UPSC AKHADA Environment & Ecology By Vinay Sir Printed Notes English Medium

UPSC AKHADA Environment & Ecology By Vinay Sir Printed Notes English Medium
Total Pages- 174
CHAPTER 1 – ECOSYSTEM
• Ecology
• Levels of ecology
• Different types of biomes
• Ecosystem & Components
• Types of Ecosystem
• Ecotone
• Niche
• Adaptatio
• Ecosystem Services
• Function of ecosystem
• Food chain and types of food chain
• Food web
• Ecological pyramids
✓ Pyramid of numbers
✓ Pyramid of biomass
✓ Pyramid of energy
• Pollutants & Trophic level
• Nutrient cycling (Biogeochemical cycles)
• Ecological succession / Ecosystem Development
• Important terms
• Previous year questions of UPSC

CHAPTER 2 – NATURAL ECOSYSTEM
• Natural Ecosystem
• Terrestrial Ecosystem
• Classification of Forest Ecosystem
• Indian states of Forest report (ISFR) 2021
• Grassland Ecosystem
• Temperate Grassland : Names in different places
• Tundra Ecosystem
• Shrublands
• Desert Ecosystem
• Cold Desert
• Desertification
✓ Impacts of Desertification
• Need for forest conservation
• Salient feature of Draft National Forest Policy, 2018
• Important Terms
• Previous year questions of UPSC

CHAPTER 3 – AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM
• Classification
• Lake
• Eutrophication
• Mitigation
• Harmful algae bloom (HAB)
• Wetland Ecosystem
✓ Types of Wetlands
✓ Importance of wetlands
✓ Conservation of wetlands
➢ Ramsar Convention
➢ Montreux Record
• Estuary Ecosystem
• Difference between Lagoon & Estuary
• Mangroves
✓ Characteristics
✓ Importance of mangrove
✓ Threats
✓ Conservation
• Marine Ecosystem
• Marine Organism – adaptations
• Coral Reefs
✓ Conditions for growth of coral reefs
✓ Types and importance of corals
• Coral bleaching
✓ Causes of coral bleaching
• Measures for Coral Restoration
• Important terms
• Previous year questions of UPSC

CHAPTER 4 – HUMAN MADE ECOSYSTEM
• Classification
• Agro ecosystem and agriculture practice
• Plantation Forest
• Case Study – Aravali Biodiversity Park
• Urban Ecosystem
• Rural Ecosystem
• Aquaculture
• Industrialization and Environmental Degradation
• Lab Culture
• Human Impact on Environment
• Methods to minimize human impact on Natural Ecosystems
• Environment Impact Assessment

CHAPTER 5 – BIODIVERSITY
• Biodiversity and measurement of biodiversity
• Causes for biodiversity loss
• Modes of Conservation
• The Red Data Book
• Indian Biodiversity
• Protected Area Network
• Biosphere Reserve
• Biodiversity Hotspot
• Biodiversity Cold Spot
• Conservation Programmes
• Eco Sensitive Zones
• Important Flora and Fauna
• Human animal conflict
• Fauna diversity in India
• Important Terms

CHAPTER 6 – CLIMATE CHANGE & GLOBAL WARMING
• Climate change
• Natural causes of climate change
• Anthropogenic causes of climate change
• Global Warming & its Impact
• Green House Effect
• Greenhouse Gases
• Black and Brown Carbon
• Global Warming Potential
• Impacts of climate change
• Controlling strategies
• India and climate change
• Climate Change Organisation / Summit
• Significance and the potential of GGI – OSOWOG
• Criticism of the UNFCCC
• Three working groups of IPCC
• Key findings of the 6th Assessment Report of IPCC
• Indian Sub – continent Specific Findings
• Important Terms
• Climate change performance index (CCPI), 2022
• Categories of countries under Kyoto Protocol
• Quotes of Greta Thunberg, Climate change activist
• Previous year questions of UPSC

