PHYTOPLANKTON: Classification, Factors Affecting

The term 'plankton' refers to the group of organisms which float in the surface waters of the rivers, lakes and oceans. Derived from the Greek words phyto (plant) and plankton (made to wander or drift), I phytoplankton are microscopic plant organisms i that live in aquatic environments, both salty and fresh. Some phytoplankton are bacteria, some are  protists, and most are single-celled plants. Among the common kinds are cyanobacteria, silica-encased diatoms, dinoflagellates, green algae, and chalk-coated coccolithophores. Like land plants, phytoplankton have chlorophyll to capture sunlight, and they use f photosynthesis to turn it into chemical energy. * They consume carbon dioxide, and release oxygen. All phytoplankton photosynthesize, but some get additional energy by consuming other organisms. These micro-algae are present throughout the lighted regions of all the seas and oceans including the Polar Regions. Their total biomass is many times greater than that of the total plants on land and they serve as the "pasture grounds" in the aquatic environment.

Based on their size, phytoplankton can be classified as

1. macroplankton (more than 1 mm),

2. microplankton (less than 1 mm, retained by nets of mesh size 0.06 mm),

3. nanoplankton (between 5 and 60 micrometers), and

4. ultraplankton (less than 5 micrometers).

Many phytoplankton species belong mainly to the nanoplankton and microplankton fractions.

Factors Affecting Phytoplanktons Biodiversity

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ZOOPLANKTON

Zooplankton play vital role in food web of the food chain, nutrient recycling, and in transfer of organic matter from primary producers to secondary consumers like fishes.

They are more abundant within mangrove water-ways than in adjacent coastal waters, and a large proportion of the juvenile fish of mangrove habitat are zooplanktivorous.

The zooplankton determine the quantum of fish stpck. Hence, zooplankton communities, based on their quality and species diversity, are used for assessing the productivity Vis-a- vis fishery resource, fertility and health status of the ecosystem.

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PLANKTON: Holoplankton & Meroplankton

This group includes both microscopic plants like Algae (phytoplankton) and animals like crustaceans and protozoans (zooplankton) found in all aquatic ecosystems, except certain swift moving waters.

The locomotory power of the planktons is limited so that their distribution is controlled, largely, by currents in the aquatic ecosystems.

Based on the length of life cycle / planktonic mode of life, they are grouped as:

Holoplankton (or) Permanent plankton: These organisms that are planktonic for their entire life cycle. Examples: radiolarians, foraminiferans, amphipods, krills, copepods, salps, and jellyfishes (except porifera, bryozoa, phoronida, prochordata and mammalia).

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Black Carbon, Brown Carbon, Blue Carbon & Green Carbon Explained

Brown Carbon: It is a Green house Gases (a gas which absorbs radiation and traps heat in the earth’s atmosphere, e.g. CO2)

Black Carbon: It is also a green house gas and causes more pollution than Brown Carbon. The particles leftover from incomplete combustion of fossil fuels (soot and dust), which has a greater effect on radiation transmission. This in turn can directly and indirectly reduce the albedo effect of global snow and ice.

“Green Carbon” Carbon incorporated into plant biomass and the soils below. Green carbon is carbon removed by photosynthesis aind stored in the plants and soil of natural ecosystems and is a vital part of the global carbon cycle.Many plants and most crops, have short lives and release much of their carbon at the end of each season, but forest biomass accumulates carbon over decades and centuries. Furthermore, forests can accumulate large amounts of CO2 in relatively short periods, typically several decades.Afforestation and reforestation are measures that can be taken to enhance biological carbon sequestration.

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The Ramsar Sites Criteria for Selection of Wetlands

The Ramsar Sites Criteria The nine criteria for identifying Wetlands of International Importance

Group A of the Criteria. Sites containing representative, rare or unique wetland types

Criterion 1: A wetland should be considered internationally important if it contains a representative, rare, or unique example of a natural or near-natural wetland type found within the appropriate biogeographic region. 

Group B of the Criteria. Sites of international importance for conserving biological diversity Criteria based on species and ecological communities

Criterion 2: A wetland should be considered internationally important if it supports vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered species or threatened ecological communities. 

Criterion 3: A wetland should be considered internationally important if it supports populations of plant and/or animal species important for maintaining the biological diversity of a particular biogeographic region. 

Criterion 4: A wetland should be considered internationally important if it supports plant and/or animal species at a critical stage in their life cycles, or provides refuge during adverse conditions. 

Specific criteria based on waterbirds

Criterion 5: A wetland should be considered internationally important if it regularly supports 20,000 or more waterbirds. 

Criterion 6: A wetland should be considered internationally important if it regularly supports 1% of the individuals in a population of one species or subspecies of waterbird. 

Specific criteria based on fish

Criterion 7: A wetland should be considered internationally important if it supports a significant proportion of indigenous fish subspecies, species or families, life-history stages, species interactions and/or populations that are representative of wetland benefits and/or values and thereby contributes to global biological diversity. 

