Handbook of Environmental Science Volume-I: 1, #1

By NOHOCHEM SANGTAM

Handbook of Environmental Sciences-Complete Questions & Answers is specially developed for Candidate under Graduate and Post Graduate Students. The Book is also equally useful for the NTA-UGC NET JRF/SET/SLET (PAPER 2) and any country Services Competitive Examination if the basic environmental science is include in the syllabus. Based on the latest pattern and syllabus, the book will prove useful for the study, practice during precious moments before the examination especially in scope of Environmental science, Ecology, Biodiversity and pollution

• Language: English
• Publisher: Nohochem
• Release date: Jun 21, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393865971

NOHOCHEM SANGTAM

M.Sc, Chemistry, M.Sc Environmental Science (NTA-UGC NET) B.ED.PGDCA. Former Assistant Professor (Adhoc)  Higher Education, Government of Nagaland.India Presently, he is working as a TGT, under the Department of School Education, Government of Nagaland. E-Mail: [e-mail] Other Book by the same author 1. Cultural Tradition of India with reference to the Sangtam Naga 2017 2. Environmental Sciences Ecology & Biodiversity complete Questions and Answers ISBN-9798640818161 3.The Naga-Society: Case study on Sangtam Society and its impact on westernization  ISBN-13: 979-8640624045

Book preview

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

M.Sc, Chemistry, M.Sc Environmental Science (NTA-UGC NET) B.ED.PGDCA.

Former Assistant Professor (Adhoc)  Higher Education, Government College.India

Presently, he is working as a TGT, under the Department of School Education, Government of Nagaland.

E-Mail: [e-mail]

CHAPTER 1

FUNDAMENTAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

1.  WHAT IS ENVIRONMENTAL Science? What are the scope of Environmental science?

What are the objectives of environmental science? What is thr principle of environmental science?

Answer:  The word environment is derived from French Word"Environ; means to encircle or Surround.It is a composite word for the surrounding in which organism or group or organisms live.The environment consists of biotic and abiotic substances, i.e consists of air, water, soil, food, sunlight, temperature, PH etc.

So, one can defined environment as

"It is the sum of all social, economical, biological, physical or chemical factors which constitute all surroundings to men or living organism, who is both creator and modular of this environment".

As other organisms, man is also affected by environmental changes. These changes in environment may harm or benefit the man or other organisms living in it.

›  Environmental science is the branch of science that deals with the interaction of the physical, chemical and biological components of the environment and also their relationship and effects of these components with the organisms in the environment

›  Environmental science is the application of all fields of natural science toward solving environmental problems.

›  The environmental science study can understand how the natural world works, how we interact with the environment and also to  make us understand how we affect the environment.

›  Biology, Chemistry, Geology, physics, meteorology and many others disciplines are included in the environmental science.

›  Economic, sociology, education and mass communication do help in understanding the socio-economic aspects of environment.

›  Mathematics, statistics and computer science also help in modeling and management of environment.

›  The Environmental Science is a multidisciplinary science because it incorporates information and ideas from multiple disciplines.

›  it provides an integrated, quantitative, qualitative, and interdisciplinary approach to the study of environmental systems.

FIVE BASIC COMPONENTS of Environmental Science

It consists of multiple scientific fields and sciences to see how all interchange and relate with one another

Some fields and components of environmental science are

I. Atmospheric science:

›  Atmospheric science focus on the Earth’s atmosphere, with an emphasis upon its interaction to other systems.

›  Atmospheric sciences can include the studies of Meteorology, greenhouse gas phenomena, atmospheric dispersion, modeling of airborne contaminants, sound propagation phenomenon related to noise pollution, and even light pollution.

2.Geosciences:

›  Geosciences include environmental geology, environmental soil science, volcanic phenomena, and evolution of the Earth Crust’s and hydrology oceanography

3. Ecology

›  Ecology is the study of how living things interact with the physical environment

›  The distribution and abundance of organisms on Earth is shaped  by both Biotic and Abiotic components.

›  Ecology studies the six(6) main levels: Species/Individual, Population, community, ecosystem, Biome/Landscape and Biosphere.

›  Ecologists investigate the relationship between a population of organisms and some physical characteristics of their environment, such as concentration of a chemical; or to analyze the interaction between two populations of different organisms through some relationship such as (Symbiotic, Competition, Communalism, predator etc.)

4. Environmental Chemistry

›  It is the study of chemical reaction in the environment.

