Ecology is the science of the interaction of flora, fauna and humanity with each other and the environment.

What does ecology study? Individual populations, genera, families, biocenoses, etc. can be objects of ecology study. At the same time, the relationships of different organisms and their effect on natural systems are studied.

Ecological problems

The main environmental problems are:

• Extermination of flora and fauna;
• irrational mining;
• pollution of the world's oceans and atmosphere;
• depletion of the ozone layer;
• reduction of fertile lands;
• destruction of natural landscapes.

History of the development of ecology

To the question: "What is ecology?" tried to answer long before our era, when for the first time people began to think about the world around us and human interaction with it. This topic was touched upon in their treatises by the ancient scientists Aristotle and Hippocrates.

The term "ecology" was proposed in 1866 by the German scientist E. Haeckel, who described the relationship between animate and inanimate nature in his work "General Morphology".

Stages of development

There are 4 stages in the development of ecology

Stage I. The first stage is connected with the works of ancient philosophers and their students, who collected information about the world around them, studied the basics of morphology and anatomy.

Stage II. The second stage began with the advent of the term "ecology" in science, during this period Darwin actively worked, with his evolutionary theory, natural selection, which became central issues for environmental science of those times.

Stage III. The third stage is characterized by the accumulation of information, its systematization. Vernadsky creates the doctrine of the biosphere. The first textbooks and brochures on ecology appear.

Stage IV. The fourth stage is still ongoing and is associated with the massive dissemination of environmental principles and laws in all countries. Ecological problems have become an urgent issue of international importance. Now ecology is studying these problems and finding the best solution.

The main environmental laws were formulated by Barry Commoner, and they sound like this:

First Law Everything is connected to everything.

Human actions always affect the state of the environment, bringing harm or benefit. In the future, according to the law of feedback, this influence will also affect a person.

Second Law Everything has to go somewhere.

The issue of waste disposal is very acute. This law confirms that it is not enough just to create garbage dumps, it is necessary to develop technologies for its processing, otherwise the consequences will be unpredictable.

third law- nature "knows" better.

There is no need to try to rebuild nature for yourself, massive cutting down of trees, drying up swamps, attempts to control natural phenomena do not lead to anything good. Everything created before man has gone through many trials on the path of evolution and only a few have been able to survive to this day, so you should not interfere in the world around you every time to meet your needs.

Fourth Law- nothing is given for free.

This law reminds a person that it is necessary to rationally use natural resources. Saving on environmental protection, humanity is doomed to diseases that are caused by the deterioration of the quality of water, air, food.

Tasks of ecology

1. The study of the influence of the environment on the life of organisms that live in it.
2. The study of the role of man and his anthropogenic impact on natural systems.
3. Study of adaptation mechanisms to changing environmental conditions.
4. Preservation of the integrity of the biosphere.
5. Development of rational plans for the use of natural resources.
6. Prediction of unfavorable consequences for the environment under anthropogenic influence.
7. Protection of nature and restoration of lost natural systems.
8. Propaganda among the population of a culture of behavior, a thrifty attitude towards nature.
9. Development of technologies that can solve the main environmental problems - air pollution, water pollution, the accumulation of unprocessed garbage.

How does the environment affect a person?

There are three types of environmental influences on the human body:

• abiotic- the action of inanimate nature.
• Biotic- the influence of living beings.
• Anthropogenic- consequences of human influence.

Fresh air, clean water, a moderate amount of ultraviolet radiation have a beneficial effect on a person. Watching animals, friendship with them brings aesthetic pleasure.

The adverse effect is mainly associated with the activities of the person himself. Air polluted with chemical, toxic substances causes significant damage to health. Fertilization of the soil, the destruction of crop pests with toxic agents, the introduction of growth stimulants negatively affect the condition of the soil, as a result, we consume products with a high content of toxins, which leads to the development of gastrointestinal pathology.

Why is it necessary to save the environment?

We are surrounded by modern technology that makes life easier and more comfortable. Every day we use transport, mobile phones and many other things that gradually destroy the environment. In the future, this affects the health of the population and life expectancy.

Today, the environment is in a difficult state: natural resources are running out, many species of animals and plants are on the verge of extinction, acid rains are increasingly occurring, the number of ozone holes is increasing, etc.

