How is the word ecology translated from Greek? General characteristics of ecology as a branch of general biology and complex science. Term and concept of ecology

Ecology is the science that studies the life of various organisms in their natural habitat, or environment. The environment is everything living and nonliving around us. Your own environment is everything you see, and much of what you don't see around you (like what you breathe). It is basically unchanged, but its individual details are constantly changing. Your body is, in a sense, also an environment for many thousands of tiny creatures - bacteria that help you digest food. Your body is their natural habitat.

General characteristics of ecology as a branch of general biology and complex science

At the present stage of development of civilization, ecology is a complex integrated discipline based on various areas human knowledge: biology, chemistry, physics, sociology, environmental activities, various types technology, etc.

The concept of “ecology” was first introduced into science by the German biologist E. Haeckel (1886). This concept was originally purely biological. Literally translated, “ecology” means “the science of housing” and implied the study of the relationships between various organisms in natural conditions. Currently, this concept has become very complicated and different scientists put different meanings into this concept. Let's look at some of the proposed concepts.

1. According to V. A. Radkevich: “Ecology is a science that studies the patterns of life of organisms (in all its manifestations, at all levels of integration) in their natural habitat, taking into account changes introduced into the environment by human activity.” This concept corresponds to biological science and cannot be considered fully consistent with the field of knowledge that ecology studies.

2. According to N.F. Reimers: “Ecology (universal, “big”) is a scientific direction that considers a certain set of natural and partly social (for humans) phenomena and objects that are significant for the central member of the analysis (subject, living object) from the point of view view of the interests (with or without quotation marks) of this central subject or living object.” This concept is universal, but it is difficult to perceive and reproduce. It shows the diversity and complexity of environmental science at the present stage.

Currently, ecology is divided into several areas and scientific disciplines. Let's look at some of them.

1. Bioecology is a branch of biological science that studies the relationships of organisms with each other; habitat and the impact of human activities on these organisms and their habitat.

2. Population ecology (demographic ecology) - a branch of ecology that studies the patterns of functioning of populations of organisms in their habitat.

3. Autecology (autoecology) - a branch of ecology that studies the relationship of an organism (individual, species) with the environment.

4. Synecology is a branch of ecology that studies the relationships of populations, communities and ecosystems with the environment.

5. Human ecology is a complex science that studies general laws the relationship between the biosphere and the anthroposystem, the influence of the natural environment (including the social) on an individual and groups of people. This is the most complete definition of human ecology; it can be attributed to both the ecology of an individual and the ecology of human populations, in particular, to the ecology of various ethnic groups (peoples, nationalities). Social ecology plays a major role in human ecology.

6. Social ecology is a multi-valued concept, one of which is the following: a section of ecology that studies the interactions and relationships of human society with natural environment, developing the scientific foundations of rational environmental management, involving the protection of nature and optimization of the human living environment.

There are also applied, industrial, chemical, oncological (carcinogenic), historical, evolutionary ecology, ecology of microorganisms, fungi, animals, plants, etc.

All of the above shows that ecology is a complex of scientific disciplines that have Nature as an object of study, taking into account the interrelation and interaction of individual components of the living world in the form of individuals, populations, individual species, relationships between ecosystems, the role of individuals and humanity as a whole, as well as ways and means of rational environmental management, measures to protect Nature.

Relationships

Ecology is the study of how plants and animals, including humans, live together and influence each other and their environment. Let's start with you. Consider how you are connected to the environment. What do you eat? Where do you throw waste and garbage? What plants and animals live near you. The way you impact the environment has an impact on you and everyone who lives around you. The relationships between you and them form a complex and extensive network.

Habitat

The natural environment of a group of plants and animals is called a habitat, and the group living in it is called a community. Turn the stone over and see what lives on the floor above it. Nice little communities are always part of larger communities. Thus, a stone can be part of a stream if it lies on its bank, and the stream can be part of the forest in which it flows. Each major habitat is home to a variety of plants and animals. Try to find a few various types habitats around you. Look around: up, down - in all directions. But do not forget that you must leave life as you found it.

