SYLLABUS

unit 1

1. Definition, scope and importance AND need of public awareness
2. Natural Resources:
3. Renewable and non-renewable resources:
4. Forest resources:
   1. Use and overexploitation
   2. deforestation. Case studies.
   3. Timber extraction, mining, dams and their effects on forest and tribal people.
5. Water resources: Use and over-utilization of surface and groundwater, floods, droughts, conflicts over water, dams- benefit and Problems.
6. Mineral resources: Use and exploitation ‘environmental effects of extracting and using mineral resources, case studies.
7. Food resources: World food problems, changes caused by agriculture. Fertilizer- pesticide problems, water logging, salinity, case studies.
8. Energy resources: Growing energy needs, renewable and nonrenewable energy resources, use of alternative energy sources.
9. Land resources: Land as resources, land degradation, man induced landslides, desertification
10. Role of individual in conservation of natural resources. Equitable use of resources for sustainable lifestyles

unit 2

1. Concept of ecosystem
2. structure and function of an ecosystem
3. producers, consumers and decomposers .
4. Energy flow in the ecosystem
5. Ecological succession
6. food chains, food webs and ecological pyramids
7. introduction, types, characteristics features structure and function of the following ecosystem
8. forest ecosystem ,grassland ecosystem, Desert ecosystem, Aquatic ecosystems, ponds, stream, lakes, rivers, estuaries