›  The main area of this branch is to study air pollution, water pollution, and soil pollution.

5. Toxicology

›  Toxicology studies the effects of chemicals that are harmful when consumed by organisms in relatively small amounts.

›  Toxicologist studied the effect of toxic chemicals, like Pesticides, Arsenic, Cadmium, Chromium, Lead, Mercury, chromium etc.

Scope of environmental science/Environmental Studies

›  The disciplines included in environmental education are environmental sciences, environmental engineering and environmental management.

A.  Environmental Sciences:- 

›  It deals with the scientific study of environmental system(air, water, soil and land) induced changes on organisms and the environmental damages incurred as a result of human interaction with the environment.

B. Environmental Engineering

›  It deals with the technical processes involved in the protection of environment from the potentially deleterious effects of human activity and improving the environmental quality for the health and well beings of human.

C. Environmental Management

›  It helps to promotes due regard for the physical, social and economic environment of the enterprise or project.

›  It encourages planned investment at the start of the production chain rather forced investment in cleaning up at the end.

Objectives of Environmental Science/Environmental Studies

A . Increase public awareness

B.  Provides knowledge of environmental issues

C.  Sensitizes individuals about the necessity of sustainable development.

D. Sensitization of students/schools as well as college on various environmental issues.

E. Creating environment awareness among masses

F. engagement of target groups in environment friendly action and thereby inculcation of proper attitude towards the environment and its conservation through community interaction.

According to UNESCO (1971), the objectives of environmental studies are:-

›  Creating the awareness about environmental problems among people

›  imparting basic knowledge about the environment and its allied problems

›  Developing an attitude of concern for the environment

›  Motivating public to participate in environment protection and environment improvement.

›  Acquiring skills to help the concerned individuals in identifying and solving environmental problems

›  Striving to attain harmony with nature.

Guiding Principle of Environmental Education

According to UNESCO, the guiding principles of environmental education should be as follows:-

›  Environmental education should be compulsory, right from the primary upto the post graduate stage.

›  Environmental education should have an interdisciplinary approach by including physical, chemical biological as well as socio-cultural aspects of the environment.

›  Environmental education should take into account the historical perspectives,the current and the potential historical issues

It should build a bridge between biology and technology.

›  Environmental education should emphasise the importance of sustainable development i.e.,economic development without degrading the environment.

›  Environmental education should emphasize the necessity of seeking international cooperation in environmental planning

›  Environmental education should lay more stress on practical activities and first hand experiences

2.  Write a  note on History of Environmental Impact and Movement.

Answer:  Introduction

›  Environmental history is always about human interaction with the natural world or, to put it in another way, it studies the interaction between culture and nature.

›  The principal goal of environmental history is to deepen our understanding of how humans has been affected by the natural environment in the past and also how they have affected that environment and with what results. This is called the bilateral approach of environmental history (Smout 1993: xiii.; Verstegen & van Zanden 1993: 11).

›  The most common definition of environmental history is as follows: environmental history is studying the interaction between humans and the environment in the past.

›  To study the relationships between humans and the surrounding world, we must try to understand how the interaction between the two works

›  Donald Worster has recognised three clusters of issues to be addressed by environmental historians (1988: 289-308).

›  The first cluster deals with the human intellectual realm consisting of perceptions, ethics, laws, myth and the other mental constructions related to the natural world.

›  Ideas about the world around us influence the way we deal with the natural environment. Here we enter the second level of issues to be studied: the level of the socio-economic realm.

›  Ideas have an impact on politics, policies and the economy through which ideas materialise in the natural world.

Justify

›  Since the beginning Earth and  even the human species, the massive environmental impact of humans is a very recent development.Indeed,our relationship with the environment has evolved as we and our technology have evolved.

›  Environmental Historian often identify four basic stages in the evolution. These stages are largely determined by the economic activity in which human engage using the technologies available. This activity, in turn, affects how human impact the environment.

1.  Hunting of Animals and Gathering:

›  Early humans were largely dependent on the environmental products, so they generally viewed it in adversarial terms.Weather; Predators, food shortage and disease were constant threats.

2. Agriculture and Conservationalism:

›  Second stages, the early people move from hunting and gathering to cultivating food is one of the most profound milestones in human evolution.

›  It allowed a great increase in population size and permitted people to settle down in large towns and cities.

›  But agriculture also had a major impact on the environment. People began to viewed land as a resources to be exploited wherever needed.