Current state of environmental science

The term “ecology” was first used in 1866 in the work of the German biologist E. Haeckel “The General Morphology of Organisms.” An original evolutionary biologist, physician, botanist, zoologist and morphologist, supporter and propagandist of the teachings of Charles Darwin, he not only introduced a new term into scientific use, but also applied all his strength and knowledge to the formation of a new scientific direction. The scientist believed that “ecology is the science of the relationship of organisms to the environment.” Speaking at the opening of the philosophical faculty of the University of Jena with a lecture “The path of development and tasks of zoology” in 1869, E. Haeckel noted that ecology “explores the general attitude of animals to both their organic and inorganic environments, their friendly and hostile attitudes towards others animals and plants with which they come into direct and indirect contact, or, in a word, all those intricate interactions that Charles Darwin conventionally designated as the struggle for existence.” By environment he understood the conditions created by inorganic and organic nature. Haeckel referred to inorganic conditions as physical and chemical features habitats of living organisms: climate (heat, humidity, light), composition and soil, features, as well as inorganic food (minerals and chemical compounds). By organic conditions, the scientist meant the relationships between organisms existing within the same community or ecological niche. The name of ecological science comes from two Greek words: “ekoe” - house, dwelling, habitat and “logos” - word, doctrine.

It should be noted that E. Haeckel and many of his followers used the term “ecology” not to describe changing environmental conditions and the relationships between organisms and the environment changing over time, but only to fix existing unchanged conditions and phenomena environment. As S.V. Klubov and L.L. Prozorov (1993) believe, the physiological mechanism of the relationship between living organisms was actually studied, their relationship to the environment was highlighted exclusively within the framework of physiological reactions.

Ecology existed within the framework of biological science until the middle of the 20th century. The emphasis in it was on the study of living matter, the patterns of its functioning depending on environmental factors.

In the modern era, the ecological paradigm is based on the concept of ecosystems. As is known, this term was introduced into science by A. Tansley in 1935. An ecosystem means a functional unity formed by a biotope, i.e. a set of abiotic conditions and the organisms inhabiting it. The ecosystem is the main object of study of general ecology. The subject of its knowledge is not only the laws of formation of the structure, functioning, development and death of ecosystems, but also the state of the integrity of systems, in particular their stability, productivity, circulation of substances and energy balance.

Thus, within the framework of biological science, general ecology took shape and finally emerged as an independent science, which is based on the study of the properties of the whole, which cannot be reduced to a simple sum of the properties of its parts. Consequently, ecology in the biological content of this term implies the science of the relationships of plant and animal organisms and the communities they form among themselves and with the environment. Objects of bioecology can be genes, cells, individuals, populations of organisms, species, communities, ecosystems and the biosphere as a whole.

The formulated laws of general ecology are widely used in so-called private ecologies. In the same way as in biology, unique taxonomic directions are developing in general ecology. The ecology of animals and plants, the ecology of individual representatives of the plant and animal world (algae, diatoms, certain genera of algae), the ecology of the inhabitants of the World Ocean, the ecology of communities of individual seas and water bodies, the ecology of certain areas of water bodies, the ecology of land animals and plants, the ecology of freshwater exist independently. communities of individual rivers and reservoirs (lakes and reservoirs), ecology of inhabitants of mountains and hills, ecology of communities of individual landscape units, etc.

Depending on the level of organization of the living matter of ecosystems as a whole, the ecology of individuals (autoecology), the ecology of populations (demecology), the ecology of associations, the ecology of biocenoses and the ecology of communities (synecology) are distinguished.

When considering the levels of organization of living matter, many scientists believe that its lowest ranks - genome, cell, tissue, organ - are studied by purely biological sciences - molecular genetics, cytology, histology, and the highest ranks - organism (individual), species, population, association and biocenosis - both biology and physiology, and ecology. Only in one case are the morphology and systematics of individual individuals and the communities they form considered, and in the other - their relationship with each other and with the environment.

