ECOLOGICAL FORCES

&
SUSTAINABILITY

Dr. R. K. Pandit
Professor
Department of Architecture
Madhav Institute of Technology & Science,
Gwalior
• The whole earth's surface can be described by a series of interconnected
ecosystems.

• All living beings form and are part of ecosystems.

• They are diverse and always changing.

• Within an ecosystem, all aspects of the environment (both living things

and their non-living settings) interact and affect one another.

• Every species affects the lives of those around them.

• Different areas in the world house different ecosystems. For example, you
won't find an elephant or a tropical rainforest in everywhere.

• Different world ecological units are called biomes and they each have
different flora, fauna, landscapes and weather patterns. An ecosystem is
not the same thing as a biome.

• A biome is a large unit that is home to many different ecosystems. And

these biomes are mainly dependencies of sustainability.
Biome
• A biome is a large area with similar flora, fauna, and microorganisms.

• Biomes are the major regional groupings of plants and animals

discernible at a global scale. Their distribution patterns are strongly
correlated with regional climate patterns and identified according to
the climax vegetation type. However, a biome is composed not only
of the climax vegetation, but also of associated successional
communities, persistent sub-climax communities, fauna, and soils.

• The biome concept embraces the idea of community, of interaction

among vegetation, animal populations, and soil. A biome (also called
a biotic area) may be defined as a major region of distinctive plant
and animal groups well adapted to the physical environment of its
distribution area.

• Most of us are familiar with the tropical rainforests, tundra in the

arctic regions, and the evergreen trees in the coniferous forests. Each
of these large communities contain species that are adapted to its
varying conditions of water, heat, and soil.
WORLD BIOMES
Ecosystem & Biome
Most of us are confused when it comes to the words ecosystem and
biome.

Ecosystem is much smaller than a biome. Conversely, a biome can be

thought of many similar ecosystems throughout the world grouped
together.

Ecosystems are dynamic interactions between plants, animals, and

microorganisms and their environment working together as a functional
unit and will fail if they do not remain in balance.

Food and territory are often balanced by natural phenomena such as

fire, disease, and the number of predators. Each organism has its own
niche, or role, to play.
 Ecosystems
• Ecosystems (ecological systems) are functional units that result from the
interactions of abiotic (non living ), biotic (living), and cultural (anthropogenic)
components.

• Like all systems they are a combination of interacting, interrelated parts that
form a unitary whole.

• All ecosystems are "open" systems in the sense that energy and matter are
transferred in and out.

• Earth as a single ecosystem constantly converts solar energy into myriad

organic products, and has increased in biological complexity over time.

• Natural ecosystems, made up of abiotic factors (air, water, rocks, energy) and
biotic factors (plants, animals, and microorganisms).

• Earth’s biosphere, including the atmosphere (air), hydrosphere (water), and lithosphere
(land).
Between living things and their physical
and chemical environments ecosystem is
made up of many smaller ecosystems
interlocked through cycles of energy and
chemical elements. The flow of energy
and matter through ecosystems,
therefore, is regulated by the complex
interactions of the energy, water, carbon,
oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulphur,
and other cycles that are essential to the
functioning of the biosphere.
• Within all species, individuals interact with each other feeding
together, mating together, and living together. Some species have a
pecking order as well, and each individual has a role to play within it.

• Not only individuals within a species that interact but different species
of animals interact with each other all the time. For instance, animals
eat other animals through their interactions in a food web. But plants
are included in this web as well as they, too, are eaten by animals.

• Survival of different species who live in the Rocky Mountains and those
who inhabit the deserts depend upon the landscape , which
determines where plants and animals might live.

• Understanding , an ecosystem is complex in structure where as in

functionality ecosystem is a geographical area of a variable size where
plants, animals, the landscape and the climate all interact together.
• Everything in the natural world is connected.

• Ecosystem is a community of living and non-living things that work

together.

• Ecosystems have no particular size.

• Ecosystem can be as large as a desert or a lake or as small as a tree or a

shrub.

• Terrarium, an artificial ecosystem includes water, water temperature,

plants, animals, air, light and soil all work together.

– If there isn't enough light or water or if the soil doesn't have the right
nutrients, the plants will die.

– If the plants die, animals that depend on them will die. If the animals that
depend on the plants die, any animals that depends on those animals will die.

Eco-systems in nature work the same way. All the parts work together to
make a balanced system.
• Within each ecosystem, there are habitats which may also vary in size.

• Habitat is the place where a population lives. A population is a group of

living organisms of the same kind living in the same place at the same
time.

• All of the populations interact and form a community.

• Community of living things interacts with the non-living world around it to

form the ecosystem.

• The habitat must supply the needs of organisms, such as food, water,
temperature, oxygen, and minerals.

• If the population's needs are not met, it will move to a better habitat.

