The early chapters lay down the scientific groundwork required to understand how living organisms interact with their physical surroundings. 1. Environmental and Abiotic Factors
Sharma treats pollution not as a moral failing, but as a scientific imbalance. Whether discussing air, water, soil, or noise pollution, he frames these issues through the lens of homeostasis —the ecosystem's ability to self-regulate. He details how the influx of xenobiotics (foreign chemical substances) overwhelms the assimilative capacity of the environment. His sections on eutrophication (nutrient enrichment of water bodies) and biomagnification (concentration of toxins up the food chain) serve as stark warnings about the invisibility of environmental damage. ecology and environment by pd sharma