132 - Annexure-CXXXII - AEC1 - EVS
132 - Annexure-CXXXII - AEC1 - EVS
132 - Annexure-CXXXII - AEC1 - EVS
UNIVERSITY OF DELHI
(SEMESTER-I)
based on
6.1 Year -1
Ability Enhancement Course on
Environmental Science: Theory into Practice (I) -at UG level (AEC-1)
Unit 1
Introduction to Environmental Studies (2 lectures and 3 practical/ outreach activities)
• Multidisciplinary nature of environmental studies; components of environment:
atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere
• Scope and importance; Concept of sustainability and sustainable development; Brief
history of environmentalism
Suggested Readings
1. Raven , P.H, Hassenzahl, D.M., Hager, M.C, Gift, N.Y., and Berg, L.R. (2015) . Environment, 8th
Edition. Wiley Publishing, USA. Chapter 1 (Pages: 1-17); Chapter 2 (Pages: 22-23); Chapter
3 (Pages: 40, 41) ; Chapter 4 (Pages: 64, 66) .
2. Singh, J.S., Singh, S.P., and Gupta, S.R. (2017) . Ecology, Environmental Science and
Conservation. S. Chand Publishing , New Delhi. Chapter 1 (Page: 3-28).
Unit 2
Ecosystems (6 lectures and 6 practical/ outreach activities)
• Definition and concept of Ecosystem
• Structure of ecosystem (biotic and abiotic components); Functions of Ecosystem:
Physical (energy flow), Biological (food chains, food web, ecological succession), and
Biogeochemical (nutrient cycling) processes. Concepts of productivity, ecological
pyramids and homeostasis
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Ability En l1ancement Compulsory Course 5
Unit 3
Natural Resources (8 lectures and 6 practical/ outreach activities)
• Land resources: Minerals, soil, agricultural crops, natural forest products, medicinal
plants, and forest-based industries and livelihoods; Land cover, land use change , land
degradation, soil erosion , and desertification; Causes of deforestation ; Impacts of
mining and dam building on environment, forests, biodiversity, and tribal communities
• Water resources: Natural and man-made sources; Uses of water; Over exploitation
of surface and ground water resources ; Floods, droughts, and international &inter-
state conflicts over water
• Energy resources: Renewable and non-renewable energy sources; Use of alternate
energy sources; Growing energy needs; Energy contents of coal, petroleum, natural
gas and bio gas; Agro-residues as a biomass energy source
• Case studies: Contemporary Indian issues related to min ing, dams, forests, energy,
etc (e.g ., National Solar Mission, Cauvery river water conflict, Sardar Sarovar dam,
Chipko movement, Appiko movement, Tarun Bharat Sangh , etc)
Suggested Readings
1.Gadgil, M. and Guha, R. (1993). This Fissured Land: An Ecological History of India. University
of California Press, Berkeley, USA. (pp. 1-245).
2. McCully, P. (1996) . Rivers no more: the environmental effects of dams, In : Silenced Rivers: The
Ecology and Politics of Large Dams, Zed Books, New York, USA. Page. 29-64.
3. Raven, P.H, Hassenzahl, D.M ., Hager, M.C, Gift, N.Y. and Berg, L.R. (2015). Environment, 9th
Edition. Wiley Publishing, USA. Chapters 10, 11, 12, 13 (Pages : 180-263); Chapter 14 (Pages:
272-275); Chapter 15 (Pages: 286-289).
4. Singh, J.S., Singh, S.P. and Gupta, S.R. (2017). Ecology, Environmental Science and
Conservation . S. Chand Publishing, New Delhi. Chapter 25 (Pages : 623-663).
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Ability Enhancement CompUlsory Course 6
Suggested Readings
1. Brusseau, M.L. , Pepper, I.L. and Gerba, C.P. (2019). Environmental and Pollution Science , 3rd
Edition. Academic Press, USA. Chapter 16 (Pages: 243-255); Chapter 18 (Pages: 280-305);
Chapter 21 (Pages: 352-358); Chapter 22 (Pages: 365-374) ; Chapter 23 (Pages: 378-388) ;
Chapter 25 (Pages: 416-426) .