• Two different populations can not occupy the same niche at the same
time, however. So the processes of competition, predation, cooperation,
and symbiosis occur.
 Organization
of

Life
Species, Populations, Communities
and
Ecosystems
Species

Are the different kinds of organisms found on the Earth. A more exact
definition of species is a group of interbreeding organisms that do not
ordinarily breed with members of other groups. If a species
interbreeds freely with other species, it would no longer be a
distinctive kind of organism. This definition works well with animals.
However, in some plant species fertile crossings can take place among
morphologically and physiologically different kinds of vegetation. In
this situation, the definition of species given here is not appropriate.

Populations

Comprises all the individuals of a given species in a specific area or

region at a certain time. Its significance is more than that of a number
of individuals because not all individuals are identical. Populations
contain genetic variation within themselves and between other
populations. Even fundamental genetic characteristics such as hair
color or size may differ slightly from individual to individual. More
importantly, not all members of the population are equal in their
ability to survive and reproduce.
Communities

Refers to all the populations in a specific area or region at a certain time. Its
structure involves many types of interactions among species. Some of these
involve the acquisition and use of food, space, or other environmental
resources. Others involve nutrient cycling through all members of the
community and mutual regulation of population sizes. In all of these cases, the
structured interactions of populations lead to situations in which individuals are
thrown into life or death struggles.
In general, ecologists believe that a community that has a high diversity is more
complex and stable than a community that has a low diversity.

Ecosystems

Ecosystems are dynamic entities composed of the biological community and

the abiotic environment. An ecosystem's abiotic and biotic composition and
structure is determined by the state of a number of interrelated environmental
factors. Changes in any of these factors will result in dynamic changes to the
nature of these systems.
 Impact of Humans on Ecosystem

• Human impact on ecosystems in almost unimaginable.

• Every square of development leads to wilderness or bulldozing land .

• Which leads to drastic alteration in an ecosystem.

• We have disrupted the food chain, the carbon cycle, the nitrogen cycle,
and the water cycle.

• Mining minerals also takes its toll on an ecosystem.

• We need to do our best to not interfere in these ecosystems and let

nature take its toll.
 Biodiversity
The beauty of a forest!, The pleasure of walking through it, enjoying the
smells of the flowers and the wild; watching the insects flitting about and
listening to the birds chirp - how we all love it and wish to return to it again
and again. It is this biodiversity that we have to protect and take care of in
order to enjoy the joy of it all.

• Biodiversity is the variety and differences among living organisms from all
sources, including terrestrial, marine, and other aquatic ecosystems and the
ecological complexes of which they are a part. This includes genetic diversity
within and between species and of ecosystems.

• Over the last century, a great deal of damage has been done to the
biodiversity existing on the earth. Increasing human population, increasing
consumption levels, and decreasing efficiency of use of our resources are
some of the causes that have led to overexploitation and manipulation of
ecosystems. Trade in wildlife, such as rhino horn, has led to the extinction of
species. Consequences of biodiversity loss can be great as any disturbance to
one species gives rise to imbalance in others.
India is one of the mega biodiversity centres in the world and has two of the
world's 18 biodiversity hotspots located in the Western Ghats and in the Eastern
Himalayas . Myers (1999).

The forest cover in these areas is very dense and diverse and of pristine beauty,
and incredible biodiversity.

Country is estimated to have over 45,000 plant species and 81,000

animal species representing 7% of the world’s flora and 6.5% of its fauna.
MoEF Report (1996)

Total 49,219 plant species representing 12.5% and 81,251 animal

species representing 6.6%. The sacred groves of India are some of the areas in
the country where the richness of biodiversity has been well preserved.

Thar desert and the Himalayas are two regions rich in biodiversity .

There are 89 national parks and 504 wildlife sanctuaries in the country,
the Chilika Lake being one of them. This lake is also an important wetland area.
MoEF Report (1999)
 ECOLOGICAL FORCES.

Living conditions for humans, protection & balance of habitats,

wildlife, and deterioration of the aesthetic environment with
the proper selection and placement of plant materials.
• The common thread that links the environment and landscape
is plant materials.

• The common philosophy that guides the selection of plants

species is influenced by ecological facts.

• Adaptation of the site to the selected vegetation is suitable

only for small plantations in the urban situations or closely
related to buildings.

• Forces include the provision of special soil, irrigation and

drainage all recognized as artificial, and therefore requiring
constant attention and care.
• Solving intricate design problems with plants require an
understanding of "how plants live, where they live, and what
they do”

• The selection, placement, survival, and design effectiveness

of each plant or plant mass in a composition depends upon
the external forces that act upon them.

• As landscape architects, we manipulate these forces to

create planted spaces that reconstruct, replenish, or enhance
livable environments.

