ESE Flashcards
is the study of nature and the facts about environment.
Environmental science
cannot be solved by mere laws. Public
participation is an important aspect which serves the environmental prtection.
Environmental Pollution or problems
due to various environmental hazards is an important
topic for environmental engineers to recognise and understand in order to protect
human society and ecosystems from harms or damages at local, regional or global
scales.
Environmental risk
is a threat to life, health, property, or ecosystems, i.e., it involves
something that could potentially be harmful.
hazard
Combustion of Fossil fuels, industrial effluence, pesticides
heavy metals.
Chemical hazards
Radioactive and UV radiations, Global warming, Chlorofluro
carbons, Noise etc.
Physical hazards
Bacteria, Viruses, Parasites.
Biological hazards
Living organisms cannot be isolated from their non-living environment because the later provides materials and energy for the survival of the farmer. True or False?
True
is therefore defined as a natural functional ecological unit comprising of living organisms and their non-living environment that interact to
form a stable self supporting system.
ecosystem
defined as the capacity to do work.
Energy
For living organisms, it is the basic forceresponsible for
running all the metabolic activities. The flow of energy from producer level totop consumer level is called
energy flow.
The flow of energy in an ecosystem
unidirectional. It flows from producer level to consumer level and never in the reverse direction.
The main source of energy in the ecosystem is
sunlight
Because, sun is the first step in the production of energy for living things, it is called
“Primary
production”.
Chemical reaction where green plants use water & carbon dioxide to store the
sun’s energy in glucose.
Photosynthesis
is stored in glucose.
ENERGY
is stored as starch in plants.
Glucose
The energy contained within producers and consumers is ultimately passed to the
decomposers
Only About 2% of energy from the sun is used by green plants & rest remains
unutilized. True or False?
False, 1%
Plants by photosynthesis convert solar energy into
protoplasm.
“the transfer of energy and nutrients through a series of organisms with repeated process of eating and being eaten”.
Food chain
The food relationship between various organisms is being depicted by linking all the
possible prey and predators of different food level. In an ecosystem linking of feeding
habit relations will provide
a food web
is a graphical representation that shows the relative amounts of energy or matter contained within each tropic level in a food chain or food web.
”Ecological pyramid”
shows the relationship between consumers and producers at different tropic levels in an
ecosystem.
”Ecological pyramid”
Types of ecological
pyramids:
a) pyramid of numbers
b) pyramid of biomass
c) pyramid of energy
Shows the relative number of individual organisms at each tropic level.
PYRAMID OF NUMBERS
represents the total dry mass (in grams per square meter of area) of all the
organisms in each tropic level at a particular time.
PYRAMID OF BIOMASS
represents the rate of energy flow and/or productivity at successive tropic levels. The
pyramids of energy are always upright.
PYRAMID OF ENERGY
is crucial for all organisms.
Nitrogen
Read the following: always press 1 until you understand it properly.
1) Nitrogen Fixation Conversion of N2 → NH3 Combustion, volcanic action, Lightning, Industrial processes (making fertilizer). Bacteria (Azotobactor, Clostridium, Nostoc etc.)
2) Nitrification Conversion of NH3 → NO3 Soil bacteria convert in a two step process.
3) Assimilation Roots absorb NH3, NH4, or NO3 and incorporate them into nucleic acids and
protein.
4) Ammonification Amino acids and nucleotides are broken down into waste products NH3 or
NH4
5) Denitrification The reduction of NO3 to N2 .Denitrifying bacteria return some of the nitrogen
to the atmosphere
is the circulation of oxygen in various forms through nature free in the air and dissolved in
water.
Oxygen cycle
second only to nitrogen in abundance among uncombined elements in the atmosphere.
Oxygen
are the main oxygen generators of the biosphere;
water
enters plants, etc., as CO2 o Bacteria process carbon in a fashion that allows it to be recycled. o Obtain
energy from the molecules, and convert carbohydrates to carbon dioxide as a result of respiration.