2. Carson, R. (2002). Silent Spring. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, USA. Pp. 1-264.
3. Raven , P.H, Hassenzahl, D.M., Hager, M.C, Gift, N.Y. and Berg, L.R. (2015). Environment, 9th
Edition. Wiley Publishing, USA. Chapter 19 (Pages: 359-381); Chapter 21 (Pages: 401-421) ;
Chapter 23 (Pages : 440-453) .
4. Singh, J.S., Singh, S.P. and Gupta, S.R. (2017). Ecology, Environmental Science and
Conservation. S. Chand Publishing, New Delhi. Chapters 19, 20, 12 (Pages: 445-535).
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Ability Enhancement Compu lsory Course
Year- 2
Ability Enhancement Course on
Environmental Science: Theory into Practice {I) - at UG level {AEC-1)
Unit 5
Global Environmental Issues and Policies (7 lectures 8 practical/ outreach activities)
• Causes of Climate change, Global warming, Ozone layer depletion , and Acid rain ;
Impacts on human communities, biodiversity, global economy, and agriculture
Suggested Readings
1. Divan, S. and Rosencranz, A. (2002). Environmental Law and Policy in India: Cases, Material &
Statutes, 2nd Edition. Oxford University Press, India. Chapter 2 (Pages: 23-39); Chapter 3
(Pages: 41-86) .
2. Raven , P.H, Hassenzahl, D.M. , Hager, M.C, Gift, N.Y. and Berg, L.R. (2015) . Environment, 9th
Edition. Wiley Publishing, USA. Chapter 19 (Pages: 370-376) ; Chapter 20 (Pages: 385-399).
3. Singh, J.S. , Singh, S.P. and Gupta, S.R. (2017). Ecology, Environmental Science and
Conservation . S. Chand Publishing, New Delhi. Chapter 23 (Pages: 555-598); Chapter 30
(Pages: 801-807) .
Unit 6
Biodiversity and Conservation (8 lectures and 8 practical/ outreach activities)
• Definition of Biodiversity; Levels of biological diversity: genetic, species and
ecosystem diversity
• India as a mega-biodiversity nation; Biogeographic zones of Ind ia; Biodiversity
hotspots; Endemic and endangered species of India; IUCN Red list criteria and
categories
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Ab11ity Enhancement Compulsory Course 8
Suggested Readings
1. Primack, R. B. (2014). Essentials of Conservation Biology, Oxford University Press, USA. Page.
1-536.
2. Raven, P.H, Hassenzahl, D.M., Hager, M.C, Gift, N.Y. and Berg, L.R. (2015). Environment, 9th
Edition. Wiley Publishing, USA. Chapter 5 (Pages: 97-99); Chapter 16 (Pages: 299-318) .
3. Singh, J.S. , Singh, S.P. and Gupta, S.R. (2017). Ecology, Environmental Science and
Conservation. S. Chand Publishing, New Delhi. Chapters 24 (Pages : 599-690); Chapter 26
(Pages: 664-714).
Unit 7
Human Communities and the Environment (61ectures and 7 practical/ outreach activities)
• Human population growth: Impacts on environment, human health, and welfare;
Carbon foot-print
• Resettlement and rehabilitation of developmental project affected persons and
communities; relevant case studies
• Environmental movements: Chipko movement, Appiko movement, Silent valley
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Ability Enhancement Compulsory Course 9
Suggested Readings
1. Divan, S. and Rosencranz, A. (2002) . Environmental Law and Policy in India: Cases, Material
& Statutes, 2nd Edition . Oxford University Press, India. Chapter 10 (Pages: 416-473) .
2. Raven , P.H, Hassenzahl, D.M., Hager, M.C, Gift, N.Y. and Berg, L.R. (2015) . Environment, 9th
Edition. Wiley Publishing, USA. Chapter 2 (Pages: 33-36); Chapter 8 (Pages: 148-162) .
3. Singh, J.S., Singh, S.P. and Gupta, S.R . (2017) . Ecology, Environmental Science and
Conservation. S. Chand Publishing, New Delhi. Chapter 1 (Pages: 23-26); Chapter 31 (Pages:
826-842).