To date, the environmental direction has covered almost all existing areas scientific knowledge. Not only natural sciences, but also purely humanities, when studying their objects, began to widely use environmental terminology and, most importantly, research methods. Many “ecologies” have emerged (environmental geochemistry, environmental geophysics, ecological soil science, geoecology, environmental geology, physical and radiation ecology, medical ecology and many others). In this regard, a certain structuring was carried out. Thus, in his works (1990-1994) N. F. Reimers made an attempt to present the structure of modern ecology.

The structure of Ecological Science looks simpler from other methodological positions. The structuring is based on the division of ecology into four largest and at the same time fundamental areas: bioecology, human ecology, geoecology and applied ecology. All of these areas use almost the same methods and methodological foundations unified ecological science. In this case, we can talk about analytical ecology with its corresponding divisions into physical, chemical, geological, geographical, geochemical, radiation and mathematical, or systemic, ecology.

Within the framework of bioecology, there are two equally important and important areas: endoecology and exoecology. According to N.F. Reimers (1990), endoecology includes genetic, molecular, morphological and physiological ecologies. Exoecology includes the following areas: autoecology, or the ecology of individuals and organisms as representatives of a certain species; demecology, or ecology of individual groups; population ecology, which studies the behavior and relationships within a particular population (ecology of individual species); synecology, or ecology of organic communities; ecology of biocenoses, which considers the relationship of communities or populations of organisms that make up the biocenosis with each other and with the environment. The highest rank of exoecological direction is the study of ecosystems, the study of the biosphere and global ecology. The latter covers all areas of existence of living organisms - from the soil cover to the troposphere inclusive.

An independent area of ​​environmental research is human ecology. In fact, if we strictly adhere to the rules of the hierarchy, this direction should be an integral part of bioecology, in particular as an analogue of autoecology within the framework of animal ecology. However, given the enormous role that humanity plays in the life of the modern biosphere, this direction is singled out as independent. In human ecology, it is advisable to distinguish the evolutionary ecology of man, archaeoecology, which considers the relationship of man with the environment since the times of primitive society, the ecology of ethnosocial groups, social ecology, environmental demography, the ecology of cultural landscapes and medical ecology.

In the middle of the 20th century. In connection with in-depth studies of the human environment and the organic world, scientific directions of ecological orientation arose, closely related to the geographical and geological sciences. Their goal is to study not the organisms themselves, but only their reaction to changing environmental conditions and to trace the reverse impact of the activities of human society and the biosphere on the environment. These studies were united within the framework of geoecology, which was given a purely geographical direction. However, it seems appropriate to distinguish at least four independent areas within both geological and geographical ecologies - landscape ecology, ecological geography, ecological geology and space (planetary) ecology. It should be especially emphasized that not all scientists agree with this division.

Within the framework of applied ecology, as its name suggests, multidimensional environmental issues related to purely practical problems. It includes commercial ecology, i.e., environmental studies related to the extraction of certain biological resources ( valuable species animals or wood), agricultural ecology and environmental engineering. The last branch of ecology has many aspects. The objects of study of engineering ecology are the state of urban systems, agglomerations of cities and towns, cultural landscapes, technological systems, ecological state of megalopolises, science cities and individual cities.

The concept of system ecology arose during the intensive development of experimental and theoretical research in the field of ecology in the 20s and 30s of the 20th century. These studies showed the need integrated approach to the study of biocenosis and biotope. The need for such an approach was first formulated by the English geobotanist A. Tansley (1935), who introduced the term “ecosystem” into ecology. The main significance of the ecosystem approach for ecological theory lies in the obligatory presence of relationships, interdependence and cause-and-effect relationships, i.e., the unification of individual components into a functional whole.