Carbon
The only cycle that does not have a gaseous state.
PHOSPHOROUS CYCLE
Read the following: always press 1 until you understand it properly.
The only cycle that does not have a gaseous state.
Inorganic phosphate PO 3- is released from rocks and sediments through the action of erosion.
Soil PO4 3- is absorbed by plants and incorporated into nucleic acids, phospholipids and ATP.
Animals obtain most of their PO4 3- by consumption of other animals and from water.
PO4 3- is released to the soil again by decomposers.
o Dissolved PO4 3- gets absorbed by algae and aquatic plants.
o Decomposers break down waste and returns PO4 3- to sediments on the seabed.
o Some returns to terrestrial environment through geologic processes and via seabirds.
is defined as, “A change in the community in which new populations of organisms gradually replace existing ones”.
Ecological succession
Occurs where there is no soil, e.g. after a volcanic eruption or a glacial retreat.
Primary Succession:
Community development in the areas that were previously occupied by another
community.
Secondary Succession:
There are two types of ecological succession:
Primary Succession:
Secondary Succession:
is an area with a high density of trees.
A forest
In India, the forest cover is roughly ____ of the total land area.
19%
It provides numerous environmental services like; ( Give 5 )
Nutrient cycling Maintaining biodiversity Providing wildlife habitat Affecting rainfall patterns Regulating stream flow Storing water Reducing flooding Preventing soil erosion Reclaiming degraded land & many more....
Apart from environmental values, forest ecosystems have some traditional values as well.
Examples are:
▪ Fire Wood & Timber
▪ Fruits
▪ Gums
▪ Herbs & drugs
Biotic components
Producer Organisms
Consumers
Decomposers
In a forest, consumers are of three main types;
Primary Consumers
Secondary Consumers
Tertiary Consumer
In a forest, the producers are mainly trees.
Trees are of different kinds depending upon the type of forest developed in that climate.
Producer Organisms
These include wide variety of saprotrophic micro- organism like;
▪ Bacteria (Bacillus Sp., Clostridium sp., pseudomonas.
▪ Fungi (Aspergillus sp., Ganoderma sp., Fusarium.
▪ Actinomycetes (Streptomyces).
Decomposers
These include basic inorganic & organic compounds present in the soil & atmosphere. In addition dead organic debris
is also found littered in forests.
Abiotic components
are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous (non-woody) plants.
Grasslands
Grasslands are also called?
also called Greenswards
Grasslands occupy about ___ of the earth’s surface.
24%
In grassland, producers are mainly
grasses;
In a forest, the producers are mainly
trees
- These include wide variety of saprotrophic micro- organism like: Bacteria; Fungi; Actinomycetes
- They attract the dead or decayed bodies of organisms & thus decomposition takes place.
- Therefore, nutrients are released for reuse by producers.
Decomposers in grassland
Read the following: always press 1 until you understand it properly.
The various biotic components, representatives from the three functional groups, of a forest ecosystem are:
1) Producer Organisms
- In a forest, the producers are mainly trees.
- Trees are of different kinds depending upon the type of forest developed in that climate.
- Apart from trees, climbers, epiphytes, shrubs and ground vegetation.
- Dominant species of trees in major types of forest ecosystems are: Tectona grandis, Acer, Betula, Picea, Pine,
Cedrus.
2) Consumers
• In a forest, consumers are of three main types;
a) Primary Consumers
These are Herbivores which feed directly on producers.
Eg: • Ants, Beetles, Bugs, spiders etc. feeding on tree leaves.
• Larger animals such as Elephants, Deer, giraffe etc. grazing on shoots and/or fruits of trees.
b) Secondary Consumers
These are carnivores and feed on primary consumers.
