Our Environment – Components, Importance & Types

Our environment is the total of circumstances in which an organism must endure to survive or continue its life cycle. The environment is everything that is around us, which includes both living and nonliving things like soil, water, animals, and plants, which adapt themselves to their surroundings. It affects the growth and development of living things. It covers both biotic and abiotic components of the environment. The major components of the environment are the atmosphere (air), lithosphere (rocks and soil), hydrosphere (water), and biosphere (living component of the environment).

In this article, we will study what is our environment, what are the components of the environment and what is the importance of the environment in detail.

What is the Environment?

The word Environment is derived from the French word “Environia” meaning to surround. The definition of Environment given by P. Gisbert is “Environment is anything immediately surrounding an object and exerting a direct influence on it” and as per E. J. Ross, “Environment is an external force which influences us.” Our Environment is made up of interacting systems of natural, physical, biological, and cultural factors that are connected both individually and collectively. Our Environment is comprised of both living and non-living things, that have a direct effect on human existence.

Components of Environment

The four major components of the environment are lithosphere (rocks), hydrosphere (water), atmosphere (air), and biosphere (life):

Lithosphere

The term ‘Lithosphere’ is derived by combining the Greek word “lithos,” which signifies rock, with the word “sphere.” The lithosphere is the solid outer portion of Earth which includes Earth’s crust as well as the underlying cool, dense, rigid uppermost portion of the upper mantle. At the center of the Earth is a structure called the Core, which has a diameter of around 7000 km and a radius of 3500 km. Surrounding the core is the 2900 km thick mantle. The lithosphere extends from the surface of Earth to a depth of approximately 100 km. The tectonic plates of Earth make up the majority of the lithosphere.

Hydrosphere

It includes all types of water bodies on Earth, such as freshwater (rivers, lakes, ponds, streams), marine (oceans, seas), and groundwater resources, among others. There are three states of water: gas (water vapour), liquid (water), and solid (ice). It occupies 71% of the planet’s surface. The oceans contain 97.5% of all the water on Earth, which is salt water. Freshwater makes up only 2.5% of all water on Earth. Of total, 68.9% is in frozen forms, such as glaciers, while 30.8% is accessible as groundwater. A readily available quantity of 0.3% can be found in lakes, reservoirs, and rivers.

Atmosphere

The earth is enveloped by thick gaseous layers that make up the atmosphere. It stretches up to 300 km. Life is supported by the atmosphere which contains a lot of oxygen. It is composed of gases such as nitrogen (78.08%), oxygen (20.95%), argon (0.93%), carbon dioxide (0.039%), and trace amounts of hydrogen, helium, and noble gases. The troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere are the layers that rise above the surface of the earth.

• The lowest layer is called the troposphere. It rises from ground level to a height of roughly 11 kms above sea level.
• The stratosphere is the next layer above. It stretches from the top of the troposphere to about 52 km above the ground. The ozone layer is present in stratosphere. Ozone molecules in this layer absorb ultraviolet light from the sun and convert the UV energy into heat.
• The mesosphere is located above the stratosphere. It rises to a height of approximately 85 kms above Earth. The mesosphere is where most meteors burn up.
• The thermosphere is the layer of extremely rare air above the mesosphere. The thermosphere absorbs UV and high energy X-rays from the Sun, which can cause it to heat up to thousands or even hundreds of degrees. The top thermosphere can have temperatures as high as 2,000°C.

Biosphere

It includes every area of Earth where life is present. It includes both living things and non-living objects in the environment. There could be ecosystems in the soil, air, water, or on land that sustain life. Geologist Edward Suess first used the word “biosphere” to refer to any area of Earth where life is present. It stretches from the polar ice caps to the equator, with a living form appropriate for the local environment existing in each zone. An ecosystem is a part of the biosphere that influences the state of the planet as a whole.

Biotic and Abiotic Components of Environment

The biotic and abiotic components of the environment begin to have significance when they start interacting. For example, biotic components such as plants provide nourishment for other living organisms. The soil is an abiotic component that provides nutrients and other essential components to promote plant growth. Both biotic and abiotic factors create and rely on one another, including soil, nutrients, and other abiotic factors.

The components of the environment can be broadly divided into two categories: Biotic Components and Abiotic Components

Biotic Component of Environment

Also known as biological component of environment. It consists of flora and fauna as well as human beings that make up the ecosystem. Ecosystems are created by the interactions of plants, animals, and microorganisms with abiotic materials. These ecosystems also feature distinct populations of producers, consumers, and decomposers among other organism types. Fungi, bacteria, animals, plants, and animals are biotic factors. And based on the energy source, these biotic components can be further separated into producers, consumers, and decomposers.