A certain logical completeness of the concept of ecosystems is expressed by the quantitative level of their study. An outstanding role in the study of ecosystems belongs to the Austrian theoretical biologist L. Bertalanffy (1901-1972). He developed general theory, which allows one to describe systems of various types using mathematical tools. The basis of the ecosystem concept is the axiom of system integrity.

Despite all the completeness and depth of coverage in the classification rubric of environmental studies, which includes all modern aspects of the life of human society, there is no such important link of knowledge as historical ecology. After all, when studying current state In order to determine the patterns of development and forecast environmental conditions on a global or regional scale, the researcher needs to compare existing environmental situations with the state of the environment of the historical and geological past. This information is concentrated in historical ecology, which, within the framework of environmental geology, makes it possible, using geological and paleogeographical methods, to determine the physical and geographical conditions of the geological and historical past and to trace their development and changes up to the modern era.

Since the research of E. Haeckel, the terms “ecology” and “ecological science” have widely come into use scientific research. In the second half of the 20th century. ecology was divided into two directions: purely biological (general and system ecology) and geological-geographical (geoecology and environmental geology).

Ecological soil science

Ecological soil science arose in the 20s of the 20th century. In some works, soil scientists began to use the terms “soil ecology” and “pedoecology”. However, the essence of the terms, as well as the main direction of environmental research in soil science, were revealed only in recent decades. G.V. Dobrovolsky and E.D. Nikitin (1990) introduced the concepts of “ecological soil science” and “ecological functions of large geospheres” into the scientific literature. Last direction The authors interpret it in relation to soils and consider it as a doctrine of the ecological functions of soils. This refers to the role and significance of soil cover and soil processes in the emergence, maintenance and evolution of ecosystems and the biosphere. Considering the ecological role and functions of soils, the authors consider it logical and necessary to identify and characterize the ecological functions of other shells, as well as the biosphere as a whole. This will make it possible to consider the unity of the human environment and all existing biota, to better understand the inseparability and indispensability of individual components of the biosphere. Throughout geological history The lands of fate of these components turned out to be strongly intertwined. They penetrated each other and interact through cycles of matter and energy, which determines their development.

Applied aspects of ecological soil science are also being developed, mainly related to the protection and control of the state of the soil cover. The authors of works in this direction strive to show the principles of preserving and creating such soil properties that determine their high sustainable and high-quality fertility, without causing damage to the associated components of the biosphere (G.V. Dobrovolsky, N.N. Grishina, 1985).

Currently, some higher educational institutions teach special courses “Soil Ecology” or “Ecological Soil Science”. In this case, we are talking about science, which examines the patterns of functional relationships between soil and the environment. From an ecological perspective, soil-forming processes, processes of accumulation of plant matter and humus formation are studied. However, soils are considered as the “center of the geosystem.” The applied significance of ecological soil science is reduced to the development of measures for the rational use of land resources.

Flowing Pond

A pond is an example of a larger habitat ideal for observing an ecosystem. This is the home for large community various plants and animals. The pond, its communities and inanimate nature a so-called ecological system is formed around it. The depths of a pond are a good environment for studying the communities of its inhabitants. Move the net carefully different places pond. Write down everything that ends up in the net when you remove it. Put the most interesting finds in a jar to study them in more detail. Use any manual that describes the life of the inhabitants of the pond to determine the names of the organisms you find. And when you finish the experiments, do not forget to release the living creatures back into the pond. You can buy a net or make it yourself. Take a piece of thick wire and bend it into a ring, and stick the ends into one of the edges of a long bamboo stick. Then cover the wire ring with a nylon stocking and tie it at the bottom with a knot. These days, ponds are much less common than forty years ago. Many of them have become shallow and overgrown. This had an adverse effect on the lives of the inhabitants of the ponds: only a few of them managed to survive. When the pond dries out, its last inhabitants also die.

