Environment and Ecology: For UPSC Civil Services and State Services Examinations

Part I - Ecology

Introduction to Environment ix - xiv

Previous Years' Questions 110-111

Chapter 1: Introduction to Ecology 1-11

1.1. Branches of Ecology

1.2. Levels of Organisation

1.3. Types of Biomes

1.4. Major Biomes and Their Unique Features

Chapter 2: Ecological Terminology 12-18

2.1. Ecological Niche

2.2. Ecological Equivalence

2.3. Ecotone

2.4. Ecocline

2.5. Deep Ecology

2.6. Biological Indicators

2.7. Biological Clock

2.8. Biological Spectrum

2.9. Homeostasis

2.10. Ecocide

Chapter 3: Principles of Ecology 19-32

3.1. Adaptation

3.1.1. The Need for Adaptation

3.1.2. Types of Adaptation

3.1.3. Adaptations and Survival Strategies

3.1.4. Ecological Amplitude

3.1.5. Phenotypic Plasticity: Physical Characteristic Plasticity

3.1.6. Survivorship Curves

3.2. Interaction between Living Organisms

3.2.1. Allelopathy

3.3. Evolution

3.4. Species formation : Speciation

3.5. Extinction

3.6. Ecological Succession

3.6.1. Types of Ecological Succession

3.6.2. Steps in Succession

Chapter 4: Ecosystem 33-48

4.1. What is an Ecosystem?

4.2 Components of the Ecosystem

Chapter 5: Functions of the Ecosystem 49-66

5.1. Productivity in Ecosystems

5.1.1. Types of Productivity

5.1.2. Factors Influencing Productivity

5.2. Disintegration Processes of Productivity

5.3. Energy Flow in Ecosystems

5.3.1. Food Chain

5.3.2. Food Web

5.3.3. Ecological Pyramids

5.3.4. Biomagnification

5.4. Biogeochemical Cycles

Chapter 6: Important Ecosystems 67-94

6.1. Classification of Ecosystems

6.2. Aquatic Ecosystem

Chapter 7: Contemporary 95-99

Developments

7.1. Ecological Fiscal Transfers (EFTs)

7.2. The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB)

7.3. Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA)

7.4. Intergovernmental Science Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)

7.5. Natural Capital Project (NatCap)

7.6. System of Environmental Economic Accounting (SEEA)

7.7. UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021–2030)

7.8. Global Partnership on Forest and Landscape Restoration (GPFLR)

7.9. Natural Capital Coalition / Capitals Coalition

7.10. The High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People (HAC for N&P)

7.11. National Ecosystem Assessment Initiative

7.12. Gross Environmental Product (GEP)

Chapter 8: Environmentalism 100-108

and Environmental

Movements

8.1. Important Environmental Movements

8.2. Western Ghats Committee Reports

8.3. Important Environmental Awards

Comparative Study 109

Part II - Biodiversity and Its Conservation

Chapter 1: Biodiversity 1-5

1.1. What is Biodiversity?

1.2. Levels of Biological Diversity

1.3. Measures of Biodiversity

1.3.1. Tools to Measure Species Richness

Chapter 2: India’s Biodiversity: 6-19

A Mega-Diverse Nation on the Global Map

2.1. Biogeographical Realms

2.2. Biomes

2.3. Biogeographic Zones in India

2.4. Biogeographic Provinces in India

2.5. Biodiversity Hotspots in India

2.6. Mega-Diverse Countries

2.7. Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS)