›  As land was cleared and cultivated, however,the wilderness vanished. Toward the end of the agriculture stage, the loss of wilderness became so great that alarmed citizens began conservations movements to set up preserves for the remaining wilderness.

›  Today many developing countries still have agricultural economics, and their vanishing wilderness, especially tropical rainforest, has stimulated the growth of conservationalism.

3.  Industry and Environmentalism

›  The Industrial Revolution, now also known as the First Industrial Revolution, was the transition to new manufacturing processes in Europe and the United States, in the period from about 1760 to sometime between 1820 and 1840.

›  As Nation industrialize, population grows faster, and the environment is perceived more and more as a place to dispose to the concentrated waste –by-products of industry.

›  The result is a rapid increase in the air and water pollution, as well as problems  with solid and hazardous waste disposal. Pesticides, depletion of the ozone layer and the enhanced greenhouse effect caused by human activity

›  Toward the end of the stage, pollution becomes so widespread that antipollution social movement start.

›  In many countries, these social movements began in the early 1960s to 1970s, when people talk about environmentalism. This antipopulation  movement is often what they mean.

›  Several early Books heralded this new awareness including

Silent Spring(1962) by Rachel Carson, which warned of Pesticides pollution

The Population Bomb(1986) by Paul Ehrlich;

The Limits to Growth(1972) by Donella H.Meadows and other

›  This affords and rising public concern led to the passage of landmark environmental legislation throughout the world.

4. Transiton

›  Although some forms of pollution have been reduced, many other environmental problems have increased.

›  In India for example, species of wildlife are becoming imperiled at increasing rates as habitat is destroyed.

›  Ground water contamination has worsened, and there are many thousands of hazardous and radioactive waste sites that will likely not be cleaned up for centuries.

›  Despite recycling and precycling efforts, the amount of solid waste produced per person continues to climb.

›  Globally, we see global warming, ozone depletion, and increasing species extinction as the greatest environmental threats to future generations.

›  Such problems are caused in large part by rapidly increasing population in developing countries, which lead to local food shortages and the loss of billons of  tons of soil to erosion each year.

›  We are currently in this fourth stage-the transition.

›  Environmental problems have become so widespread that they demand large-scale solution that involve many aspects of society.

5. Sustainability

›  Beginning in the early nineties, a Sustainablity movement has emerged to try to deal with these problems. Unlike conservation and antipopulation movements of the past, which emphasized specific problems, this movement seeks long-term coexistence with the environment.

›  Sustainability means meeting the needs of today without reducing the quality of life for future generations.

›  This includes not reducing the quality of the future environment.

›  Sustainability is achieved through sustainable (green) technologies that use renewable resources such as solar power and recycle many materials.

›  These technologies allow a sustainable economy that produces wealth and provides jobs for many human generations without degrading the environment.

›  The Sustainability movement uses some approaches not attempted by previous environmental movement.

›  Firstly approach focuses explicitly on trying to reduce society’s use of all resources. Emphasis is thus on input reduction,as opposed to end of pipe solution waste is viewed as a symptom, not a cause, of the environmental crisis

›  Second, the sustainability movement is more holistic. It realizes the necessity of addressing the social, and especially economy, causes environmental degradation.

3. Write are the Meteorological parameters?

Answer:

›  Meteorology different weather data from weather station, preparing synopsis from that data and predicting the weather for the future using different mathematical methods.is the branch of atmospheric science which deals with the study of different weather phenomena occurring in earth’s atmosphere. It includes collection of

The main meteorological parameters in this field are:

›  Wind speed and direction

›  Air temperature

›  Air pressure

›  Air humidity

›  Precipitation

›  Haze and contents of the air

›  Solar and terrestrial radiation

›  Temperature - is a physical property that underlies the common notions of hot and cold. Celsius scale is used for most temperature measuring purposes.

›  Relative humidity - The ratio of the vapor pressure to the saturation vapor pressure with respect to water. This quantity is alternatively defined by the World Meteorological Organization as the ratio of the mixing ratio to the saturation mixing ratio.

›  Water vapor mixing ratio - Mixing or humidity ratio is expressed as a ratio of water vapour mass  per kilogram of dry air, at a given pressure.

›  Precipitations - is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that is pulled down by gravity and deposited on the Earth's surface. The main forms of precipitation include rain, snow, ice pellets, and graupel. It occurs when the atmosphere,