Environment (Basic Concepts)

Natural Environment

The Natural Environment includes all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth. It encompasses elements such as:

• Landforms – Mountains, valleys, plains, plateaus
• Water bodies – Rivers, lakes, oceans, glaciers
• Air – The atmosphere and its gases
• Plants and animals – Forests, grasslands, wildlife

It provides the basic conditions for life to exist and is not created or significantly altered by humans.

What Is Ecosystem?

An Ecosystem is a system where living organisms (plants, animals, microorganisms) interact with each other and with their physical environment (soil, air, water) as a unit.

It can be natural like forests, oceans, grasslands, or artificial like gardens and aquariums.

There are two main components of an ecosystem:

• Biotic components – All living things (flora, fauna, decomposers)
• Abiotic components – Non-living things (sunlight, temperature, water, soil)

All components are interdependent, and changes in one can affect the entire system.

Human Environment

The Human Environment refers to the environment created and influenced by human beings. It includes:

• Buildings and infrastructure – Homes, schools, roads, factories
• Means of communication – Internet, mobile phones, newspapers
• Social, political and economic activities

Human beings modify the natural environment to fulfill their needs and build societies. The interaction between nature and human activities forms the human environment.