UNIVERSITY OF MADRAS
B.Sc. DEGREE COURSE IN BOTANY
SEMESTER SYSTEM WITH CREDITS
(Effective from the Academic Year 2003-2004)
SYLLABUS

Semester VI - Paper X - Environmental Biology and Toxicology

Duration: 3 hrs
Maximum Marks: 100
Credits: 4

Lecture 4 Hrs; Practicals 2 Hrs. per week

Environment Biology

Unit - I

Importance of study of Ecology, environmental factors: climatic (temperature light, humidity, rainfall, wind, fire) edaphic (composition, profile, organisms, water, air, conservation of soil) and biotic - (grazing and deforestation) Biogeocycle - hydrological cycle.

Unit - II

Concept of ecosystem - study of pond, grass - land and forest ecosystem.

Concept of energy, food chain, food web and ecological pyramids. Natural and artifical hazards to ecosystems, preventive and remedial measures.

Unit - III

Morphological and anatomical features of mesophytes, hydrophytes, xerophytes and halophytes.

Unit - IV

Phytogeographical regions of India. Detailed study of the vegetation types - ever green, deciduous, scrub jungle, mangrove forest.

Natural resources - forest resources, conservation, afforestation. social forestry. agroforestry.

Unit - V

Toxicology:

Enviromnental toxicants - classification - occurrence - sources - effects on plants.
Heavy metal toxicity - lead and Chromium bioaccumulation.
Atmospheric toxicants - Carbon monoxide, Suphur oxides.
Pollution indicators indicators - definitation of indicator plants, algae, angiospersms.
Toxins of biological origin - botulins, afflotoxins.

Practicals

1. Study of the morphological and anatomical features of hyprophytes, mesphytes, xerophytes and halophytes.
2. Map of phytogeographical regions of India.
3. Effects of effluents containing heavy metals on germinating Groundnut and Paddy Seeds.
4. Visit to areas affected by industrial effluents.

Reference Books

1. Daubemire R.F 1973, Plant Environment. John Wiley.
2. Duffous J.H. 1980, Environmental Toxicology, Edward Arnold Publication, London.
3. Swaminathan M.S and S.L.Kochhar 1989, Plants and society Macmillan Publishers.
4. Simon A. Lein, Mark, A.harwell, John R. Kelly, Kenneth D.Kimball, Ecotoxicology Problems and Approaches, Springer Verlag. London.
5. Sharma P.D 1993, Environmental Biology and Toxicology, Rastogi & Co Meerat.
6. Autlay Mackenzie, Andy S.Bail and Sonia R.Virdee 1999, Instant Notes in Ecology, Viva Books Pvt Ltd Chennai.
7. Pandian T.J and EVivekanandan 1990, Bioenergetics Madras Science Foundation Madras 28, Anand Book Depot, Chennai.
8. Odum E.P 1983, Basic Ecology, Holt Saunders International Editions.
9. Kumar H.D 1990, Modern Concepts of Ecology, Vikas Publishing House Pvt Ltd.
10. Shukla R and Chandel P 1990. Plant Ecology, S.Chand & Co Pvt Ltd.