Such an unfavorable situation leads to changes in ecosystems, entire areas become unsuitable for human and animal habitation. The number of oncological diseases, heart pathologies, disorders of the nervous system, respiratory organs is growing. Increasingly, children are born with congenital defects, chronic diseases (bronchial asthma, allergies).

Humanity should think as soon as possible about its harmful impact on the world around us and begin to solve global environmental problems. A person cannot live without oxygen even for five minutes, but every day the air is more and more polluted by people: exhaust gases, waste from industrial enterprises.

Water deficit will lead to the extinction of the entire animal and plant world, climate change. Clean water is also necessary for a person who can die from dehydration or pathogens of serious diseases that are transmitted through water.

Therefore, each person needs to take care of the environment, starting with cleaning the yard, the street, checking the technical condition of the car, observing the rules for waste disposal. People must stop destroying their own home, otherwise the threat of extinction of life on the planet will become real.

The word "ecology" today is very often found on the pages of newspapers and online publications, it sounds on television and on the radio.


It is easy to guess that it has something to do with nature. But does everyone know exactly its meaning and understand what ecology studies and why is it needed at all?

The term "ecology" first appeared in the scientific community in 1866. Then this word was proposed to be called the branch of science that studies the existence of various communities of living beings interacting with each other and with their natural environment.

Even then it was noticed that with a change in external conditions, the system of coexistence of living organisms of different species also changes: for some conditions become more favorable, for others - less.

With the development of the technical level of civilization, the influence of technogenic factors on the natural habitat has constantly increased. Moreover, this influence, as a rule, had a destructive, negative character. When the changes reached such a scale that they began to influence the life of the human community, the study of ecology became a priority for mankind.


Since that time, the word has acquired a modern meaning: ecology is a science that studies all, including technogenic and anthropogenic, influences on the established systems of relationships between living beings in a particular region.

Some mistakenly believe that ecology studies only the harmful effects of technogenic factors on the nature and methods of protecting existing ecosystems, but this is not so.

Today, the definition that was developed in 1990 at the International Congress of Ecologists is considered the most correct: it is a science that studies the interaction of animate and inanimate nature.

The world around us is a complex multi-level complex of interactions between living beings and the inanimate objects surrounding them. These are not only the notorious food chains, although they are also part of ecosystems: plants serve as food for animals, animals, dying, serve as food for microorganisms and insects, which, absorbing organic residues, turn them into fertile soil, which serves as a nutrient medium for plants etc.

No less important role is played by other environmental factors, which together form a balanced self-regulating system.


These environmental factors are studied by ecology, which reveals how the individual components of the ecosystem interact with each other. Among them, scientists distinguish:

— physical and chemical factors (soil, terrain, climate, etc.);

- biological and biotic factors (the interaction of living organisms with each other);

- Anthropogenic factors (impact on the natural environment of man and his activities).

In addition, ecology studies animal populations: what determines the increase and decrease in the number of individual species, what effect inanimate nature has on them, and what other types of living beings, from microorganisms to large predators.

Of no small importance for ecologists is the study of biocenoses - communities of living beings that depend on each other.

Ecology is a science of great importance today. Human activity is increasingly changing the world around us, destroying established ecological systems. Often the person himself suffers from this, since ill-considered actions give rise to serious consequences.

One of the most striking examples is the almost complete disappearance of the Aral Sea and its entire ecosystem over the past half century. Where 50-60 years ago there was a smooth surface of the sea full of fish, and green steppe spread around, today you can see only barchans and salt marshes.


The work of ecologists can prevent such catastrophes by preserving natural relationships from the impact of negative factors of human activity. Monitoring the balance of natural ecosystems will help to notice the emergence of a serious negative impact in time, to detect and neutralize its impact.

We are obliged to preserve the wealth and diversity of wildlife for our grandchildren and great-grandchildren, so that they can live in a clean, healthy and friendly world, enjoy its beauty and harmony.

Today it is difficult to overestimate the importance and role of ecology both in the life of the whole society and separately in the life of each person. So the state of the planet depends both on commercial companies that produce tons of waste every year, and on an individual who enjoys the benefits of civilization.

A bit of history

Throughout known history, humanity has evolved and along with it, its concepts of the world around us have developed. Very early, people realized that natural gifts should be used wisely, without destroying the natural balance between man and the planet.

This is confirmed by rock paintings that speak of a person's interest in the environment.

From later data, it is known that nature conservation was actively practiced in Ancient Greece, where the inhabitants protected the beauty of natural forests.