2.8. Biodiversity Heritage Sites

2.9. UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India

2.10. Centres of Origin of Cultivated Crop Plants

2.11. IUCN Red List

2.12. IUCN Green List

Chapter 3: Animal Kingdom 20-59

3.1. Fish Biodiversity of India

3.2. Amphibian Diversity

3.3. Reptile Diversity in India

3.4. Bird Diversity

3.5. Mammal Diversity

3.6. Arthropoda: Insect, Butterfly and Spider Biodiversity

Chapter 4: Plant Kingdom 60-78

4.1. Classification

4.2. Some important Medicinal Plants and Herbs

4.3. Critically Endangered Plants/Trees in India

4.4. Invasive Alien Species

4.5. Specified Plants

4.6. Some important plants/trees

4.7. Unique Plants and Unique Facts!

4.8. India State of Forest Report (ISFR)

Chapter 5: Guardians of Biodiversity: 79-106

Conservation Stories of India’s Iconic Wildlife

5.1. Elephants

5.2. Tiger

5.3. Leopard

5.4. Project Cheetah

5.5. Lion

5.6. Rhinos

5.7. Vultures: Nature's Cleanup Crew!

Chapter 6: Biodiversity and its Conservation 107-116

6.1. Wildlife Sanctuaries

6.2. National Park

6.3. Biosphere Reserve

6.4. Geological Heritage Sites

6.5. Conservation Reserves

6.6. Community Reserve

6.7. Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ)

Chapter 7: Wildlife and Environment 117 - 129

Protection – Legal / Statutory Provisions

7.1. Wildlife and Environment Protection under Constitutional Framework of India

7.2. Important Acts related to Wild Life Protection

7.2.1. Indian Forest Act-1927

7.2.2. Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980

7.2.3. Biodiversity Act, 2002

7.2.4. The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972

7.2.5. Forest Rights Act (FRA) 2006

7.2.6. The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016

7.2.7. Green Credit Scheme

7.2.8. Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960

7.2.9. Animal Welfare Legislation in India

Comparative Study 130

Chapter 8: National and International Organisations for Biodiversity Conservation 131-143

8.1. Statutory Bodies

8.1.1 Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI)

8.1.2. National Board For Wild Life (NBWL)

8.1.3. State Board for Wild Life (SBWL)

8.1.4. Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB)

8.1.5. Central Zoo Authority (CZA)

8.1.6. National Tiger Conservation Authority

8.1.7. National Biodiversity Authority (NBA)

8.1.8. State Biodiversity Board (SBB)

8.2. Other Government Institutes

8.2.1. Wildlife Institute of India

8.2.2. National Afforestation and Eco- Development Board (NAEB)

Chapter 1: Environmental Pollution 1-54

1.1. Air Pollution

1.2. Water Pollution

1.3. Noise Pollution

1.4. Radiation and Nuclear Pollution

1.5. E-Waste

1.6. Plastic Waste

1.7. Solid Waste Management

1.8. Biomedical Waste Management

1.9. Hazardous Waste Management

1.10. Marine Pollution related conventions

1.11 Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Treaty (2023)

1.12 International Conventions Against Pollution

1.13 EU Initiatives

Chapter 2: Important Laws and Acts 55-63

Related to Environmental Pollution

2.1. Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974

2.2. Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981

2.3. Bharat Stage Emission Standards

2.4. Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, and Environmental Aspects

2.5. National Green Tribunal (NGT)

2.6. Water Cess Act, 1977

2.7. Environment Protection Act, 1986 (EPA, 1986)

Chapter 3: Climate Change 64-76

3.1. Greenhouse Effect

3.2. Ozone Layer Depletion

3.3 Ocean Acidification

3.3.1 Impact of CO2 on Ocean Acidification

3.3.2 Mitigation of Ocean Acidity

3.3.3. Beneficiaries of Ocean Acidity Reduction

3.4. Impacts of Climate Change

3.4.1. Health Impacts

3.4.2. Environmental Impact

3.4.3. Impact on India’s Forests

3.4.4. Impact on Agriculture in India

3.4.5. Impact on Water Resources

3.4.6. Floods and Cyclones

3.5. Key Concepts in Climate Change

3.5.1. Carbon Footprint

3.5.2. Ecological Footprint

3.5.3. Carbon Offset

3.5.4. Carbon Credits

3.5.5. Carbon Tax

PART III - Environmental Pollution

8.2.3. Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE)