CHAPTER 7 – POLLUTION
• Environment Pollution
• Air Pollution
o Types of pollutants
o Major Air pollutants
o Acid Rain
o Effect of acid rain
o Air Pollutants associated with agriculture
• Heavy Metal Pollution
• Controlling Measures of Air Pollution
• Water Pollution
o Sources of water Pollution
o Effects of Water Pollution
o Controlling measures of water pollution
• Noise Pollution and its effect
• E waste
o E Waste Pollutants
o E waste Controlling Measures
• Solid waste
o Treatment and Disposal of Solid Waste
o Case Study
• Plastic Pollution
o Micro plastic and Micro beads
• Measures taken by government
• Bio Medical Waste
o Controlling Measures
• Bio Medical waste management Rules, 2016
• Salient features of bio Medical Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2018
• Radio Active Pollution
o Effects of Radio Active Pollution
o Solution of Radioactive Pollution
• Ocean Acidification
• Ozone Depletion
• Terms
• Previous year questions of UPSC

CHAPTER 8 – AGRICULTURE
• Agriculture
• Problems of Indian Agriculture
• Region wise Sustainable Agriculture Practices
• Sustainable Agriculture
• Different methods of sustainable agriculture
• Benefits of Sustainable Agriculture
• Dry land farming
• Wetland Farming
• Precision Farming
• Intercropping
• Vermicomposting
• Trap Cropping
• Vertical Farming
• Tillage
• Weed
• Drip Irrigation
• Biofertilisers
• Nitrogen Fixation
• Climate Smart Agriculture
• System of Rice cultivation
• Direct seeding of Rice (DSR)
• Various Agriculture Activities
• Terms
• Previous year questions of UPSC

CHAPTER 9 – SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
• Sustainable development
• UN Conference on the Human Environment, Stockholm (1972)
• Brutland Commission
• The Earth Summit, 1992
• Rio Earth Summit, 2012
• Understanding Sustainable Development
• Carrying Capacity & Sustainable Development
• Relationship between Population Growth & Resource Availability
• Human activities affecting sustainability of the biosphere
• Inequitable and exhortative use of resources
• Need to conserve and manage resources for Posterity
• Environmental Degradation
• Four laws of Ecology
• Development without destruction
• Efforts at individual level
• Strategies to achieve sustainable development
• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• History of Sustainable goals
• Kuznets Curve
• Quotes
• Previous year questions of UPSC

CHAPTER 10 – ALTERNATE ENERGY RESOURCES
• Alternate energy resources
• Solar Energy
• Biofuel/ Biomass Energy
• Highlights of national policy on Biofuels, 2018
• Hydropower
• Wind energy
• Ocean energy
• Nuclear Energy
• Nuclear waste and pollution
• Geothermal energy
• Hydrogen
• Benefits of clean energy
• Limitation of energy source of energy
• Issues/ challenges ahead
• Energy Auditing
• Are electric vehicle greener?
• Important points

CHAPTER 11 – ACTS & ORGANISATIONS IN INDIA
• Acts, policies & Rules related to Environment in India
• The water (Prevention and control of pollution) act of 1974 and amendment, 1988
• Wildlife (Protection) act, 1972
• The forest (conservation) Act, 1980
• Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
• Biological Diversity Act, 2002
• Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill, 2021
• The National Green Tribunal Act, 2010
• Coastal Regulation Zone, 2011
• Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 – notified by MoEF&CC
• Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules, 2016
• Bio-medical Waste Management Rules, 2016
• E-waste Management Rules, 2016
• Plastic waste Management Rules, 2016
• Wetlands (Conservation & Management) Rules, 2017
• Protection of Plant varieties and framers Rights Act
• CAMPA or Compensatory Fund Act, 2016
• The Ozone depletion Substance Rules
• Environmental Organization in India

CHAPTER 12 – INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION AND ORGANISATION
• Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
• International treaty on plant genetic resources for Food and Agriculture (PGRFA)