Criterion 8: A wetland should be considered internationally important if it is an important source of food for fishes, spawning ground, nursery and/or migration path on which fish stocks, either within the wetland or elsewhere, depend. 

Specific criteria based on other taxa

Criterion 9: A wetland should be considered internationally important if it regularly supports 1% of the individuals in a population of one species or subspecies of wetland-dependent non-avian animal species. 

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Coral Reefs in India- Types, Distribution, Uses, Threats and their Conservation

Coral Reefs a unique ecosystem of tropical regions, which are home to 25% of marine organisms and extended in less than 25% of total marine area, are facing problems of extinction mainly due to anthropogenic factors.India in-spite of being a tropical nation has very less area of coral reefs.The absence of coral in Bay of Bengal can be attributed to the immense volume of fresh water and silt carried by mighty rivers of India, large population base on eastern coast, heavy monsoonal rainfall etc. In light of Coral reefs being critical both for people and marine organism,the conservation programme for coral reefs should be accelerated and properly managed.

What are coral reefs?

Coral reefs are shallow water, tropical marine ecosystems which are characterized by a remarkably high biomass production and a marine biodiversity.

They require certain conditions to flourish 

- shallow waters, 

- exposed to direct sunlight, 

- sea water temperature of 23-25°c

- moderate salinity; and 

- free from suspended sediments. 

Structure of Coral Reefs:

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Mesic habitat

What is Mesic Habitat?

Based on water availability in habitat, we can divide the habitat into  Xeric habitat,  Mesic habitat and hydric habitat.

A Mesic habitat is well balanced with moisture. the moisture availability is not so high as in Hydric and not so less as in Xeric. Compared to a dry habitat, a mesic habitat is more moist. 

Examples of Mesic Habitats are, a temperate hardwood forest, or dry-mesic prairie. 

Convergence 

All Xeric and Hydric habitats try to attain the Mesic Habitat Vegetation or structure in nature.

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SEAWEEDS

Seaweeds are (thalloid plants) macroscopic algae, which mean they have no differentiation of true tissues such as roots, stems and leaves. They have leaf-like appendages. Seaweeds, the larger and visible marine plants are found attached to rocks, corals and other submerged strata in the inter-tidal and shallow sub tidal zones of the sea. Seaweeds grow in shallow coastal waters wherever sizable substata is available. Based on the colour of their pigmentation, sea weeds are broadly classified into different classes such as

• blue-green,

• green,
• brown,
• red etc.
Functions of seaweeds

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Environment in Indian Constitution

Status of Environment in Indian Constituion and What are the articles in Indian constitution concerned with Environment:
The State’s responsibility with regard to environmental protection has been laid down under Article 48-A of our Constitution, which reads as follows:

“The State shall endeavour to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country”.

Environmental protection is a fundamental duty of every citizen of this country under Article 51-A(g) of our Constitution which reads as follows:

“It shall be the duty of every citizen of India to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife and to have compassion for living creatures.”

Article 21 of the Constitution is a fundamental right which reads as follows:

“No person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to procedure established by law.”

Though this Article does not explicitly mention the environment, the Supreme Court and the various High Courts of the country have given a wider interpretation to the word “life” in this Article. According to the courts, the right to life includes the right to a living environment congenial to human existence.

The Supreme Court in Subhas Kumar V. State of Bihar (AIR 1991 SC 420) held that right to environment is a fundamental right of every citizen of India and is included in the “right to life” guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) is maintainable in the High Court or Supreme Court at the instance of affected persons or even by a group of social workers or journalists for prevention of pollution.

Common or Concurrent List Entries

1. Forests
2. Protection of wild animals and birds
3. Economic and social planning
4. Population control and family planning

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Blizzards

Blizzards are violent snowstorm and are natural phenomenon and are violence of nature. They are characterized by strong winds, cold temperatures, and reduced visibility due to falling or blowing snow.

Tail of Cyclones  in Bay of Bengal triggers Blizzards in India and Nepal.

How is ground Blizzard different?

Sometimes strong winds only pick up dry snow that has already fallen earlier, which then is known as a ground blizzard. 

Impact of Blizzards:

1. The wind chill factor is the amount of cooling the human body feels due to the combination of wind and temperature. During blizzards, with the combination of cold temperatures and strong winds, very low wind chill values can occur. Exposure to low wind chill values can result in frostbite or hypothermia.

2. Reduced Visibility
3. They block important mountain passes.

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Land Degradation in India - Causes & Impacts

Land occupies about 29 per cent of the earth's surface, the rest 71 per cent is water. Land has soils, forests, agricultural lands, mountains, human habitations, animals, water bodies, etc. These components make up the land system, that supports the biodiversity in a region.

