One of the most important subjects in civil service exams is environment and ecology. This section has been asked frequently in both the UPSC Prelims and Mains. As a result, it is critical to obtain notes on important Environment topics for the IAS Exam. This article will explain to you about Miscellaneous Topics in Environment which will be helpful in preparing the Environment Syllabus for the UPSC Civil Service exam.

Appiko Movement

• In India, the Appiko movement was a groundbreaking environmental conservation movement.
• The villagers of the district of Karnataka province in southern India started a similar initiative to safeguard their forests after being inspired by the Chipko movement in Himalayan Uttarakhand.
• Salkani men, women, and kids "hugged the trees" in Kalase forest in September 1983. (In Kannada, "hugging" is referred to as "appiko").
• As a result of this movement, southern India saw a new consciousness as a result of the Appiko movement.

*For detailed notes of this topic, check this link Appiko Movement

International Standards and Environment

• The purpose of the ISO 14000 environmental management standards is to assist organizations in:
  • Minimizing how their operations (processes, etc.) adversely affect the environment (i.e., cause changes to air, water, or land);
  • Complying with applicable laws, regulations, and other environmental requirements and continuously improving in the aforementioned areas.
• ISO 14000 and ISO 9000 quality management are similar in that they both focus on the methods used to manufacture goods rather than the finished goods themselves.
• Similar to ISO 9000, certification is not given out directly by ISO but rather by third-party organizations.
• When examining both 9000 and 14000 compliance at the same time, the ISO 19011 audit standard is applicable.
• A list of ISO 14000 series norms:
  • ISO 14001: Environmental management systems - Requirements and usage recommendations.
  • ISO 14004: Environmental management systems - General guidelines on principles, systems, and support techniques.
  • ISO 14015: Environmental assessment of sites and organizations.
  • ISO 14020 series: Environmental labels and declarations.
  • ISO 14030: Post-production environmental assessment.
  • ISO 14031: Environmental performance evaluation - Guidelines
  • ISO 14040 series: Life Cycle Assessment, discusses pre-production planning and environment goal setting.
  • ISO 14050: Terms and definitions.
  • ISO 14062: Making improvements to environmental impact goals.
  • ISO 14063: Environmental communication - Guidelines and examples.
  • ISO 14064: Measuring, quantifying, and reducing Greenhouse Gas emissions.
  • ISO 19011: outlines a single audit protocol.

*For detailed notes of this topic, check this link International Standards and Environment

National Wastelands Development Board (NWDB)

• According to the Report of the Technical Task Group established by the Planning Commission (1987), wastelands are degraded lands that can be brought under vegetative cover with reasonable efforts.
• The Ministry of Environment and Forests established the National Wasteland Development Board (NWDB) in 1985.
• The primary goal of putting the nation's wastelands to productive use through a major program of afforestation and tree planting.
• The National Wasteland Development Board was reorganized in July 1992 and incorporated into the Ministry of Rural Development's newly established Department of Wasteland Development.

*For detailed notes of this topic, check this link The National Wastelands Development Board (NWDB)

Bioassay

• A test known as a bioassay uses living things to identify the existence or impact of any additional physical, chemical, or ecological disturbances.
• Bioassays are frequently used in investigations of pollution.
• Any kind of organism can be used for bioassays. But fish and insect bioassays are quite popular.
• The objective is to determine the fatal concentration or the effective concentration that causes mortality or other effects.
• The "canary in the coal mine" experiment is one prominent example of a bioassay.
• Miners would bring methane-sensitive canaries (birds) into coal mines to provide early warning of harmful methane levels in the air.
• The miners would evacuate the area as soon as possible if the canary died as a result of a methane buildup.

*For detailed notes of this topic, check this link Bioassay

Flagship Species

• Flagship species are those that are in danger of going extinct.
• As a result, they serve as an ambassador to raise awareness about the need to protect them in society.
• The World Wildlife Fund uses a few flagship species, including the Giant Panda, Asian Elephant, African Elephant, and Bengal Tiger.
• Although there are many different definitions, they all tend to emphasize the concept's socioeconomic nature and strategic objectives in order to promote conservation efforts.
• The species must be well-liked in order to serve as icons or symbols and inspire people to provide money or other forms of support.

*For detailed notes of this topic, check this link Flagship Species

Keystone Species

• A keystone species is a plant or animal that is essential to the operation of an ecosystem.
• Without them, the environment would either vanish completely or change significantly.
• Other species that depend on it for existence can be harmed if it becomes extinct.
• The sea otter is an example of a keystone species. It limits the number of sea urchins by feeding on them.
• Sea urchins would consume seaweed, a significant source of food for the ecology if their number was not kept in check.
• Although not invariably, a keystone species is a predator. Keystone species can also include herbivores.
• For instance, elephants are a keystone species in African savannas. It manages the tree population, causing the grasses to flourish and support grazing.

*For detailed notes of this topic, check this link Keystone Species

Indicator Species

• Animals make up the majority of the most often used indicator species, and invertebrates make up 70% of them.
• Plants and microbes can also serve as indicator species.
• These species frequently engage in environmental interactions that render them extremely sensitive to any changes.
• They might, for instance, be at the top of the trophic food chain, where they would be exposed to the highest concentrations of any toxins present in their habitat. If circumstances worsen, they might also find it difficult to relocate.
• Various factors influence the indicator species that scientists choose. One of the key justifications for adopting specific organisms as indicators are the ecological significance of the species.
• A good indicator species should be easy to see and should react to changes fairly fast.
• The population or ecology as a whole should be represented in their reaction. They ought to be fairly widespread and have a readily study-able population.

*For detailed notes of this topic, check this link Indicator Species

Foundation Species

• Foundation species are referred to as the "engineers of ecosystems" by biologists.
• Foundation species physically alter the environment and create and sustain habitats that are advantageous to other organisms that utilize those habitats through their actions.
• Paul K. Dayton first used the term "foundation species" to describe specific marine invertebrate and algal ecosystems in 1972.
• Since then, the term has been used to describe a variety of organisms in ecosystems all over the world, in both aquatic and terrestrial settings.

*For detailed notes of this topic, check this link Foundation Species

Charismatic Megafauna

• Charismatic megafauna is large animal species that have gained great public appeal due to their appealing appearance.
• These charismatic megafaunas include the giant panda, lion, humpback whale, grey wolf, bald eagle, etc.
• Because they can draw in the public, these creatures are typically employed by environmental activists in conservation efforts.
• The majority of businesses use these animals as their logos. For instance, the logo of The World Wildlife Fund has a panda.

*For detailed notes of this topic, check this link Charismatic Megafauna

Umbrella Species

• A species whose protection is anticipated to extend to a significant number of naturally coexisting species is known as an umbrella species.
• This idea has been put up as a method for figuring out the size requirements for conservation areas, choosing locations for reserve networks, and establishing minimum requirements for the ecosystems' composition, structure, and functioning.
• The majority of the animals mentioned as possible umbrellas are huge mammals and birds, but invertebrates are now receiving more attention.
• The umbrella species is frequently either a flagship species, whose protection benefits other species or a keystone species, whose impact on an ecosystem may make it a conservation target.

*For detailed notes of this topic, check this link Umbrella Species

Conclusion

The environment is a topic that is widely debated all over the world, and UPSC question papers show that Environment and related areas are a must-know for any Civil Services aspirant year after year. Questions about the environment cover fundamental concepts as well as current hot topics including the above mentioned topics.