8.2.4. Botanical Survey of India (BSI)

8.2.5. Zoological Survey of India (ZSI)

8.3. International Organizations for Biodiversity Conservation

8.3.1. United Nation's Environment Programme

8.3.2. The Global Environment Facility (GEF)

8.3.3. International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN)

8.3.4. The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO)

8.3.5. The South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN)

8.3.6. United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF)

8.3.7. TRAFFIC: Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network

8.3.8. International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC)

8.3.9. The Coalition Against Wildlife Trafficking

8.3.10. World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)

8.3.11. Foundation for Environmental Education

8.3.12. The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA)

8.3.13. The Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE)

8.3.14. Plantlife International

8.3.15. BirdLife International

Chapter 9: Conventions Related to Conservation of Biological Diversity 144-158

9.1. Earth Summit

9.2. Convention on Biological Diversity

9.2.1. Major Protocols

9.2.2. Key Outcomes of the COPs

9.2.3. Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF)

9.3. Convention on the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage Sites

9.4. Bonn Convention

9.5. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)

9.6. BIOFIN – Biodiversity Finance Initiative

9.7. International Plant Protection Convention

9.8. International Whaling Commission (IWC)

9.9. International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture

Comparative Study 157

Tricks to Identify Species 158

Previous Years' Questions 159-162

PART IV - Sustainable Development

3.5.6. Carbon Leakage

3.5.7. Social Cost of Carbon

3.5.8. Representative Concentration Pathways

3.5.9. Keeling Curve

3.5.10. Green Grabbing

3.5.11. Biodiversity Leak

Chapter 4: International Conferences on Climate Change and Environmental Pollution 77-108

4.1. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

4.2. UNFCCC

4.3. World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

4.4. United Nations Development Programme

4.5. Issue-based Coalition on Environment and Climate Change

4.6. Climate & Clean Air Coalition (CCAC)

4.7. Climate Action Network (CAN)

4.8. The Climate Action Tracker

4.9. Global Peatland Initiative

4.10. ENACT

4.11. The Global Methane Initiative (GMI)

4.12. The Climate Group

4.13. Cool Coalition

4.14. Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHGP)

4.15. Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure

4.16. Climate Smart Assessment Framework (CSCAF)

4.17. India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC)

Chapter 5: Climate Finance 109-112

5.1. The Global Environment Facility(GEF)

5.2. Global Financial Mechanisms Under UNFCCC

5.3. Climate Investment Funds (CIF)

5.4. Bio-Carbon Fund

5.5. Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF)

5.6. Global Climate Change Alliance

5.7. Global Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Fund

Previous Years' Questions 113-117

Chapter 1: Sustainable Development 1-9

1.1. Concept of Sustainable Development

1.2. Origin of the Concept of Sustainable Development

1.3. Earth Summit (Rio Summit)

1.4. High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF)

1.5. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

1.6. Initiatives And Developments related to Sustainable Development

1.7. Green Economy

1.8. Circular Economy

1.9. Bio Economy

Chapter 2: Sustainable Agriculture / 10-30

Eco-friendly Farming Practices

2.1. Regenerative Agriculture (Agroecology)

2.1.1. Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZNBF)

2.1.2. Zero Tillage (ZT)

2.1.3 Mixed Cropping / Diverse Cropping

2.2. Permaculture

2.3. Organic Farming

2.3.1. Bio-fertilisers

2.4. Intensive Agricultural Practices

2.4.1. Vertical Farming

2.5. Climate-Smart Agriculture & Climate-Resilient Agriculture (CRA)

2.5.1. Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

2.5.2. Integrated Nutrient Management (INM)

2.5.3. Climate-Resilient Agriculture (CRA)

2.6. Smart Agriculture

Chapter 3: 31-38

Green Revolutions and Sustainable Agriculture in India

3.1 Introduction

3.2 The First Green Revolution in India

3.3 The Second Green Revolution

Chapter 4: 39-43

Sustainable Development and Forest Resources

4.1 Forest Management in India

4.2 Global Frameworks Supporting SFM

4.3 National Initiatives on Sustainable Forest Management

Chapter 5: Green Energy Solutions 44-61

5.1 Wind Power

5.2 Geothermal Heat

5.3 Hydroelectric Energy

5.4 Solar Power

5.5 Nuclear Energy

Appendices 62-76

Tiger Reserves in India

National Parks in India

Carbon Terminology – Annexure

State-Wise Notes on Environment