Producers (Autotrophs)

These are plants and other photosynthetic organisms that use carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight to produce food on their own. They serve as the foundation of the food chain because they transform solar energy into a form that other organisms may use.

Consumers (Heterotrophs)

Consumers are the organisms which depend on producers for energy. Examples of consumers include herbivores (plant eaters), carnivores (meat eaters), and omnivores (both plant and animal eaters).

Decomposers (Saprophytes)

They decompose organic debris and dead organisms into simpler chemicals, which they then consume as food. They are crucial to the recycling of nutrients within ecosystems because they return nutrients to the soil for plant uptake.

Abiotic Component of Environment

Also known as physical component of environment. It is the non-living portion of the ecosystem. The abiotic component of an ecosystem is made up of the environment, water, light, air, soil, humidity, nutrients, and other physical and chemical factors. In general, abiotic components of ecosystem differ from one ecosystem to the other. The aquatic environment has abiotic components such as salinity, nutrients, and dissolved oxygen. Type of soil, rain, wind, temperature, altitude, sunlight, and nutrients are all significant abiotic components in terrestrial ecosystems. These abiotic components can be grouped into different categories:

• Physical Factors: These consist of factors including air pressure, temperature, humidity, and light intensity. These elements define an area’s climate and have a big impact on the kinds of species that thrive there.
• Chemical Factors: These include the water and soil composition, which includes the pH, nutrition levels, and presence of different minerals. These elements have an impact on the nutrients that are available to plants and other living organisms.
• Geological Factors: An area’s underlying geological features, including the kinds of rocks and soil, drainage, the availability of nutrients, and the general suitability of the habitat, can all be impacted.
• Topographic Factors: The topography of the area, including its mountains, valleys, and water bodies, affects the micro-habitats, water flow, and local weather patterns.

Types of Ecosystems

An ecosystem is characterized as the structural and functional component of the biosphere that consists of living and non-living elements interacting with one another. Two major categories can be used to classify ecosystems:

Natural Ecosystem

The term “natural ecosystem” describes ecosystems that arise organically. They are capable of functioning and sustaining themselves without human intervention. They fall into two categories: terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Artificial Ecosystem

This ecosystem is the one that has been created by humans. It has been noted that artificial ecosystems share several traits with natural ecosystems. But human beings make and maintain them. For example, gardens, parks, dams, aquariums, and crop fields.

Importance of Our Environment

Our environment includes sun, land, water, air and soil, all of which play an important role for human survival. It preserves genetic diversity and biodiversity, which ensures the survival of life. Earth is habitat for different living species and we all are dependent on the environment for our basic necessities such as food, water etc. The environment not only maintains the balanced climate but all those components which are necessary for life are received by the environment itself as well.

Environmental resources, comprising both renewable and non-renewable resources, are readily available for use in the production of goods and services. The production and consumption of different activities produce waste, which is mainly in the form of garbage, and environment itself helps to remove that waste generated. We, human beings, are able to appreciate the scenic beauty of mountains, oceans, rivers, lakes, deserts etc. only because the environment still persists.

It is foremost duty of each and every person to protect and preserve our environment. Our environment provides a space for our ecosystem and supports its growth. Until and unless we save our environment, animals, crops, and eventually ourselves, are at risk. We, human beings, cannot survive if there were no environment for our dwelling. Also, we would also be unable to discover other alternatives of survival.

Our Environment Day

World Environment Day,” a global event that takes place on June 5th every year. World Environment Day is organized by the United Nations and is designed to raise awareness and encourage action on pressing environmental issues.

On this day, people and organizations around the world participate in various activities to promote environmental sustainability and address challenges such as climate change, pollution, deforestation, and loss of biodiversity. The theme for World Environment Day changes each year, focusing on different aspects of environmental conservation.

FAQs on Our Environment – Components, Importance & Types

1. What are the Components and Importance of the Environment?

Everything that surrounds us, including both living and nonliving objects like water, soil, animals, and plants that adjust to their environment, is referred to as our environment. The gift of nature is what keeps life on Earth nourished.

2. What is the Importance of Environment?

The environment has a significant impact on preserving personal health. Basic necessities like food, clean air, drinkable water, and aesthetic beauty are all provided by it.

3. What are the Importance of Major Components of Environmental Science?

People can live sustainably and make effective use of natural resources because of environmental science. Everything that is both biotic and abiotic in a community or habitat is referred to as the environment.

4. What is the Importance of Environmental Studies?

Environment studies helps in people’s comprehension of their physical and living environments as well as how to handle difficult environmental problems that have an impact on the natural world.

5. What are the 5 components of environment?

The 5 components of the environment are atmosphere or the air, lithosphere or the rocks and soil, hydrosphere or the water, the living component of the environment or the biosphere and the solar energy.