Weeks 1 -2
Multidisciplinary nature of environmental studies; components of environment: atmosphere,
hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere
- Scope and importance; Concept of sustainability and sustainable development; Brief history of
environmentalism
Weeks 3-7
Definition and concept of Ecosystem: Structure of ecosystem (biotic and abiotic components);
9
Abi l1ly Enhance ment Compu lsory Cou rse 10
Functions of Ecosystem: Physical (energy flow}, Biological (food chains , food web, ecological
succession) , and Biogeochemical (nutrient cycling) processes. Concepts of productivity, ecological
pyramids and homeostasis
Types of Ecosystems: Tundra , Forest, Grassland, Desert, Aquatic (ponds, streams, lakes, rivers ,
oceans, estuaries); importance and threats with relevant examples from India
Ecosystem services (Provisioning, Regulating , Cultural, and Supporting) ; Ecosystem preservation
and conservation strategies; Basics of Ecosystem restoration
Weeks 8-11
Land cover, land use change , land degradation, soil erosion , and desertification; Causes of
deforestation ; Impacts of mining and dam building on environment, forests, biodiversity, and tribal
communities Natural and man-made sources of water; Uses of water; Over exploitation of surface
and ground water resources ; Floods, droughts, and international & inter-state conflicts over water
Renewable and non-renewable energy sources; Use of alternate energy sources; Growing
energy needs; Energy contents of coal, petroleum, natural gas and bio gas; Agro-residues as
a biomass energy source
Case studies : Contemporary Indian issues related to mining , dams, forests , energy, etc (e.g., National
Solar Mission, Cauvery river water conflict, Sardar Sarovar dam, Chipko movement, Appiko movement,
Tarun Bharat Sangh, etc) .
Weeks 12-15
Environmental pollution (Air, water, soil , thermal , and noise): causes, effects, and controls; Primary
and secondary air pollutants; Air and water quality standards
Related case studies
Nuclear hazards and human health risks ; Control measures for various types of urban, industrial
waste, Hazardous waste , E-waste, etc; Waste segregation and disposal
Related case studies
Weeks 1-4
Definition of Biodiversity; Levels of biological diversity; India as a mega-biodiversity nation;
Biogeographic zones of India; Biodiversity hotspots; Endemic and endangered species of India; IUCN
Red list criteria and categories
Value of biodiversity: Ecological, economic, social, ethical, aesthetic, and informational values of
biodiversity with examples; sacred groves and their importance with examples
Threats to biodiversity: Habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation ; Poaching of wildlife ; Man-wildlife
conflicts ; Biological invasion with emphasis on Indian biodiversity; Current mass extinction crisis ;
Biodiversity conservation strategies: in-situ and ex-situ methods of conservation; National Parks,
Wildlife Sanctuaries, and Biosphere reserves; Keystone, Flagship, Umbrella, and Indicator species;
Species reintroduction and translocation
Case studies: Contemporary Indian wildlife and biodiversity issues, movements, and projects (e.g. ,.
Project Tiger, Project Elephant, Vulture breeding program , Project Great Indian Bustard, Crocodile
conservation project, Silent Valley movement, Save Western Ghats movement, etc)
Weeks 5-9
Causes of Climate change, Global warming , Ozone layer depletion, and Acid rain; Impacts on human
communities, biodiversity, global economy, and agriculture
International agreements and programmes: Earth Summit, UNFCCC, Montreal and Kyoto protocols,
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Abrlrt)' Enhancernent Compulsory Course 11
Sustainable Development Goals: India's National Action Plan on Climate Change and its major
missions Wildlife Protection Act, 1972; Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974; Forest
. (Conservation) Act 1980; Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981; Environment Protection
Act, 1986; Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act,
2006
Weeks 10-15
Human population growth: Impacts on environment, human health, and welfare; Carbon foot-print;
Resettlement and rehabilitation of developmental project affected persons and communities; relevant
case studies; Environmental movements: Chipko movement, Appiko movement, Silent valley
movement, Bishnois of Rajasthan, Narmada Bachao Andolan, etc; Environmental justice: National
Green Tribunal and its importance
Environmental philosophy: Environmental ethics; Role of various religions and cultural practices in
environmental conservation
Environmental communication and public awareness: case studies (e.g., CNG vehicles in Delhi,
Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, National Environment Awareness Campaign (NEAC), National Green Corps
(NGC) "Eco-club" programme, etc)
8.0 Keywords
Environment, Ecosystem, Biodiversity, Conservation, Pollution, Natural Resources,
Environmental Degradation, Protection, Sustainable Development, Climate Change,
Environmental Justice, Environmental Ethics, Environmental Communication
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