Eg: Birds, Lizards, Frogs, Snakes and Foxes.
c) Tertiary Consumer
These are secondary carnivores and feed on secondary consumers. These include top carnivores like Lion, Tiger
3) Decomposers
• These include wide variety of saprotrophic micro- organism like;
▪ Bacteria (Bacillus Sp., Clostridium sp., pseudomonas.
▪ Fungi (Aspergillus sp., Ganoderma sp., Fusarium.
▪ Actinomycetes (Streptomyces).
- They attract the dead or decayed bodies of organisms & thus decomposition takes place.
- Therefore, nutrients are released for reuse.
Abiotic components
These include basic inorganic & organic compounds present in the soil & atmosphere. In addition dead organic debris
is also found littered in forests.
is a landscape or region that receives almost no precipitation.
A desert
are defined as areas with an average annual precipitation of less than 250
millimeters per year.
Deserts
It occupies about __ of the earth’s surface. (desert)
17%
Read the following: always press 1 until you understand it properly.
Biotic components
1) Producer Organisms
- In a desert, producers are mainly shrubs/bushes; some grasses & a few trees.
- Dominant plant species include: Succulents (water - retaining plants adapted to arid climate or soil conditions) &
hardy grasses.
• Besides some lower plants such as lichens & xerophytic mosses are also present.
2) Consumer Organisms
• These include animals such as insects, reptiles which are capable of living in xeric conditions
• Besides some nocturnal rodents, birds & some mammalians like camel etc are also found.
3) Decomposers
• Due to poor vegetation with very low amount of dead organic matter, decomposers are poor in desert ecosystem.
• The common decomposers are some bacteria & fungi, most of which are thermophillic.
Abiotic components
• Due to high temperature & very low rainfall, the organic substances are poorly present in the soil.
deal with biotic community present in water bodies.
Aquatic ecosystems
cover 0.8% of the Earth’s surface and contain 0.009% of its total water.
Freshwater ecosystems
is a place where living organisms not only live but interact with biotic &
abiotic components.
A pond
are often exposed to tremendous anthropogenic pressure which
significantly affects the system.
A pond
are usually big standing freshwater bodies.
Lakes
Lakes have a shallow water zone called ______
Littoral zone;
an open water zone where
effective penetration of solar light takes place, (Lakes)
limnetic zone
a deep
water zone where light penetration is negligible, (Lakes)
Profoundal zone
Read the following: always press 1 until you understand it properly.
Biotic components
1) Producer Organisms
It includes submerged, free floating and amphibious macrophytes (like; Hydrilla, Utricularia, Wolfia, Azolla, Typha
etc.) and minute floating and suspended lower phytoplanktons (like; Ulothrix, Spirogyra, Oedogonium etc.)
2) Consumer Organisms
a) Primary consumers: These are zooplanktons (ciliates, flagellates, other protozoan, small crustaceans) and
benthos.
b) Secondary consumers: These are carnivores like insects and fishes feeding on herbivores
c) Tertiary consumers: These are the large fishes feeding on small fishes.
3) Decomposers Micro – organisms like bacteria, fungi and actinomyctes.
Abiotic component
These are the inorganic as well as organic substances present in the bottom soil or dissolved in water. In addition, to
the minerals, some dead organic matter is also present.
are among the Earth’s aquatic ecosystems. They include:
Oceans, Estuaries and Lagoons, Mangroves and Coral reefs, the Deep sea and the
Sea floor.
Marine ecosystems
The salt concentration in an open sea is usually ____ Dominant ions are sodium & chloride.
3.5% (35 parts per thousand (ppt)).
Average temperature of Marine ecosystem
2-3 degree centigrade,
Read the following: always press 1 until you understand it properly.
Biotic components
1) Producers It includes phytoplanktons (diatoms, dinoflagillates), large seaweeds (mainly algae like chlorophyceae,
phaeophyceae & rhodophyceae; angiosperms like Ruppia, Zostera, posidonia ), and mangrove vegetation (like
Rhizophora, Carapa etc.)
