Environmental Studies - B Com Part I Syllabus - Maharaja Ganga Singh University, Bikaner(MGSU, Bikaner)

M.M. 100                                Duration: 2 hrs                                               Min. Marks: 36

Unit 1: The Multidisciplinary nature of environmental studies

•          Definition, scope and awareness
•          Need for public awareness.

Unit 2: Natural Resources:

•          Renewable and non-renewable resources
•          Natural resources and associated problems
•          Forest resources
•          Use and over-exploitation
•          Deforestation
•          Timber exploitation
•          Mining
•          Dams and their effects on forests and tribal people
•          Water resources
•          Use and over-utilization of surface and ground water
•          Floods
•          Drought
•          Conflicts over water
•          Dams-benefits and problems
•          Mineral resources
•          Use and exploitation
•          Environmental effects of extracting and using mineral resources
•          Food resources
•          World food problems
•          Changes caused by agriculture and overgrazing
•          Effects of modern agriculture
•          Fertilizer, Pesticide problems,
•          Water logging
•          Salinity

Energy resources:

•          Growing energy needs
•          Renewable and Non-renewable energy resources
•          Use of alternate energy resources

Land resources:

•          Land as a resource
•          Land degradation
•          Man induced Land slides
•          Soil erosion and desertification
•     Role of an individual in conservation of natural resources. Equitable use of resources for sustainable system.

Unit 3: Ecosystems:

•          Concept of an ecosystem
•          Structure and function of an ecosystem
•          Producers, consumers and decomposers
•          Energy flow in the ecosystem
•          Ecological succession
•          Food chains, food webs and ecological pyramids
•          Introduction, types, characteristic features, structure and function of the following ecosystem:
•          Forest ecosystem
•          Grassland ecosystem
•          Desert ecosystem
•          Aquatic ecosystems (ponds, streams, lakes, rivers, oceans, estuaries)

Unit 4: Biodiversity and its conservation:

•          Introduction, definition and diversity at genetic, species and ecosystem level
•          Bio-geographical classification of India
•          Value of biodiversity, consumptive use, productive use, social, ethical, aesthetic and option values
•          Bio-diversity at global, national and local levels
•          India as a mega-diversity nation
•          Hot-spots of biodiversity
•          Threats to biodiversity - habitat loss, poaching of wild life, man-wildlife conflicts
•          Endangered and endemic species of India
•          Conservation of biodiversity – In situ and Ex-situ conservation of biodiversity

Unit 5: Environmental Pollution:

•          Definition, Causes, effects and control measures of
•          Air pollution
•          Water pollution
•          Soil pollution
•          Marine pollution
•          Noise pollution
•          Thermal pollution
•          Nuclear hazards
•          Solid waste Management: Causes, effects and control measures of urban industrial wastes
•          Role of an individual in prevention of pollution
•          Disaster management: Flood, earthquake, cyclone and land slides

Unit 6: Social Issues and the Environment:

•          From unsustainable to sustainable development
•          Urban problems related to energy
•          Water conservation, rain water harvesting, water shed management
•          Settlement and rehabilitation of people, its problem of concerns
•          Environmental ethics- issues, and possible solutions, ozone layer depletion, nuclear accidents
•          Wasteland reclamation
•          Consumerism and waste products
•          Environmental protection Act
•           i.            Air (  ) Prevention and Control of Pollution Act
•           ii.            Wild life Protection Act
•          iii.            Forest Conservation Act
•          Issues involved in enforcement of environmental legislation
•          Public Awareness

Unit 7: Human Population and the Environment:

•          Population growth, variation among nations
•          Population explosion- Family Welfare Programme
•          Environment and Human health
•          Human Rights
•          Value Education
•          HIV/ AIDS
•          Women and Child Welfare
•          Role of Information Technology in Environment and human health

Field Work

•          Visit to a local area to document environmental assets- river / forest / grassland / hill/ mountain
•          Visit to local polluted site- Urban /Rural / Industrial /Agricultural
•          Study of common plants, insects, birds
•          Study of simple ecosystem- pond, river, hill slope, etc