Environmental Science

Introduction
Everywhere,

the concern for the environment is increasing. People have realized that they are a part of the environment and must be a part of the solutions to problems about it. To be a part of the solutions to these problems requires the understanding of the basic ecological concepts.

Ecology

Science that deals with the relationships between living organisms with their physical environment and which other.

History of Ecology Oekologie was coined by a German Zoologist, Ernst Haeckel Came from Greek word oikos, meaning home or a place to live in He defined it as the relationship of animals to their organic and inorganic environment. The term environment refers to the sum of all external forces and conditions acting on an organism or community of organisms. Everything around us is part of our environment.

The study of ecology started perhaps around 300B.C. with a Greek named Theophrastus. He was a friend of Aristotle. He was interested in the relationship between organisms and the living environment. He is considered the father of Botany Aristotle is the father of Zoology In the mid-1900s, two groups of botanist, one from Europe and the other from America, they became interested in in the study of plant communities. The European group concentrated n the composition, structure and distribution of plant communities. The American group concentrated in the development of plant communities.

Subdivision of Ecology

Autecology- deals with the study of the individual organism, life history, behavior, characteristics and its adaptation to the environment. Synecology deals of groups of organisms which are associated as a unit in relation to its environment.

Other groups developed a liking of animal ecology. Eventually, American biologist gave greater emphasis on the interrelationships of both plants and animal communities. This was the beginning of ecology as formal study. Today ecology has come out as the most popular aspects of biology. The study of population received special attention from British economist Thomas Malthus was the first to recognized the conflict between expanding populations and the earths capability to supply their food needs.

Do you think there are already to many Filipinos? Explain the difference in the interest of American and European ecologist during Mid -1900s

The Spectrum of life- the levels of organization of life

It is represented by the acronym PCTOOOPCEB, this must appear in a particular sequence. This means that the biological spectrum tells how life is organized. The O triangle represent an organism within this organism you will find the level of organization

P for protoplasm C for cell T for issue O for organ O for organ system O for organism P for population C for community E for ecosystem B for biosphere

 Basic

Ecological Concepts
B

These levels of organization of life cannot be rearranged. Life start with protoplasm which makes up the living substance of a cell Cell is the basic unit of life because all living things are composed of cell A group cell that performing a function forms a tissue A group of tissues carrying out a particular function is an organ A group of organs doing a specific function makes up an organ system The level of organization from the protoplasm to the organ system are found inside the organism

Ecology is interested in the levels of organization outside the system. The level of organization outside the system includes: Population- group of organism of the same kind or species occupying a particular place at the same time Community- a group of population occupying a given area Ecosystem-the basic unit of ecology, refers to the interaction between organism and its environment it includes population and communities, habitat(the place where the organism lives) and the environment. Biosphere- is the world of life. it is the portion of the earth and environment. The interrelatedness of the levels of organization of life shows that organism are dependent on one another. Indeed, no organism live alone

Scope of Ecology

Ecology is concerned with the environment of organism Focuses on emphasizes the interactions taking place between organism and their environment It is not limited on interaction among living things but also the interaction of living organism and the non living factors within the environments

Explain why the spectrum of life must appear in particular sequence. Define population and community. Give examples. Give an examples of how an organism interacting with its environment