Modern look

Now ecology is interpreted as a science that studies the interaction of living organisms with each other, as well as with the environment.

Any organism living on the planet is influenced by many factors: favorable and unfavorable. All these factors can be conditionally divided into two groups: biotic and abiotic. Biotic include those that come from living nature; to abiotic - those that are carried by inanimate nature. For example, an orchid growing on the bark of a tree is an example of symbiosis, that is, a biotic factor, but the direction of the wind and weather conditions that affect these two organisms is already an abiotic factor. All this creates conditions for the natural evolution of living organisms on the planet.

But here another important aspect appears that significantly affects the state of the environment - this is the anthropogenic factor, or the human factor. Deforestation, diversion of rivers, mining and development of minerals, release of various toxins and other wastes - all this affects the environment where such impacts are made. As a result, biotic and abiotic factors in this area undergo changes, and some of them even disappear altogether.

In order to regulate environmental changes, scientists have deduced the main tasks that ecology must solve, namely: the development of laws for the rational use of natural resources, based on the general principles of life organization, as well as the timely solution of environmental problems.

For this, environmental scientists have identified four basic laws:

1. everything is connected with everything;
2. nothing disappears into nowhere;
3. nature knows best;
4. nothing comes easy.

It would seem that the observance of all these rules should have led to a reasonable and harmonious use of natural gifts, but, unfortunately, we are seeing a different trend in the development of this area.

Why is this happening? Why does the role of ecology in the lives of many people still remain in the background? Any external problem is just a reflection of human consciousness. Most do not even suspect what is hidden behind the result of their daily life.

Aspects of nature affected by the anthropogenic factor

The sharp increase in consumer lifestyle has led to the unreasonable use of natural resources. The rapid development of scientific and technological progress, the large-scale growth of human agricultural activities - all this has aggravated the negative impact on nature, which has led to a serious violation of the ecological situation on the entire planet. Let us consider the main natural aspects most prone to the ecological crisis.

Air

Once upon a time there was a different atmosphere on Earth, then it happened that oxygen appeared on the planet, and after it aerobic organisms formed, that is, those that feed on this gas.

Absolutely all aerobic creatures depend on oxygen, that is, on air, and our life depends on its quality. Everyone knows from school that oxygen is produced by plants, therefore, given the current trend of deforestation and the active growth of the human population, it is not difficult to guess what the destruction of the fauna leads to. But this is only one of the aspects that affect the state of the atmosphere of our planet. In reality, everything is more complicated, especially in large cities, where, according to medical standards, the concentration of toxic substances is exceeded dozens of times.

Water

The next equally important aspect of our life is water. The human body consists of 60-80% water. 2/3 of the entire earth's surface consists of water. Oceans, seas, rivers are constantly polluted by man. Every day we "kill" the world's oceans by extracting oil from offshore fields. Oil slicks threaten the lives of marine life. Not to mention the garbage islands, continuously drifting on the surface of the oceans and seas.

Fresh water is most vulnerable to human ignorance. Wastewater, various toxins such as mercury, lead, pesticides, arsenic and many other "heavy" chemicals poison rivers and lakes daily.

Earth

The main foundation of life on earth is soil. It is known that in order for the Earth to be able to create one centimeter of black soil, it will take about 300 years. Today, one centimeter of such fertile soil, on average, dies in three years.

Climate

The totality of all environmental problems leads to climate deterioration. The climate can be compared to the health of the planet. When individual "organs" of the Earth suffer, this has a direct impact on the climate. For many years we have been observing various anomalies due to climate change, the causes of which are the anthropogenic factor. Human intervention in the activities of nature has led to a sharp warming or cooling in certain areas, to rising ocean levels due to the rapid melting of glaciers, to abnormal amounts of precipitation or to their absence, as well as to severe natural disasters and much more.

The main thing is not focusing on the list of problems, but the very understanding of the causes of their occurrence, as well as focusing on effective ways and methods for solving them.

Areas of our lives affected by the environment

What is the role of ecology in human life? As for absolutely everyone, with which we all deal every day, every second of our lives; without which life, as it is now, could not exist?

Health

Health as a constructor, on the individual parts of which its state as a whole depends. There are many such factors, the main ones are known to everyone - this is the way of life, nutrition, human activities, the people around him, as well as the environment where he lives. Ecology and human health are closely interconnected. If there are violations on one side, the other reacts accordingly.