• Our repertoire of trees, shrubs, ground covers, and grasses

provides the extensive and complex base of ingredients.
 Dynamism of Ecosystems

Gradual changes of the vegetation community over time, known

as succession. It begins with the colonization of a disturbed area,
such as an abandoned crop field or a newly exposed lava flow, by
species able to reach and to tolerate the environmental
conditions present.

Mostly these are opportunistic species that hold on to the site for
a variable length of time. Being short-lived and having poor
competitors, they are eventually replaced by more competitive,
longer-lived species such as shrubs, and then trees.

Successional Ecosystems are characterized by a minimum diversity

of components, each generally tolerant of a relatively wide range
of habitats (ecological conditions).
Colonization of the plants at the volcanic eruption site
 Early successional ecosystems
have, as their ecological survival
strategies, the toleration to harsh
environments and their ability to
migrate quickly into an area

Late successional ecosystems

have a high degree of
organization and diversity. These
ecosystems tend to dominate
until some disturbance changes
the environmental conditions,
upsetting the fine-tuned
EARLY SUCCESSIONAL COMMUNITY, relationship between organism
SHOWING MONOCULTURE and environment. These
ecosystems are relatively
intolerant to environmental
modifications.
LATE SUCCESSIONAL COMMUNITY, SHOWING THE HIGH DEGREE OF
PLANT DIVERSITY
A JOURNEY OF PLANTS FROM EARLY SUCCESSION TO LATE SUCCESSION
LANDSCAPE FORCES :

Landscapes evolve over time in response to ecological forces

such as tectonic, hydrologic, glacial, wind, soil-forming
processes; and biological-processes. These forces interact to
form ecological systems, or ecosystems. Change is the
essence of these systems, and by means of succession, these
processes evolve our rich and varied landscapes.

HYDROLOGICAL FORCES:

The degree to which surface water erodes the land is based

upon its volume, its rate of flow, and the material over, which
it flows. As the rain falls on the ground, it soaks into the
surface. When the rate of rainfall exceeds the infiltration
rate, runoff occurs.
LANDFORM FORCES :

Landforms are modified by both ground water and surface

water. Groundwater changes landform primarily through
the dissolution of substrate. As water dissolves soluble
geologic materials, the resultant-surface expression is
referred to as a sinkhole.

In steep headwater areas, rapidly moving water is highly

erosive. In lower, flatter reaches, slower water is unable to
continue carrying its sediment load. It deposits this material
on the land, and in times of flooding, it creates a fertile
floodplain.
LANDSCAPE EXPRESSIONS
DESERT SCAPE
DESERT SCAPE
HILL SCAPE NATURAL SCAPE
COLD WEATHER SCAPE
 HOT DRY SCAPE

WARM HUMID SCAPE

 SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainable development is the development that meets
the needs and requirements of the present generations
without affecting the ability of future generations to meet
their needs.
Life support system has five elements:
air, water, land, flora and fauna,
which are interconnected, interrelated and
interdependent.
Deterioration in one inevitably affects the other four
elements.
If the deterioration is for a short term, and the life
support system has enough resilience, it repairs itself
and reverts to the original state.
However if deterioration continues, the whole
system, including all life, is thrown out of gear.
The developmental interventions with principal
objectives of achieving monolithic economic growth has
caused the imbalance between ecology, economy,
socio-culture and environmental needs.

Mountains play a key role in the development especially

in India. Its snow bound peaks are the source of various
perennial rivers, which have made the northern part of
the country extremely prosperous in terms of
agriculture.

Mountain forests are critical in maintaining the

hydrological cycle, nutrient cycle and climatic balance.
 DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENT

World Bank reports define development as about improving the

well-being of the people. Raising living standards and improving
education, health and equality of opportunity are all essential
components of development.

Though development can raise living standards, improve

education, health and bring economic benefits yet it is not
without negative effects. The policy options therefore can be
either to develop and tolerate environmental degradation or not
to have development at all. The compromise solution has to be
worked out.

Formulation of appropriate development strategy for achieving

environmentally sustainable development is the right choice.
 HUMAN NEEDS
• Maslow (1954) defined five level hierarchy of human needs viz.
Physiological needs (Food, shelter and clothing),
Security needs (protection of life, assurance of continuing income),
Social needs (Acceptance by other people),
Self esteem needs (achievement of independence) and
Self fulfilment needs (job satisfaction).
The fulfilment of these needs require both natural and man made
resources. They include
• Conversion of natural resources such as land, water and vegetation.
• Socio-economic and
• Socio-cultural resources such as household, livestock, agriculture and
industries.
• It is the natural components of the earth which directly or indirectly meet
the material needs of the human beings.
• This implies the fulfilment of basic requirements with due consideration to
the natural resources (Carrying capacity of the environment) shall
subsequently lead to the sustainable development.
 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Sustainable Development is based upon development

which utilizes renewable resources at rates less than the
natural rate at which they regenerate
and
Optimizes the efficiency with which non-renewable
resources are used.