Man has been exploiting land and its resources. He has been clearing forest lands for agriculture. However, over the years, the agricultural practices have undergone a great change. Today, man cultivates genetically modified food crops and cash crops. These require a change in the techniques of production and support systems like better irrigation facilities, inputs like fertilizers, and pesticides. The demand of growing population for shelter, economic activities, transportation and recreational activities have added pressure on the land-use pattern. In order to meet the demand for land, natural lands are being converted to other land- use patterns, resulting in destruction of the land cover.

The change in land-use patterns induced by human activities can be judged from the following:

(i)         From 1700 to the mid-1980s, the cropland increased globally from 392% to 466%. It naturally grew at the expense of forest, grassland and wetlands.

(ii)        The net irrigated cropland has increased, over the last 200 years, from 80,000 sq. km. to 2,000,000 sq. km.

(iii)       The worldwide tree cover has decreased by about 15%. It is estimated that the annual global loss in forest cover may be as high as 1200,000 sq. km.

(iv)       Land-cover change has led to the loss of 27,000 species annually in tropical forests.

CAUSES OF LAND DEGRADATION:

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Green Calender - Important Dates relating to Environment, Forests, Health & People

Green Calendar

January 12	International Youth Day
January 14-30	Animal Welfare Fortnight
February 2	World Wetlands Day
March 21	World Forestry Day
March 22	World Day for Water
March 23	World Meteorological Day
April 7	World Health Day
April 23	Earth Day
April 28	World Heritage Day
May 22	International Day for Biological Diversity
May 31	World No - Tobacco Day

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7-National Disaster Management Authority and its Role - -Disaster Management Notes for UPSC, APPSC, IBPS & Bank PO - General Awareness

Disaster Management in India Appsc material Telugu medium notes, Tsunami, Natural Disasters, man-made disasters, national disaster management authority, introduction of disaster management, generating awareness on disaster management, types of disasters, recent natural disasters

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6- Stages of Disaster Management -Disaster Management Notes for UPSC, APPSC, IBPS & Bank PO - General Awareness

Disaster Management in India Appsc material Telugu medium notes, Tsunami, Natural Disasters, man-made disasters, national disaster management authority, introduction of disaster management, generating awareness on disaster management, types of disasters, recent natural disasters

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5- Man-made Disasters -Disaster Management Notes for UPSC, APPSC, IBPS & Bank PO - General Awareness

Disaster Management in India appsc material Telugu medium notes, Tsunami, Natural Disasters, manmade disasters, national disaster management authority, introduction of disaster management, generating awareness on disaster management, types of disasters, recent natural disasters

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4-Floods & Cyclones -Disaster Management Notes for UPSC, APPSC, IBPS & Bank PO - General Awareness

Disaster Management in India appsc material Telugu medium notes, Tsunami, Natural Disasters, manmade disasters, national disaster management authority, introduction of disaster management, generating awareness on disaster management, types of disasters, recent natural disasters

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3- Droughts -Disaster Management Notes for UPSC, APPSC, IBPS & Bank PO - General Awareness

Disaster Management in India appsc material Telugu medium notes, Tsunami, Natural Disasters, man-made disasters, national disaster management authority, introduction of disaster management, generating awareness on disaster management, types of disasters, recent natural disasters

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2-Earth Quakes --Disaster Management Notes for UPSC, APPSC, IBPS & Bank PO - General Awareness

Disaster Management in India appsc material Telugu medium notes, Tsunami, Natural Disasters, man-made disasters, national disaster management authority, introduction of disaster management, generating awareness on disaster management, types of disasters, recent natural disasters

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1-Disaster Management Basics, Types & Terminology - for UPSC, APPSC, IBPS & Bank PO - General Awareness

Disaster Management in India Appsc material Telugu medium notes, Tsunami, Natural Disasters, man-made disasters, national disaster management authority, introduction of disaster management, generating awareness on disaster management, types of disasters, recent natural disasters

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Carbon Offsets Types - Impact - Mechanism

A carbon offset is a reduction in emissions of carbon dioxide or greenhouse gases made in order to compensate for or to offset an emission made elsewhere.

Offsets are typically achieved through financial support of projects that reduce the emission of greenhouse gases in the short- or long-term. The most common project type is renewable energy, such as wind farms, biomass energy, or hydroelectric dams. Others include energy efficiency projects, the destruction of industrial pollutants or agricultural byproducts, destruction of landfill methane, and forestry projects. Some of the most popular carbon offset projects from a corporate perspective are energy efficiency and wind turbine projects. 

You buy yourself a clean conscience by paying someone else to undo the harm you are causing.

Carbon offsets are measured in metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent (CO2)

may represent six primary categories of greenhouse gases:

1. carbon dioxide (CO2),
2. methane (CH4),
3. nitrous oxide (N2O),
4. perfluorocarbons (PFCs),
5. hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and
6. sulfur hexafluoride (SF6).

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