our environmetn

• Some substances can be easily degraded and broken down into simple soluble substances by the action of enzymes secreted by microorganisms called decomposers
• Biodegradable substances can be easily degraded and broken down into simple soluble substances by the action of enzymes secreted by microorganisms called decomposers
• Man-made substances cannot be degraded or broken down into simpler substances through the enzymes secreted by the decomposing microbes
• Biodegradable substances like leaves, kitchen waste, and plant parts can be used as humus after composting to enhance soil fertility
• Biodegradable substances mainly contain carbon, which is released back into the atmosphere after decomposition
• During the decomposition of biodegradable substances, foul smell and harmful gases are produced, spreading in the environment and making life difficult for people nearby
• Non-biodegradable substances like pesticides and chemicals enter the living body through water and food, causing harmful effects and biological magnification through the food chain
• During the recycling of non-biodegradable substances like plastic and polythene, carcinogenic toxins are released into the environment, causing health problems
• Non-biodegradable substances contaminate soil and water resources as they cannot be decomposed by microorganisms
• Every step of the food chain where transfer of food and energy occurs is called a trophic level
• Plants are the first trophic level of the food chain, acting as producers
• Deer are the second trophic level of the food chain, being herbivores that feed upon plants
• Tigers are the third trophic level of the food chain, acting as secondary consumers that feed upon deer
• Decomposers are microbes that break down complex organic substances into simpler ones, recycling materials in the biosphere and maintaining the food chain
• Ozone is a molecule made of three oxygen atoms present in the stratosphere, absorbing harmful UV radiation and protecting living beings on Earth
• When the ozone layer gets depleted, UV radiation reaches the Earth, affecting plants, animals, and causing health issues in humans
• Decomposition of waste materials can be reduced by sorting biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes, promoting the use of recycled items, and converting non-biodegradable materials into ash through incineration
• Biological magnification is the accumulation of toxic substances, especially non-biodegradable ones, at each trophic level, with the highest concentration at the top trophic level
• Non-biodegradable wastes increase pollution, enter the food chain, reduce soil fertility, and harm useful microorganisms
• If all waste generated is biodegradable, it still impacts the environment as decomposition releases gases and substances affecting the ecosystem
• Biodegradable wastes are decomposed by microbes into simpler substances
• Microbes use these substances and provide raw materials for producers
• Slow decomposition of biodegradable waste can release foul smell and harmful gases into the environment
• Inhaled harmful gases may cause irritation, nausea, and giddiness in human beings
• Decomposition waste provides a breeding ground for microbes
• Abundance of microbes may cause diseases in animals, plants, and human beings
• Increase in the number of microbes in aquatic medium can cause oxygen deficiency in water bodies
• Ozone layer is a protective shield around the earth that prevents harmful ultraviolet radiation from reaching the earth
• Air pollutants like chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are causing depletion of the ozone layer
• Depletion of the ozone layer results in greater amounts of UV radiation reaching the earth
• UV radiation can affect photosynthesis in plants, destroy planktons and decomposer microbes
• In human beings, UV radiation may cause skin cancer, cataracts, and damage to the immune system
• Several nations have agreed to limit the production of CFCs to protect the ozone layer
• Ecological pyramids are graphical representations of the trophic structure in an ecosystem
• They show the number of individuals, dry weight of living organisms, and rate of energy flow at successive trophic levels
• Flow of energy in a food chain is unidirectional and follows the 10% law
• Solar energy enters the food chain at the producer level
• About 10% of energy is available for the next trophic level, with the rest being lost
• Energy cannot re-enter the food chain at any trophic level
• The length of food chains in an ecosystem is generally limited to three or four trophic levels