What is meant by environment?
Environment is defined as the total planetary inheritance and the totality of all resources. It includes all the biotic and abiotic factors that influence each other. Essentially, it represents the sum total of all external conditions and resources that sustain life on earth.
The biotic elements include all living elements such as birds, animals, plants, forests, and fisheries. In contrast, abiotic elements include non-living components like air, water, and land. Rocks and sunlight are specific examples of abiotic elements. A study of the environment essentially calls for a study of the inter-relationship between these biotic and abiotic components.
Explanation
The answer is derived directly from the 'Definition and Functions' section of the text. It covers the two main aspects of the definition: the conceptual definition (planetary inheritance) and the component-based definition (biotic and abiotic factors). The distinction between living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) elements is crucial for a complete answer as per the NCERT text.
Solution Steps
Step 1: Define environment as the total planetary inheritance and totality of all resources.
Step 2: Identify the two main components: biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) factors.
Step 3: Provide examples for both components (e.g., plants for biotic, air for abiotic).
Step 4: Conclude by mentioning the inter-relationship between these components.