Chapter-1: Environment

These NCERT Class 7 Geography Chapter 1 notes explain the meaning of environment and its importance for human life. The chapter introduces students to the natural surroundings, human-made features and human activities that together form the environment.

Environment explains how air, water, land, plants and animals act as a life support system and how humans depend on and modify nature over time. It also introduces important concepts like natural environment, human-made environment, biotic and abiotic components and ecosystem.

This chapter helps students build basic geographical understanding required for further study of physical and human geography.

1. Introduction

• Environment means everything around us that affects our life directly or indirectly.
• It includes natural elements like land, water, air, plants and animals.
• It also includes human-made features such as houses, roads, bridges and factories.
• Human social, economic, cultural and political activities are part of the environment.
• Environment shapes how people live, work and interact with nature.

2. Environment as a life support system

• The environment provides air necessary for breathing.
• It supplies water essential for survival of all living beings.
• It gives food through plants and animals.
• It provides land for living, farming and building settlements.
• Human survival is impossible without the environment.

3. Natural environment

• The natural environment includes everything created by nature.
• Lithosphere is the solid outer layer of the Earth that provides land, minerals and forests.
• Hydrosphere includes all water bodies like rivers, lakes, seas and oceans.
• Atmosphere is the thin layer of air that protects Earth and controls climate.
• Biosphere is the zone where land, water and air interact to support life.

4. Human-made environment

• The human-made environment consists of things created by humans.
• It is developed using natural resources available in the environment.
• Examples include buildings, roads, bridges and industries.
• Parks and monuments are also part of the human-made environment.
• Human-made features depend completely on the natural environment.

5. Human environment

• The human environment refers to human relationships and activities.
• It includes family and community life.
• Religion and education shape human behaviour.
• Economic activities like farming and industry are part of it.
• Political activities also influence the human environment.

6. Biotic and abiotic components

• Biotic components include all living beings like plants, animals and humans.
• These components depend on each other for survival.
• Abiotic components include non-living elements like land, water and air.
• Soil and rocks are also important abiotic components.
• Interaction between biotic and abiotic components sustains life.

7. Ecosystem

• An ecosystem is formed by interaction between living and non-living components.
• Plants, animals and microorganisms interact with air, water and soil.
• Examples include pond, forest, desert and river ecosystems.
• Each ecosystem has its own balance and structure.
• Disturbance in one part affects the entire ecosystem.

8. Human–environment relationship

• Early humans depended completely on nature for survival.
• Gradually, humans started agriculture and domestication of animals.
• The invention of the wheel improved movement and trade.
• Industrial development changed human interaction with nature.
• Humans began modifying the environment to meet growing needs.

9. Need for balance in environment

• Excessive use of resources leads to pollution.
• Large-scale cutting of trees causes deforestation.
• Environmental imbalance results in climate change.
• Overuse of nature threatens future generations.
• A balance between human needs and nature is necessary.

10. Important keywords

• Environment refers to surroundings that affect life.
• Lithosphere is the solid land surface of the Earth.
• Hydrosphere includes all water bodies.
• Atmosphere is the layer of air around the Earth.
• Biosphere is the zone where life exists.
• Biotic and Abiotic refer to living and non-living components.
• Ecosystem means interaction between living and non-living elements.

Understanding NCERT Class 7 Geography Chapter 1 is important to learn how humans, plants and animals depend on the environment for survival. The chapter clearly explains the relationship between nature and human activities and the need to maintain balance in the environment.

The ideas discussed in Environment form the foundation for learning geography and environmental studies and are highly useful for school examinations and foundation-level preparation.

Continue reading NCERT Class 7 Geography Chapter 2 – Inside Our Earth to understand the internal structure of the Earth, rocks and the rock cycle.

FAQs

Q1. What is environment according to NCERT Class 7 Geography Chapter 1?
Environment means everything around us that affects our life, including natural, human-made and human activities.

Q2. What are the main components of environment?
The main components are natural environment, human-made environment and human environment.

Q3. What is an ecosystem?
An ecosystem is formed by interaction between living organisms and the non-living environment.

Q4. What are biotic and abiotic components?
Biotic components are living things, while abiotic components are non-living elements like air, water and land.

Q5. Why is this chapter important for exams?
It introduces basic geographical concepts and environmental awareness, making it important for school exams and foundation-level preparation.