2) Consumers
a) Primary consumers: These are herbivores and feed directly on producers (Crustaceans, Mollusks, fish etc.)
b) Secondary consumers: These are carnivorous fishes (Herring, Sahd and Mackerel)
c) Tertiary consumers: These are top carnivorous fishes (Cod, Haddock, etc.)
3) Decomposers These are micro – organisms like bacteria, fungi.
Abiotic components
High Na, Ca, Mg and K salt concentration, variable dissolved oxygen content, light & temperature make a unique
physiochemical conditions in marine water.
is the process of change in the species structure of an ecological community over time. The time scale can be decades (for example, after a wildfire), or even millions of years after a mass extinction.
Ecological succession
is a functional unit or a
system which comprises of soil, trees,
insects, animals, birds, and man as its
interacting units.
A forest ecosystem
is a large and
complex ecosystem and hence has greater
species diversity.
A forest
TYPES OF GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEM
TROPICAL GRASSLANDS MONTANE GRASSLANDS TEMPERATE GRASSLANDS FLOODED GRASSLANDS DESERT GRASSLANDS
are the ones which receive 50 cm to 130 cm rain. Furthermore, they have both rainy and dry days. As a result, they are warm all year round.
TROPICAL GRASSLANDS
means ‘ high altitude’ therefore these are the grasslands that are high altitude shrublands.
MONTANE GRASSLANDS
receive rainfall of the range 25 cm and 75 cm. Furthermore, the climate in the temperate grasslands makes it both dormant and growing.
TEMPERATE GRASSLANDS
having water all year- round. Furthermore, these grasslands contain numerous vegetation that grows in water.
FLOODED GRASSLANDS
the type of grasslands that
separates the true desert of
the lowlands and the
montane grasslands.
DESERT GRASSLANDS
kinds of desert
hot and dry desert
Coastal Deserts
Rain Shadow Deserts
Polar Desert
also known as arid deserts, the temperatures are warm and dry
year-round.
hot and dry desert
are found on coasts, where the land meets the ocean.
Coastal Deserts
is a patch of land that has been forced to become a desert because
mountain ranges blocked all plant-growing, rainy weather.
Rain Shadow Deserts
are a category of cold deserts whose precipitation occasionally occurs in
form of snow due to the limited moisture in the air and are localized to the polar regions of
the Earth.
Polar Desert
What do you think will happen if you
put a freshwater organism to a
saltwater environment?
Its Cells will lose water and get
dehydrated.
What do you think will happen if
you put a saltwater organism to a
freshwater environment?
Its Cells will gain water and swell.
– water that is either
drinkable or has little or no salt
content (usually less than 1%).
Freshwater
include
rivers and streams, lakes and ponds,
wetlands and even groundwater.
Freshwater Ecosystems-
It includes standing water bodies like ponds and lakes and is a home to both floating and rooted plants, algae and invertebrates. It can be divided into three zones based in depth and distance from the shoreline.
lentic ecosystem
These aquatic ecosystems are characterised by rapid flowing water moving in one direction. They are a hub of a wide variety of insects like beetles, mayflies and stoneflies, among others.
lotic ecosystem
lotic ecosystem can
also be divided into three
zones.
Source Zone
Transition Zone
Floodplain Zone
A cold, narrow and fast
moving zone that contains much
amount of oxygen but not as
productive as transition zone.
Source Zone
The middle part of the ecosystem that has a warmer, deeper, and gentler flow than the Source Zone. It has a lower amount of oxygen than the Source Zone but it is the most productive zone.
Transition Zone
It is characterized
by a very low dissolved oxygen level,
warm temperature, and with the
slower flow.
Floodplain Zone
significance of ecosystem
Controlling and moderating climate
Providing and renewing air,water and soil
Providing renewable and non
renewable energy sources
Furnishing people with food, fiber,
medicines, timber and paper
