MODULE:INIRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

Bcology or Environmental blology is the branch of science concerned with plant

and nimal relationship and their lnteractlon with the environment. Ecology is a
multidisciplinary soienco whlch Includes not only the life science, but also Chem istry, Physics,
eology, googrnphy, meteoroloRY, cllmatology, hydrology, anthropology, archeology, sociology
and evenmathematics andstatisties aswell. Many practical applications of ecology are found in
agriculture, horticeulture, torestry, limnology, fishery, pest control, public health, toxicology,
pollution controlete. Aknowledge of cco logicnl principles helps in discovering new sources of
food, unpolluting souroes of energy (e.g, so lar energy) and new methods of pest control. By
making use of ecological principles the deserts can be converted into agricultural lands

DEFINITIONS OF ECOLOGY
Ecology has been defined in a number of ways:
The scientific study of the interactions of heorganisms with their physical environment and
with each other is called ecology.
The term ecology (Greek, Oikos meaning house or habitation and logos meaning discourse or study)
was introduced by Reiter as the science which deals with organism and its place to live. Since
organism's place to live is its environment, so ecology is also called environmental biology.
.Astudy of ecosystems or the totality of the reciprocal interactions between living organisms and their
physical surroundings.
. The scientific study of the distribution and abundance oforganisms is referred to as ecology.

PRINCIPLES OFECOLOGY
The basjc principles may be summarised as follows:
All organisms and the physical environment are interdependent and afect each other.
.The environment is holocoenotic, in which, alteration of anyonecomponent affects all
the other-components.
The environment is modified by the organisms according to their needs. The carrying
capacity of the environment determines the size of organism'spopulation which can
survive in that environment

.The existence of life depends upon the flow of energy through food chains and on the
cycling ofnutrients. These processes ensure the stability of ecosystem.
The nature strives for greater diversity, i.e., greater variety of organisms in a system,
which leads to its stability.
 KINDS OF ECOLOGY
classes:'
Ecology may be divided into following
with the study of an individual species or organISm
ind ividual species
Autoecology. Autoecologyincludes the behaviour and adaptation of each of the
deals
ecology is also known
to its environment. It at why auto
in relation
environmental conditions every stage of its life cycle. That is
to the
as species ecology.
communities, the ir
Synecology deals with the study of groups of organisms, i.e.,logy is also known as
Synecology. with the environment. Therefore, syneco
composition, behaviour and relationship
community ecology. Synecology is further sub-divided into:groups of organisms
a. Population ecology. It relates the organ ism with various
and their inter-relat ionship.
b. Gene ecology. It deals with the genetic make up ofspecies in relation to the
environment.
c. Taxonomic ecology. It includes ecology of taxonomic groups as microbial ecology,
vertebrate or invertebrate ecology, insect eco logy etc.
Ecosystemology or Ecosystem Ecology. The term ecosystem was proposed by A.C. Tansley in
1935 where eco implies the environment and system denotes an interacting, interdependent compleX.
Ecosystem may be defined as the system resulting from the integration of all living and non-living
factors of the environment..
Earth is a giant ecosystem where abiotic and biotic components are constantly acting and reacting
with each other bringing structural and functional changes in it.

Types of Ecosystems

1. Natural Ecosystems. Thes systems operate by themselves under natural

conditions without any major interference by man. These are further divided
into:
(i) Terrestrial ecosystem which include forest, grassland and desert etc.
(ii) Aquatic ecosystem may be further distinguished as
(a) Fresh water, which may be lotic (running water as spring, stream or rivers)
or lentic (standing water as lake, pond, pools, ditch, puddles, swamp etc.)
(b) Marine water such as ocean (deep bodies) or sea or
estuary (shallow ones),.
2: Artificial(Man-engineered) Ecosystem. These are
where, by addition of energy and planned maintained artificially by man
manipulations, natural balance is
disturbed regularly. For example, croplands like
where man tries to controlthe biotic community as maize, wheat, rice, fields etc,
wellas the physico-chemical -
environment, are man-engineered ecosystems. There is recognition of some other
ecosystem, known as space ecosystem.

Components of an Ecosystem
An ecosystem refers to a biotic
community and its abiotic environment taken together.
Biotic (living) Component
This is the trophic structure of any
ecosystem, where living organisms are
distinguished on the basis of their nutritional
(nutritional) standpo int, an ecosystem has tworelationships. From ths trophic
components:
 energy, use
1. Producer's autotrophic component. Here fixation of lightpredominate.
of simple inorganic substances and build up of complex substances
green plants, including photosynthetic
The component is constituted mainly by contribute
bacteria. Chemosynthetic microbes also to the build up of organic
matter.
rearrangement
2, Consumer's heterotrophic component. Here utilisation, organisms involved
and decomposition of complex materials predominate. The
the matter built up by the producers
are known as consumers, as they consume
(autotrophs).
Macroconsuners. These are the consumers, which in an order as they
omnivores).
0ccur in a food chain are, herbivores, carnivores (or and tertiary
Herbivores are also known as primary consumers. Secondary
carnivores or omnivores. These are
consumers, if present, are
phagotrophs which include chiefly animals that ingest other organic and
particulate organic matter.
3. Decomposers.'These are saprotrophs (osmotrophs) microconsumers and
breakdown complex
include mainly bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi. They the
compounds of dead or living protoplasm, absorb some of decomposition or
environment, making them
breakdown products and release inorganic nutrients in
available again to autotrophs.
The biotic component of any ecosystem is regarded as the functional
kingdom of nature. The trophic structure of an ecosystem inc ludes eater and the
producer and primary, secondary and
eaten sequence represented by primary chain. Each link of the chain is referred
tertiary consumers, which form the food
to as trophic levelor food level.
A food chain is represented as
Phytoplankton-’ Zooplankton-’ Small fish->Large fish

