abiotic components

 There is a great variety of ecosystems in existence, all of

them are characterized by general structural and
functional attributes

 Aquatic ecosystem, desert ecosystem.

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Classfication of Ecosystem

Fig no. 07 :Classification of Ecosystem 23

Structure of Ecosystem
• Inorganic- C,N,CO2.

• Organic- Carbohydrate, protein ,fat.

• Climate regimes- Temperature, moisture, light.

• Producers- Plants, algae.

• Macro consumer- Large animals.

• Micro consumer- Saprophytes, fungi.

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Functions
Nutrient cycle

Fig no. 08 :Nutrient Cycle .

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Food Chain
• The particular pathway of nutrient and energy movement
depends on which organism feeds on anther.
• Transfer of energy from source in plant through a series of
organisms by eating and being eaten, constitute the food
chain.
• At transfer a large portion of energy is lost in form of heat.
• Each step of food web is called tropic level.

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Trophic levels
A trophic level means a feeding level.
– First level – all producers.
– Second level – all herbivores.
– Third level – first level carnivores.
– Fourth level – second level carnivores.
– So on……..
• Energy and Nutrients passed through the ecosystem by
food chains and webs from lower trophic level to the
higher trophic level.

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• However, only 5% to 20% energy and nutrients
are transferred into higher trophic level
successfully.
• For this reason, first trophic level has the largest number
of organisms, and second trophic level is less than first
one; the third level is less than second level, and so on.

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Fig no 09 : Trophic level .
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• Producer utilize energy directly from sun and convert it to
biomass.
• Base of pyramid is made of first trophic level organism
(producers).
• Then Herbivores which eat on plants.
• Then Second trophic level organisms, carnivores.
• Then predators third trophic level.

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Fig no. 10: Ecological Energy Pyramid. 31
Conclusion
 Environmental science is called as Multidisciplinary as it
brings about an interaction between our natural world and
living organism .
 It deals with various environmental problems Associsted
with Life Sciences, Physical Science, Modling, technology
etc.
 There are various segments which are property of
environment which need be protected For their long term
conservation.
 Ecosystem is an important part of environmet which
describes the corelation between living and non living
things in environment. 32
References
Dr.Singh Y ,“Environmental Science”, New age
international (P) limited P. 101 -108.

Dwivedi A , Khabiya R ,“Environmental Science” , Tech-

Max publications, pune P. 1.1-1.44 & 2.1-2.23.

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A K

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