EVS Syllabus

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
UNIVERSITY OF DELHI
Environmental Studies
(One-Semester Compulsory Core Module for Undergraduate Programmes)
Unit 1 : Introduction to environmental studies
Multidisciplinary nature of environmental studies;

Scope and importance; Need for public awareness.
(2 lectures)
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)
(6 lectures)
Unit 3 : Natural Resources : Renewable and Non-renewable Resources
Land resources and landuse 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).
Energy resources : Renewable and non renewable energy sources, use of alternate energy
sources, growing energy needs, case studies.
(8 lectures)
Unit 4 : Biodiversity and Conservation
Levels of biological diversity : genetic, species and ecosystem diversity; Biogeographic zones
of India; Biodiversity patterns and global biodiversity hot spots
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; Conservation of biodiversity: In-situ and Ex-situ conservation of biodiversity.
Ecosystem and biodiversity services: Ecological, economic, social, ethical, aesthetic and
Informational value.
(8 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.
(8 lectures)
Unit 6 : Environmental Policies & Practices
1
Sustainability and sustainable development.
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.
Nature reserves, tribal populations and rights, and human wildlife conflicts in Indian context.
(7 lectures)
Unit 7 : 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.
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).
(6 lectures)
Unit 8: Field work
Visit to an area to document environmental assets: river/ forest/ flora/fauna, etc.
Visit to a local polluted site-Urban/Rural/Industrial/Agricultural.
Study of common plants, insects, birds and basic principles of identification.
Study of simple ecosystems-pond, river, Delhi Ridge, etc.
(Equal to 5 lectures)
Suggested Readings:
Bharucha, E. 2003, Textbook for Environmental Studies, University Grants Commission,

1
New Delhi and Bharati Vidyapeeth Institute of Environmental Education and Research,
Pune. 361.
2 Carson, Rachel. 1962. Silent Spring (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1962), Mariner Books, 2002
Economy, Elizabeth. 2010. The River Runs Black: The Environmental Challenge to China's
3
Future.
Gadgil, M. & Ramachandra, G. 1993. This fissured land: an ecological history of India. Univ of
4
California Press.
5 Gleeson, B. and Low, N. (eds.) 1999. Global Ethics and Environment, London, Routledge.
Grumbine, R. Edward, and Pandit, M.K. Threats from Indias Himalaya dams.
6
Science 339.6115 (2013): 36-37.
Heywood V.H. & Watson, R.T. 1995. Global Biodiversity Assessment. Cambridge University
7
Press.
8 McCully, P. 1996. Silenced rivers: the ecology and politics of large dams. Zed Books.
McNeill, John R. 2000. Something New Under the Sun: An Environmental History of the
9
Twentieth Century.
Odum, E.P., Odum, H.T. & Andrews, J. 1971. Fundamentals of Ecology. Philadelphia:
10
Saunders.
2
Pepper, I.L., Gerba, C.P. & Brusseau, M.L. 2011. Environmental and Pollution Science.
11
Academic press, 2011.
Rao MN and Datta AK, 1987. Waste Water Treatment. Oxford and IBH Publishing Co. Pvt.
12
Ltd.
Raven, P.H., Hassenzahl, D.M. & Berg, L.R. 2012. Environment. 8th edition. John Wiley &
13
Sons.
14 Ricklefs, R. E., & Miller, G.L. 2000. Ecology. W. H. Freeman, New York.
15 Robbins, P. 2012. Political ecology: A critical introduction. John Wiley & Sons.
Rosencranz, A., Divan, S. & Noble, M.L.. Environmental law and policy in India. 2001.
16
Tripathi 1992.
Sengupta, R. 2003. Ecology and economics (OUP): An approach to sustainable
17
development." OUP Catalogue.
Singh, J.S., Singh, S.P. and Gupta, S.R. 2006. Ecology, Environment and Resource Ecology,
18
Environment and Resource Conservation. Anamaya Publishers.
Sodhi, N.S., Gibson, L. & Raven, P.HG. (eds). 2013. Conservation biology: voices from the
19
Tropics. John Wiley & Sons.
20 Van Leeuwen, C. J., & Vermeire, T. G. 2007. Risk assessment of chemicals.
World Commission on Environment and Development. 1987. Our Common Future. Oxford:
21
Oxford University Press.

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DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

Unit 1 : Introduction to environmental studies

Multidisciplinary nature of environmental studies;

Bharucha, E. 2003, Textbook for Environmental Studies, University Grants Commission,

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