Course Description
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1. Multidisciplinary nature of environmental studies:
General description of the course; Main environmental issues; potential climate change impact; Global organizations; IPCC reports
2. Natural Resources:
General description of the renewable and non-renewable resources; forest resources, water resources, mineral and land resources;rocks and minerals; influence of the mankind activities in the environment, deforestation, desertification, drought, land use – land cover changes; solar radiation, solar spectrum, solar energy and radiation distribution in the earth’s surface.
3. Ecosystems:
Concept, structure and function of ecosystems; Bio-geochemical cycles; ecological succession, producers, consumers; food chains; Forest, marine, aquatic, grassland ecosystems; global deserts.
4. Biodiversity:
Life in the earth; Biodiversity classification, hot spots; Bio-geographical classification of India, relation between climate and biodiversity; threats to biodiversity
5. Environmental Pollution:
Earth’s atmosphere, air-gas pollutants; air-gas emissions over the globe, future scenarios; atmospheric aerosols over India, Atmospheric Brownish Clouds; soil-water-marine pollution; noise-thermal-nuclear pollution; solid waste management, pollution prevention; Natural Hazards and disasters.
6. Environmental issues:
Earth around the sun; Climate Change; Greenhouse effect and global warming; Urban climate and environment, urban heat island; acid rain; ozone layer depletion; sea-land breeze cell, valley cell; Environmental ethics, protection acts.
7. Human population and Environment: Population growth in developed and developing countries; Impacts on human health; HIV/AIDS and diseases; Governmental and Inter-governmental policies; information technology and environment."
"Course Assessment
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Midterm evaluation 20%
Projects/presentations 30% [Optional]
Final Exam 50% .