Which of the following is/are the function(s) of the environment? 1. Supplying resources 2. Sustaining life 3. Providing aesthetic services Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Which of the following is/are the function(s) of the environment? 1. Supplying resources 2. Sustaining life 3. Providing aesthetic services Select the correct answer using the code given below: Correct Answer 1, 2 and 3

The correct answer is 1, 2 and 3.

Key Points

• Functions of the Environment:
  • The environment performs four vital functions
    • It supplies resource
    • It assimilates waste
    • It sustains life by providing genetic and biodiversity and
    • It also provides aesthetic services like scenery etc. Hence, Option 3 is correct.
  • The environment is able to perform these functions without any interruption as long as the demand for these functions is within its carrying capacity.
  • This implies that the resource extraction is not above the rate of regeneration of the resource and the wastes generated are within the assimilating capacity of the environment.
    • ​When this is not so, the environment fails to perform its third and vital function of life sustenance, and this results in an environmental crisis.

Additional Information

• Environment
  • It 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.
  • While all living elements like birds, animals and plants, forests, fisheries etc. are biotic elements. Abiotic elements include air, water, land, etc.
  • Rocks and sunlight are examples of abiotic elements of the environment.
  • A study of the environment then calls for a study of the inter-relationship between these biotic and abiotic components of the environment.