When applied to design and architecture, the concept of

sustainable Development/Architecture has been worded in
different ways.
Green Architecture,
Environmentally sensitive Design,
Ecological Design and
Design with nature.
Sustainable design involves the design of built environment
which exists in a symbiotic relationship with both the
development and environment.

The concept of sustainable development refers to

environmental sustainability, economic sustainability and
social sustainability.
 DOMAINS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Economy Society
Sustainability

Environment

Economic : market, wealth creation, industry, services and employment

Social : community and human health, education, equity

Environmental : pollution control, resource use, habitat and

species protection
 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PARAMETERS
WATER
Reduce run-off
Water harvesting
Economical use
Water recycling
Strengthen watersheds
Ground water recharge.
LAND FORMS
Respect for Topography
Appropriate land use
Careful grading on site, by
balancing cutting and filling and
re-using the material on site.
VEGETATION
Conservation of old and Indigenous
vegetation
The new layer to integrate with older
Vegetative cooling
Plantation for wind Buffering and
channelling.
Add plantation according to the
functional, aesthetical and
environmental use.
CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
Use of traditional and locally available
materials
Minimize use of transported materials.
 use of materials from renewable sources.
Use of non toxic materials or low emission
materials.
SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT
PARAMETERS
MINIMISE ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE :
Indigenous building systems.
Reduce resource depletion and consumption
Avoid extraction of materials ,which cause
damage.
Avoid destruction of diversity of species.
Protection of life support Eco-systems
Preservation of flora fauna
TECHNOLOGY &
ARCHITECTURAL ASPECTS
Designing and planning in
harmonious relationship with
the surroundings.
Integration of solar passive
and active technologies.
The orientation of the
building for passive solar
gains
Conservation and reuse of
buildings
Robust building forms
adaptable for different uses.
Local, natural and
environmentally sustainable
materials.
Climatic considerations.
Low cost economic design
solutions.
Long life, resistant to
hazards
 ISSUES
DEVELOPMENT IMPACT SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES
Maintenance of ecological balance, biological
Environmental diversity and Natural resources, sustainable
watersheds and land stability.
Benefits to be equally shared. Culture and
Socio-cultural
values of the people to be retained.
Employment generation relieving pressure on
Economic
the natural resources
Choice of technology to be appropriate.
Technology Indigenous and traditional technology to be
adopted
Compatibility with the human resource
Institutional
availability
Sustainability in a system can be restored back by identifying the various factors
which have been a cause for un-sustainability. The sustainability of a system will
depend upon the indicators which assesses the carrying capacity of a system.
 CAPACITY
BROAD INDICATORS INDICATORS AT MICRO/MACRO LEVEL
1. Environmental Status: 1. Physiographic: altitude, slope, erosion intensity, soil conditions,
Assessment of the area in terms productivity of soil.
of its fragility, areas of intense •Geomorphic: Seismicity, landslides etc.
and moderate degradation, •Landscape elements’ status:
Status of landscape elements, •Water: surface water and ground water quality.
Climatic parameters etc. •Vegetation: type, natural or introduced, quality of growth.
•Land: its use, ownership
•Climatic parameters: sky conditions, precipitation, relative humidity,
temperature, wind pressure, solar isolation, frequency of storms,
cyclones etc.
2. Human Resource: 2. Demographic profile: population size, growth rate, floating
Human potential in terms of population, sex ratio, education, occupation, employment status,
quality and quantity. migration pattern, fertility and mortality rate
•Socio-cultural and economic profile: Population structure,
composition, daily activity pattern, participation ratio, fair festivals etc.
Source of income, economic standing, primary occupation.
3. Infrastructure: 3. Availability of physical infrastructure roads, public transportation,
In terms of quality and quantity to hospitals, educational institutes, banks, hotels, restaurants, market
support the human resource place, conventional or non conventional energy supply system,
industry, services such as water supply, sewerage, electricity etc.
4. Natural Resources: To 4. Forest to land ratio, Land productivity, water bodies, Natural
support the eco-system. vegetation, Natural building materials, Conservation areas, heritage
sites etc.
5. Man made Resources: 5. Agricultural Potential, Household potential, Infrastructure potential,
Potential Career development potential.
 ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION
The evil consequences of environmental degradation are
identified as

Physical deformities
Defacement of landscape and natural scenic beauty through
indiscriminate human activities viz. mining, deforestation, urban
sprawl, land use change etc. deforestation in hill areas on steeper
slopes are responsible for higher run-off amount and speed and
resultant evils viz. land slips, soil creeps, soil erosion, loss of soil
fertility, siltation of water bodies etc.

Socio- economic imbalances

Low agriculture output and standard of living.
Unemployment and underemployment.
Biomass production is affected through loss of forests, pasture.
Let us all pledge to save
mother earth.