A person living in a city is many times more likely to get any serious illness than a person living in the suburbs.

Nutrition

When a person eats improperly, his metabolism is disturbed, which in turn leads to more serious health problems. It is worth remembering that these violations can also affect future generations.

The main problem for human health is chemicals, mineral fertilizers, pesticides used on agricultural fields, as well as the use of additives and dyes to improve the appearance of products, preservatives to increase the shelf life of products, and much more.

There are known cases of adding heavy metal compounds and other elements unfavorable for the human body, such as mercury, arsenic, lead, cadmium, manganese, tin and others.

Poultry and cattle feed contains many toxins that can cause cancer, metabolic failure, blindness and other serious diseases.

To protect yourself and your loved ones, you need to be careful about the products you buy. Study the composition and symbols printed on the packaging. Do not support manufacturers who are indifferent to your fate and the state of our planet. Pay special attention to E-additives with three-digit numbers, the value of which can be easily found on the Internet and thereby live a longer and happier life.

Vitality and mood

The state of health and the quality of nutrition are the determining factors of human activity and vitality. As we can see, all these factors can be associated with the state of ecology on our planet, on which we directly depend. Leading a healthy lifestyle, doing yoga and self-knowledge, it is simply impossible to be indifferent to the environment. When we are in nature, breathe fresh air, eat clean, hand-grown products - our life changes its quality. The state of mind is also transformed, from which the mood and attitude to life in general are harmonized.

Karma

Everything in this world is natural; everything that we do, one way or another, comes back to us, immediately or later - it does not matter. If we take care of ourselves and the world where we now live, save resources, think about nature, live in good conscience, then the ecological situation on the planet will improve - and we will not have to pay for our own recklessness and inattention.

Live consciously, eat healthy - only natural products - take care of the disposal and recycling of waste, use the essentials - then your life and the life of our entire planet will improve! Great things start small!

Ecology is a science that studies the laws of nature, the interaction of living organisms with the environment, the foundations of which were laid by Ernst Haeckel in 1866. However, people have been interested in the secrets of nature since ancient times, and had a careful attitude towards it. There are hundreds of concepts of the term "ecology", at different times scientists gave their own definitions of ecology. The word itself consists of two particles, from the Greek "oikos" is translated as a house, and "logos" as a teaching.

With the development of technological progress, the state of the environment began to deteriorate, which attracted the attention of the world community. People have noticed that the air has become polluted, species of animals and plants are disappearing, water in rivers is deteriorating. These and many other phenomena were given the name -.

Global environmental issues

Most environmental problems have grown from local to global. Changing a small ecosystem in a particular part of the world can affect the ecology of the entire planet. For example, a change in the Gulf Stream ocean current will lead to major climate changes, cooling the climate in Europe and North America.

To date, scientists have dozens of global environmental problems. Here are just the most relevant of them that threaten life on the planet:

• - changing of the climate;
• — depletion of fresh water reserves;
• - reduction of populations and extinction of species and;
• — depletion of minerals;

This is not the whole list of global problems. Let's just say that environmental problems that can be equated with a disaster are pollution of the biosphere and. Every year the air temperature rises by +2 degrees Celsius. The reason for this is greenhouse gases. A world conference devoted to environmental problems was held in Paris, at which many countries of the world pledged to reduce the amount of gas emissions. As a result of the high concentration of gases, the ice at the poles melts, the water level rises, which further threatens to flood the islands and coasts of the continents. To prevent an impending catastrophe, it is necessary to develop joint actions and carry out activities that will help slow down and stop the process of global warming.

The subject of study of ecology

At the moment there are several sections of ecology:

• — general ecology;
• — bioecology;

Each branch of ecology has its own subject of study. The most popular is general ecology. It studies the surrounding world, which consists of ecosystems, their individual components - and relief, soil, flora and fauna.

The value of ecology for every person

Caring for the environment has become a fashionable activity today, the prefix "eco" is used everywhere. But many of us do not even realize the depth of all the problems. Of course, it is good that a huge humanity of people has become indifferent to the life of our planet. However, it is worth realizing that the state of the environment depends on each person.

Any inhabitant of the planet can perform simple actions daily, which will help improve the environment. For example, you can recycle waste paper and reduce water use, save energy and throw garbage in the bin, grow plants and use reusable items. The more people who follow these rules, the more chances there will be to save our planet.