Abiotic Components
environment which strongly
These consist of non-living factors of physical inter-relationship
influence the structure, behaviour, distribution andparts: of the organisms.
Abiotic component can be divided into followingN2, Ca, Sand P.
H20,
Ino rganic components,e.g.. CO2,carbohydrates,
Organic components. Proteins, lipids and amino acids form
synthesized by living forms, i.e.,
link between abiotic and biotic components and are
flora and fauna of an ecosystem the
Edaphic factors are pH, soil and topography. Energy is required for maintaining
sun is trapped by plants to
activities of life in the ecosystem. Energy from thethrough
synthesize their food. However, the flow of energy the ecosystem is non
principles of thermodynamics. Within
cyclic, unidirectional and follow the classical energy within each trophic level from
an ecosystem, there will be a gradual loss of would be the available food
producer to consumer. So shorter the food chain, greater
energy.
EcologicalPyramids
Inpond system the organisms at the beginning of food chain are relatively
abundant, while those at the end are few. The trophic structure and function at
successive trophic levels, i.e., Producers-’ Herbivores-Carnivores is known as
ecological pyramid. These are of three types:

(i) Pyramid of numbers showing number of organisms at each level.

() Pyramid of biomass showing the total dry weight and total amount of
living matter.
 FL.ORA
A.co!!ective term used for all plants in a given region or geological period.
FAUNA
A collective term u sed for allthe animals in agiven region or geological period.
BIOTA
A collective term used for all animals and plants
ie. Flora'+ Fauna = Biota.

FLOWOF MATTERSIN ECOSYSTEMS

ECOLOGICAL CYCLES
() Biogeochemical cycles
(ii) Hydrological cycles
BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
Circulation of chemical elements is in biosphere is an essential requirement for the suvival
and growh of organisms. This circulation follows characteristic paths frorn environinent to
organisms and ack to enironment. These .circutas patns of materal transfer from
environment to O ganisms and back is known as the biogeochemical cycle. Bio-stands for
oIganisIns, geo- 1or earth andchemical for various elements available for exchange between
oIganisIIs & envi:onrneht. The movememint of these elements and inorganic compunds thal
ere essential to Ife can be convenientiy hamed as nutrient
coreniently divicle into two pools or compartments
cycles For each cycle (iü)we The
(i) The reservoir pools
can
ychange or cyclng pools. The reservoir pools are large, slow moving, abiogtic component
while the cycling pools sImaller but ery active moving back & forthlh for the exchange of
Inatters between organisms and environment.
otthe 100-odd elements known till date between 30 and 40 are known to be required
by living organisms. Some elements such as Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen and Oxygen
constitute the major requirement while scme among the rest are needed in much smaller
quanities while afew are required as traces. Any perturbation due to anthropogeric aclivities
will be neutralised by the reservoir pools by negative feed back mechanis1n. Ií this feedback
mechanism is not perfect the system becomes acyclic and man suffers due to accumulation
of unwantedmatters at particular level in the cycles leadind to pollution.
TYPES OF BIOGEOCHEMICALCYCLES
(6) Gaseous types - In which the reservoir pool is either the atmosphere or the hydrosphere.
() Sedimentory types -Where the reservoir poolis the lithosphere.
SOME IMPORTANT GASEOUS TYPES CYCLES
(1) CARBON CYCLE
Catbon is a common constityent element of all the organic compounds The
Iganisms are foundts ontain these crganic' sompounds Thé arton elament mainB; in the
foimof CO, which is about 0.032% of totai gaseou5 inixture. Hyurosphere is the richesi
Source oi Carbon wlere it s fixed as Cæ. & HCÜ, The Carvon cycle operales through
coinplicated feed back mechanisms in order regulate the reservoir aDd rnaintains alrmost
Ihemgoslalic state. However the Carbon utilization process in environment is very limited
wlhile Carbon is released by a number of processes. These have been illustrated in Fig.

