Description

This course focuses on the basic concepts of ecology, ecosystem and its types; ecosystem services, importance of biodiversity, factors responsible for biodiversity loss and conservation and management of biodiversity. The concept of land, soil and water as a resource. The course also tries to understand the importance of natural resources, resource management, types of energy resources, non-renewable and alternative resources, mineral resources and sustainable issues related to energy and mineral resources .The issues related to agrobiodiversity viz. factors responsible for its depletion, the need for managing it in a sustainable way are also being covered in this course. Block 1: Ecosystem and Biodiversity WEEK-1: Concepts of Ecosystem WEEK-2: Biodiversity: Levels, Distribution and Uses WEEK-3: Loss of Biodiversity WEEK-4: Biodiversity Conservation Block 2: Land and water Resources WEEK-5: Land and Soil WEEK-6: Water: Status, distribution and quality, Water : Competitive Uses Block 3: Energy & Mineral Resources WEEK-7: Renewable and Non-renewable resources WEEK-8: Alternative Energy Resources WEEK-9: Mineral Resources, Usage Pattern and Issues Block 4: Agrobiodiversity: Status and issues WEEK-10: Agrobiodiversity : Introduction and Importance WEEK-11: Loss of agrobiodiversity WEEK-12: Sustainable use of agrobiodiversity, Agrobiodiversity: Challenges and Opportunities