ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

Mr.C.RameshBabu M.E., Ph.D

(Pursuing)
Sr.Gr. Assistant Professor,
Department of Civil Engineering,
Mepco SchlenK Engineering College.
UNIT II
ECOSYSTEMS AND BIODIVERSITY
Concept of an ecosystem – Structure and function of an ecosystem –
Producers, consumers and decomposers – Energy flow in the ecosystem
(single channel energy flow model) – Concept of nutrient cycling (Nitrogen
cycle) – Ecological succession – Food chains, food webs and ecological
pyramids – Introduction to Biodiversity – 47 Definition: genetic, species and
ecosystem diversity – Value of biodiversity: consumptive use, productive
use, social, ethical, aesthetic and option values – Biodiversity at global,
National and local levels – India as a mega diversity nation – Hot-spots of
biodiversity – Threats to biodiversity: habitat loss, poaching of wildlife, man-
wildlife conflicts – Endangered and endemic species of India – Conservation
of biodiversity: In-situ and Ex-situ conservation of biodiversity.
Ecosystem :
Communities of organisms interacting with one another
and with the physical environment of matter and energy in
which they live.
 CASE STUDY: TROPICAL FORESTS ARE
DISAPPEARING
• Tropical rain forests are found near the earth’s
equator and contain an incredible variety of life.
• These lush forests are warmyear round and
have high humidity and heavy rainfall almost
daily.
• Although they cover no more than 6% of the
earth’s land surface, studies indicate that they
contain up to half of the world’s known terrestrial
plant and animal species.
• So far, at least half of these forests have been
destroyed or disturbed by humans cutting down trees,
growing crops, grazing cattle, and building
settlements and the degradation of these centers of
life (biodiversity) is increasing.
DEFORESTATION IN THAILAND
WHY SHOULD WE CARE ABOUT DEGRADATION
OF TROPICAL FORESTS?
WHAT DO SCIENTISTS SAY?
Scientists give three reasons.
First, it will reduce the earth’s vital biodiversity by
destroying or degrading the habitats of many of the
unique plant and animal species found in these forests,
thereby causing their premature extinction.
Second, it will help to accelerate projected climate
change by eliminating large areas of trees faster than
they can grow back, thereby degrading the forests’
abilities to remove the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide
(CO2) from the atmosphere.
Third, it will change regional weather patterns in
ways that can prevent the return of diverse
tropical rain forests in cleared or degraded areas.
Once this irreversible ecological tipping point
is reached tropical rain forests in such areas will
become less diverse tropical grasslands.
• Ecologists study an ecosystem to learn how
its variety of organisms interact with their
living (biotic) environment of other organisms
and with their nonliving (abiotic) environment
of soil, water, other forms of matter, and
energy, mostly from the sun.
• In effect, ecologists study connections in
nature. Tropical rain forests and other
ecosystems recycle nutrients and provide
humans and other organisms with essential
natural services