Environmental Studies

1. Environment and Current Issues
1.1 Ecosystem: Structure and function of ecosystem, Energy flow in an ecosystem
1.2 Food chains, food webs, and ecological succession.
1.3 Current Environmental Issues: Environmental pollution, climate change, global warming, ozone layer depletion, and acid rain.
1.4 Interdisciplinary nature of environmental studies and Concept of sustainable development.

2. Natural Resources and Biodiversity Conservation
2.1 Land resources and land use change: Land degradation, soil erosion and desertification. Causes and impacts due to development projects on environment, biodiversity and tribal populations.
2.2 Water: Use and over-exploitation of surface and ground water, floods, droughts, and conflicts over water. Energy resources: Renewable and non-renewable energy sources, use of alternate energy sources, growing energy needs.
2.3 Biodiversity: India as a mega-biodiversity nation, Endangered and endemic species of India. Threats to biodiversity.
2.4 Ecosystem and biodiversity services: Ecological, economic, social, ethical, aesthetic, and informational value.
2.5 Conservation of biodiversity: In-situ and Ex-situ conservation of biodiversity.

3. Environmental Pollution and Policies
3.1 Environmental pollution: Causes, effects and controls of air, water, soil and noise pollution.
3.2 Nuclear hazards and human health risks.
3.3 Solid waste management: Control measures of urban and industrial waste.
3.4 Environment legislations: Environment Protection Act, Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, Water (Prevention and control of Pollution) Act, Wildlife Protection Act, Forest Conservation Act.
3.5 International agreements: Montreal and Kyoto protocols and Convention on Biological Diversity.

4. Human Communities and Environment
4.1 Human population growth: Impacts on environment, human health and welfare. Resettlement and rehabilitation of project affected persons, case studies.
4.2 Disaster management: floods, earthquakes, cyclones and landslides.
4.3 Environmental movements: Chipko, Silent valley, and Bishnois of Rajasthan.
4.4 Environmental ethics: Role of Indian and other religions and cultures in environmental conservation. Environmental communication and public awareness, case studies.