CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES (18CV656)

 CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES

• Subject Code-18CV656
• CIE Marks-40
• Teaching Hours/Week(L:T:P)-3:0:0
• SEE Marks-60
• Credits-03
• Exam Hours-03

Course learning objectives: This course will enable the students to

 Learn types of land forms , soil conservation and sustainable land use planning.
 Apprehend water resources, types, distribution, planning and conservation.
 Know the atmospheric composition of air, pollution and effects on human beings, animals and plants. Air pollution control.
 Apprehend basics of biodiversity and ecosystems.

Module -1

Land: Land as a resource, types of lands, conservation of land forms, deforestation, effect of land use changes. Soil health, ecological and economic importance of soil, impact of soil degradation on agriculture and food security, need for soil conservation, sustainable land use planning.

Module -2

Water: Global water resources, Indian water resources, Resources system planning. Water use sectors- domestic, industrial, agriculture. Water deficit and water surplus basins in India, equitable distribution, Inter-basin water transfers, Interlinking of rivers – Himalayan component, peninsular component, issues involved. Ground water, its potential in India, conjunctive use, recharge of ground water. Contamination of ground water, sea water ingress, problems and solutions.

Module -3

Air: Introduction, composition, sources and classification of air pollutants, National Ambient Air quality standards (NAAQS), Air quality index, effects of air pollution on human health. Economic effects of air pollution. Control of air pollution by equipment, smoke and its control. Ozone depletion –impacts, photochemical changes.
Minerals and rocks: Minerals, important rock forming minerals like Quartz, Mica, Feldspar and Amphibole, lithification & metamorphism, weathering: physical, biogeochemical processes, erosion, agents of erosion.

Module -4

Biodiversity: Introduction, Flora and Fauna, Importance of biodiversity, Economic values-medicinal plants, drugs, fisheries biogeochemical cycling. Threat to biodiversity, natural & anthropogenic disturbance, habitat loss. Conservation of biodiversity, National parks, wild life sanctuaries, zoological gardens, gene banks, pollen culture, ecological restoration, social forestry. Ecosystem: Definition, Types: forest, grass land, marine, desert, wetlands, estuarine, lotic, lentic. Abiotic & biotic components of eco system.

Module -5

Global warming: concept, indicators, factors and effects. Global climate change-indicators, health impacts, effect on biodiversity. Introduction to global efforts in conservation of biodiversity.
EIA: Regulations in India, status of EIA in India, list of projects needing environmental clearance under EIA notifications. Case study of hydro power/ thermal power projects.
Updated on 29.03.2021 2/2

Course Outcomes(CO):

At the end of the course, students will be able to
1. Apprehend various components of land as a natural resource and land use planning.
2. Know availability and distribution for water resources as applied to India.
3. Analyse the components ofair as resource and its pollution.
4. Discuss biodiversity & its role in ecosystem functioning.
5. Critically appreciate the environmental concerns of today.

Question paper pattern:

1. The question paper will have ten questions, carrying equal marks.
2. There will be two full questions with a maximum four sub questions from each module. Students shall answer five full questions selecting one full question from each module.

Text Books:

1. Modi, P.N., “Irrigation Water Resources and Water Power Engineering”. Standard Book House, New Delhi. 10th Edition, 2019.
2. Raghunath, H.M., “Groundwater”,3rd Edition, New Age International Publishers, New Delhi, 2007.
3. Krishnan, M.S., “Geology of India & Burma”. CBS publishers, New Delhi, 2017.
4. P.Jaya Rami Reddy, “A Textbook of Hydrology”, University Science Press, New Delhi, 2011.
5. M N Rao and H V N Rao, “Air pollution”, McGraw Hill Publications, 2017.
6. Krishnamurthy K.V., “An advanced textbook of Biodiversity- Principle &Practices.” Oxford and IBH publications, New Delhi. 2004.

Reference Books :

1. Odum, E.P., “Fundamentals of Ecology”, W.B sounders, Philadelphia, USA, 1971
2. Singh J.S, Singh S.P & Gupta, S.R.,“Ecology, environment and resource conservation”,Anamayapublications, 2006.
3. Edmond A. Mathez & Jason E. Smerdon, “Climate Change: The science of Global warming and our energy feature”, Columbia University Press, 2009.
4. National Council of Applied Economic Research, “Economic Impact of Interlinking of Rivers Program”, Revised Final Report, April 2008.
5. http://nwda.gov.in/content.
6. Madhav Gadagil, “Biodiversity and India’s degraded lands”, Indian Academy of Sciences, Volume 22- No 2/3, http://www.jstor.org/pss/4314063