Structureof distribution of marks and credit under CBCS

Subject – ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES (AECC-1)

B.Sc, BA, B.Com., BBA/BCA Honours Program and Program

Total
Course Marks Credit
Credit

Theory 40 1.6

Semester 1 2
Field Work 10 0.4
 Syllabus for Environmental Studies (AECC-1) under CBCS
B.Sc, BA, B.Com., BBA/BCA Honours Program and Program

ENVS (AECC-1) Course- 1 (Credit – 2)

Theory (credit – 1.6) Full Marks: 40
2018
Unit 1: Introduction to environmental studies
• Multidisciplinary nature of environmental studies
• Scope and importance; Concept of sustainability and sustainable development.
1 lecture
Unit 2: Ecosystems
• What is an ecosystem?
Structure and function of ecosystem;
Energy flow in an ecosystem: food chains, food webs and ecological succession.
Case studies of the following ecosystems:
a) Forest ecosystem
b) Grassland ecosystem
c) Desert ecosystem
d) Aquatic ecosystems (ponds, streams, lakes, rivers, oceans, estuaries)
4 lectures
Unit 3: Natural Resources: Renewable and Non – renewable Resources
• Land resources and land-use change; Land degradation, soil erosion and desertification.
• Deforestation: Causes and impacts due to mining, dam building on environment, forests,
biodiversity and tribal populations.
• Water: Use and over – exploitation of surface and ground water, floods, droughts, conflicts
over water (international & inter-state), Dams – benefits and problems.
• Food resources: World food problems, changes caused by agriculture and over-grazing, effects
of modern agriculture, fertilizer-pesticide problems, waterlogging, salinity.
• Energy resources: Renewable and non-renewable energy sources, use of alternate energy
sources, growing energy needs, case studies
4 lectures
Unit 4: Biodiversity and Conservation
• Levels of biological diversity: genetic, species and ecosystem diversity; Bio-geographic zones
of India; Biodiversity patterns and global biodiversity hotspots.
• India as a mega-biodiversity nation; Endangered and endemic species of India, threats to
biodiversity: Habitat loss, poaching of wildlife, man-wildlife conflicts, biological invasions.
• Conservationof biodiversity: In – situandEx – situconservationofbiodiversity.
• Ecosystem and biodiversity services: Ecological, economic, social, ethical, aesthetic and
Informational value.
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 4 lectures
Unit 5: Environmental Pollution
• Environmental pollution: types, causes, effects and controls; Air, water, soil and noise
pollution
• Nuclear hazards and human health risks
• Solid waste management: Control measures of urban and industrial waste.
• Pollution case studies
4 lectures
Unit 6: Environmental Policies & Practices
• Climate change, global warming, ozone layer depletion, acid rain and impacts on human
communities and agriculture
• Environment Laws: Environment Protection Act; Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution)
Act; Water (Prevention and control of Pollution) Act; Wildlife Protection Act; Forest
Conservation Act. International agreements: Montreal and Kyoto protocols and Convention
on Biological Diversity (CBD).
• Nature reserves, tribal populations and rights, and human wildlife conflicts in Indian
context.
3 lectures

Unit7: Human Communities and the Environment

• Human population growth: Impacts on environment, human health and welfare.
Resettlement and rehabilitation of project affected persons; case studies.
• Disaster management: floods, earthquake, cyclones and landslides.
• Water conservation, rain water harvesting, watershed management.
• Wasteland reclamation.
• Environmental movements: Chipko, Silent valley, Bishnois of Rajasthan.
• Environmental ethics: Role of Indian and other religions and cultures in environmental
conservation.
• Environmental communication and public awareness, case studies (e.g., CNG vehicles in
Delhi).
4 lectures

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Field Work/Project (credit – 0.4) Full Marks – 10 6 lectures

(Any two of the following 1-4)

1. Visit to local polluted site (any one) (4)

a) Urban: Identify the major sources of air pollution in a city or town of North Bengal region.
b) Rural: Analyse the major sources of organic pollution in villages and adjoining agricultural
fields.
c) Industry: Prepare a list of the large and medium industries in and around your college are
and the probable pollutants they may produce.

2. Study of flora and fauna (any one) (4)

a) Prepare a list of the economic plants available in the college block.
b) List the birds sighted and found nesting at the college campus and its surroundings with the
season of their occurrence.
c) Record insects associated with any common crop/grassland/tree of the college area with an
idea of their habitat.

3. Visit to local area to document environmental assets (any one): (4)

a) Trip to any riverine system of Terai or the dooars: comment on the direction, volume and
quality of water, flowing as observed.
b) Record the nature of vegetation/forest type/land use pattern at the site of visit.
c) Analyse the cause of deforestation and landslide on hill slope, if sighted.

4. Study of ecosystems. (any one) (4)

a) Pond: water parameters – turbidity, pH, producers (phyto and zooplanktons) and related
consumers (fishes and birds).
b) Grassland on hill slope: producers (plants), insects, consumers (birds, mammals, reptiles
etc.)
c) Forest: practical concept of forest type, stories, dominant trees and sub – dominant
vegetation, observed and reported major herbivores and carnivores in a forest ecosystem.

5. Submission of a field work (covering the above practical works undertaken) (2)
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[Dr. Monoranjan Chowdhury]

Signature of the Chairmen
Board of Under-Graduate Studied
Environmental Studies

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