Introduction

Biotic components

Abiotic components

Food chain

Relationship between components of environment

Balance between O2 and CO2

Acid rain

Sociocultural environment

Pollution

Green house effect

We already know that the earth is the only planet where life is found.Plants and animals exist on the earth because it has all the favorable conditions required for the survival of life on it.There are two types of objects in our surroundings. Plants and animals including human beings form the living components. These are also called biotic components. Air, water, soil, light etc. are non-living and are also called abiotic components.Both biotic and abiotic components together constitute the natural environment.

Living organisms i.e.. All plants and animals including man form the biotic environment.To understand them better,we will classify them in different categories:-

Producers(plants)

Consumers(animals)

Decomposers

Scavengers

You know that plants like other organisms need food. All green plants have the coloring matter called chlorophyll.The chlorophyll ,which is present in the leaves ,absorbs the sunlight for energy.This energy is used to prepare food. The process of preparing food by the plants is called photosynthesis. The following equation can explain the process.

Co2 + Water chlorophyll food + oxygen

sunlight

Animals cannot prepare their own food .They have to depend on plants for their food.As such they are called consumers or heterotrophs.All the animals feed on green plants either directly or indirectly.Animals like cattle or goat directly eat plants.They are called primary consumers or herbivores.Animals like tiger or lion feed on these herbivores.Such consumers which feed on plants indirectly are called secondary consumers or carnivores.

Organisms which derive food from dead and decaying plants and animals are called decomposers.They break down the dead and decaying plants and animals into minerals that get mixed with the soil.These minerals are again taken up by the plants from the soil.This process is called recycling of minerals. Fungi and bacteria are the organisms which help in decomposition.They are called micro-organisms.

Light

Temperature

Water

Air

Soil

Natural light is provided to us by the sun during day time and by the moon during night time.But the moon as you know,reflects the sun’s light.Sun is the ultimate source of natural light.This natural light is used by the plants to grow and to prepare food.The sunflower always faces the sun.In the morning, it faces the east ,whereas in the evening it turns towards the west.Animals show variations in there behavior vis-a-vis light There are some animals which do not like light.Eg:-earthworm,bat etc..

It is the degree of hotness or coldness of an object or a place.It is measured by a device called the thermometer.This hotness varies from place to place.It affects various activities of living organisms.It is the most important factor that determines the distribution of plants and animals on the earth.Each organism has its own tolerance range for the temperature.Like cows can tolerate the hot weather better than buffaloes.This because buffaloes are black in colour and don't have efficient sweat glands.So they feel hotter and try to cool themselves by remaining in water………….

On the other hand,camels can tolerate the extreme heat of the deserts.They have an arrangement of increasing their body temperature and hence can keep themselves cool which helps them to reduce the loss of water from their bodies.Polar bears and penguins are found in cold regions only, whereas tigers and elephants are found in warm regions.In summers, animals like frogs, snakes, lizards become more active at night to avoid heat of the day as they can’t tolerate extreme temperature. During winters, they become inactive for the period of extreme cold temperatures.This is called winter sleep or hibernation.

Water is essential for the survival and growth of all living organisms.It is one of the factors that influence the distribution of organisms on the earth.Water is necessary for irrigation of crops.Some plants and animals can survive only in water.These plants have a waxy coating on their leaves which helps them to prevent decay.Similarly aquatic animals like fish whales etc. can survive only in water.Water is also called ‘universal solvent’ as it can dissolve most of the soluble substances.

Air currents are called winds. These strong air currents , i.e.., high speed winds have advantages as well as disadvantages like they help in pollination that is necessary for reproduction of plants whereas strong winds uproot trees , break branches and spread fires. In the absence of wind, smoke containing the pollutants, is not dispersed in the atmosphere and forms a thick layer in the atmosphere at a low level, especially in winters. This cause eye irritation, headache etc.

Soil is a another important abiotic factor of our environment.Soil provide water and other minerals to the plants which are important for their growth.It also provides home to organisms that live in soil.The composition of soil may vary in its ratio, depending upon the area, but it always contains gravel , sand , clay ,water ,air and humus.Gravel forms the lower most layer, whereas humus forms the upper layer of the soil.

The process of one organisms eating other and getting eaten by another organism is called food chain.In food chain, energy and materials are transferred from one stage to another.In this transfer, there is a loss of energy at every step. Hence shorter food chain is better for getting maximum energy, ie., being vegetarian/herbivore means getting more energy than a non-vegetarian/ carnivores.

Producers primary secondary tertiary consumers consumers consumers consumers

Green plants herbivores carnivores top carnivores

(small) (big)

Examples Examples Examples Examples

Grass Deer Lion

Grass Grasshopper Frog Snake Aquatic Small Large Bird plants fish fish

Plants Human Beings

Dead plants And animals

Green plants

Animals

AnimalDroppings

Decomposers(Microbes)

Minerals

Soil

co2

Respiration photosynthesis

O2

Balance maintained between O2 & CO2

Acid rain, a form of air pollution in which airborne acid produced by electric utility plants and other sources fall to earth is distant regions.The corrosive nature of acid rain causes widespread damage to the environment.The problem begins with the production of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides from the burning of fossil fuels ,such as coal, natural gas, and oil and from certain kinds of manufacturing.

Man has the ability to change the natural environment According to his needs.For example , man has cut down trees to create space for agriculture houses, factories etc. This modified natural environment or man-made environment is called sociocultural environment.

Types of pollutions :-

Air pollution

Water pollution

Land pollution

Noise pollution

Air pollution occurs when wastes dirty the air.Artificially created wastes are the main source of air pollution.Such waste result chiefly from the

burning of fuels to power motor vehicles and to heat buildings.They also come from industrial

processes and the burning of solid waste.Natural pollutants include dust ,pollen and solid

particles.Air pollution also harms plants ,fabrics ,building materials and the

economy.

Water pollution is one of the most serious environmental problem.It occurs when water is

contaminated by substances such as human and other animal wastes ,toxic chemicals ,metal and

oils.Pollution can effect rain ,rivers ,lakes ,oceans and the water beneath the surface of earth called ground water which feeds springs and wells.Polluted water

may look clean or dirty ,but it all contain germs chemicals , or other material that can cause

inconvenience ,illness or death.

Global warming is an increase in the average temperature of the earth’s surface. Scientists disagree about the cause and potential impact of warming trend. They argue that natural processes, such as increase in the energy given out by the sun, could have caused global warming. But the greater weight of evidence suggests that an unusual climate change has occurred and that human activities are partly responsible for it.

The impact of continued The impact of continued global warming global warming

Global warming affects many aspects of the environment, including sea levels, coastlines, agriculture, forestry and wildlife. Continued global warming could have a beneficial impact in some areas and a harmful impacts on others. Many experts estimate that ,due to human activities ,the average of surface temperature will rise between 1.5 degree and 4.5 degree Celsius.

Effects to prevent global Effects to prevent global warmingwarming

Because global warming might do much harm, many scientists recommend a reduction in a emission of green house gases.The least controversial way to reduce such emission would be to gain efficiency to decrease the use of energy.For example, manufacturers would adopt more efficient motors ,light bulbs ,and other devices.Many policy analysts recommend that government consider a tax on emissions of green house.

Green house effect is warming the lower atmosphere and surface of a planet by a complex process involving sunlight ,and particles in the atmosphere.On the earth ,the green house effect began long before human beings existed. However ,recent human activities may have added to effect.The amount of heat-trapping atmospheric gases called greenhouse gases, have greatly increased

Our mother earth is protected from excess heat of the sun by protective ozone layer.

We have to prevent environment to save life and our

Mother earth .