Hydrosphere Atmosphere
(1)
The Co, Reservoir
Chemical Combustion
Combination
Pkotosynthesis Volcanic Decomposition
Respiration
Cumbustion
Activity Cumbustion
Respiration
The Lithosphere
(2) Fossil fuels

Cosumers
Producers
(3) (4)
Death
|Death
Decomposer
(5)

EXPLANATION
on the CO; reservoir pool and follow the
In order to understand the cycle letus concentrate
biosphere
various paths of CO trnasfer back & forth from organisms of

(i) FROM RESERVOIR POOL TO ORGANISMS

cycle mutually.
(a) Atmospherichydrospheric CO, reserves complete thetropic chain -
(b) To producer thìough photosynthesis. Thus it goes to
Producer -> Consumers - Decomposer.
(c) To lithosphere directly and conversion to incrganic
componds containg carbon. Atmospheric CO; along with producers and consumers
decayed bodies is converted into fo_silefuetGoal, petrolfüm and gaseUs fuels
(iü) FROM ORGANISMS TO RESERVOIR POOL
through various paths in the
Input ofCO: to reservoir pool is achieved by there mechanism
cycle.
(a) Respiration by living organisms
 9

Atmospheric
Nitrogen Reservoir

Industrial
Fixation Denitrifying
Bacteria
Fixation by
bacteria in
Electrochemical
(Lightening)
soil and Photochemical
Fixation

Nitrate6

NO

Tropic Chain Bacteria

NO; - NO3
Producers Consumers Aminoacid
Proteine Urea etc.

Decomposers
Ammonifying
bacteria
|bacteria
NO; ’ NH:
Bacterial
Ammonía NH3 -’ NO

(b) Electrochermical conversion by thunder-stone and lightening The hightemp. during

lightening converts atmospheric nitrogen to oxides, which is subsequently converted into
by rain water,.
(c) By indistrial conýëisipií öf atmospheijc hitrogen
H1C HNO Nitrates
N + 3H. 2NH; - Fertilizers
 10

(2) Denitrification This is the process by which the various compounds of

converted into nitrogen and-return to atmosphere completing the nitrogen_aie.
mechanisms in this regards are worth mentioning. cycles. The following
(a) The nitrogen compounds present in the
various levels of tropic chain in the form of.
próßlein's, amino acid and nucleic acid finally after decay
decomposed by decomp0sers to simpler conpound such asreturn NOS,
to the soils and further
soil there exist some denitrifying bacteria which convert these NH; and NO.. In the
whichh returns to atmosphere. compounds to nitrogen
vb) During the combustion of fossile fuels. wOod, peat & agricultural products the
nitrçgenous compoundproduçe N gasand return toatmosphere.
iG) Duiilig volcanic eruption considerable guantity of Nas is emitted and return to the
al1nospheric ieservoir.
SULPHUR CYCLE
Sulplhur Cycle is an intermediate between gaseous cycle and sedimentary cycle. The sulfur
feseivoIl pools are
ti) Rock and soii - Sulphates (so.) sulphides, sulphur and its compounds bond in
Coal a fossile fuels.
(i) Ocean in which SO. ions are present which pass on the sedimentary soil in the
Coastal area.
(iii) Atmosphere where the sources of sulphur area are
(a) Volcanic erruption - SO, SO, and H;S
(b) Conversion of soil sulphur to H:S, SO and SO;
(c) By burning of fossile fuel - mainly SO,.
Sulphu is an essential constituents of certain amino acids &proteins, vitamine B-complex
(thiamine). The organisms required comparatively much less amount of sulphur than N,C.
H and O; yet it is important for biospheric stability. Sulphur cycle i_ complenentaory to
phosphorus cycle.
Inter conversion of the three most important substances SO, SO, and H,S in the
sulphur cycle is affected either
(a) By chemical,oxidation reduction system or
(b) By bacterial oxídation reduction system.
Combustion of fossile fuel by anthropogenic as well as natural phenomena (Volcanic
and forest fire, spontaneous ignition) are the main causes of sulphur compounds in
at1nosphere. This has caused very potent polluting condition in the atmosphere.
 11

Acid H;o SO
rain |Oxidation

SO4
SO; axidtin HS
Soil
Spray Bacterial
Precipitation Aerobid
..t:t
Anaerobid

|-Deacay Decomposers
leced
SO. Sulphur in soil &
in Sea rocks as S & Produ-| Consu-)
|cers mers
|compounds1)

Fossile
Fuel Cumbustion

Both aerobic and anaerobic bacterial(action contribute (significantiy) in cycling the

suiphur and suiphur compounds in soil. water and atmosphere. Nithin the detritus fogd
chain decomposition of protein veleases sulphur. Under aerobic condition A[pergillus and
Neurospora, the two fungi for the transfer. of sulphur. In aerobic conditions bacteria like
Escherichia and Protetns are mainly responsible for the cyling of sulphur. Other
biotransformation are

Sulphur + Desulphoyibro desulfuricam ’ HS

H;S + Beggiata Sulphur.

H,S + Thíobacillus Sulphate

THE PHOSPHORUS CYCLE

The phosphorus cycle ís yet another neutriate cycle. Phosphorus enters the food chain
and acts as an agent for the metoabolic, transfer of.energy. It is an important growth factot in
living organism. The cycle difers .from_ other ecglogica!.cyclein the sense that the
atmosphere is negligitbiy involved'in th¹ transter of phosphorus compounddue to high melting