Make a pond yourself

By digging a pond, you can create a corner of wild nature for yourself. This will attract many species of animals to it and will not become a burden to you. However, the pond will need to be constantly maintained in good condition. It will take a lot of time and effort to create it, but once various animals live in it, you can study them at any time. Homemade pipe for underwater observations will allow you to become better acquainted with the life of the inhabitants of the pond. Carefully cut off the neck and bottom of the plastic bottle. Place a transparent one on one end plastic bag and secure it to the neck with an elastic band. Now through this tube you can observe the life of the inhabitants of the pond. For safety, it is best to cover the free edge of the tube with adhesive tape.

1. What's in translation

a) Atmospheric science.

b) Home Science.

c) Health Science.

2. What benefits does the forest bring to people? (The forest provides wood. Game animals and birds live in the forest, mushrooms and berries grow, fruit trees. The forest helps retain moisture in the soil, keeps rivers full, protects the soil from destruction, purifies the air, and beautifies the earth.)

3. What are the leaves called? coniferous plants?

a) Needles.

b) Plates.

c) Needles.

d) Petals.

4. How can schoolchildren take part in forest protection? (Protect the forest from fires, collect tree seeds, care for seedlings in forest plantations.)

_____________________________________________________________________________

5. “A cheerful, smartly and carefully dressed little boy jumped up playfully and broke off a green branch, then another... Mom stood nearby and looked with love at the tricks of her beloved child.” Which conclusion do you agree with?

a) He is still a child and does not know what he is doing.
b) Parents are obliged to explain to their son that it is impossible to treat a living plant this way.
c) It’s okay that he broke a branch, there are many of them on the tree.

6. Where are nature reserves created?

a) in zoos;
b) in parks near cities;
c) in the wild, far from populated areas.

7. What is the name of the profession of a person who works with animals in nature reserves?

a) huntsman;
b) forester;
c) poacher.

8. Write what plant is shown in the picture and where it grows.

Cloudberry. In the swamps.

1. Find the odd one among the coniferous plants.

a) Willow.

b) Juniper.

c) Larch.

2. Which of the listed rivers flow through the territory of our region. Emphasize.

A) Yenisei

G) Don

3. What's in translation What does the word “ecology” mean? Underline the correct answer.

a) Atmospheric science.

b) Home Science.

c) Science about the surrounding world.

d) Health Science.

4. Types of waste disposal. Choose the most environmentally friendly method.

5. When is the temperature lower in the fall?

A) On clear days.

b) On cloudy days.

c) On weekdays.

d) On weekends.

6. Find the odd one among the coniferous plants.

A) Pine.

V) Hazel.

d) Juniper.

7. If the river contains a lot of sterlet fish. What does this mean?

A) About insufficient water purification by treatment facilities.
b) O large quantities Wastewater.
V) About clean water, free from sewage.

d) That you can swim in the river.

8. What benefits do birds bring? (Birds eat insects that harm plants; with their singing they enliven forests and parks, creating a unique charm that is so necessary for people to relax.)

9. Which of the animals listed below is considered the cleanest animal?

c) Badger.

10. Write the name of the plant.

Ledum.

1. Where is the Lipetsk region located?

A) oncentral part of European territory
b) in the Far East.
c) on the West Siberian Plain .

2. Algae grow luxuriantly on the surface of the river and occupy a large area water surface. What does this mean?

A) about river pollution.
b) about the cleanliness of the river.

c) about the diversity of aquatic plants.

3. Distribute the plants into tiers, writing down their numbers.

Trees __1, 3, 5, 8 ______
Shrubs___11, 13 _______
Shrubs___4, 6, 9 ______
Herbaceous plants__2, 7, 10, 12__

1.pine 2.oxalis 3.spruce 4.blueberry

5. birch 6. lingonberry 7. lily of the valley 8. oak

9. blueberry 10. blueberry 11. hazel

12. anemone 13. wolf's bast

4. In which natural areas these protected animals live. Indicate with arrows.

ARCTIC
MIXED FORESTS - bison
TUNDRA - pink gull STEPPE - demoiselle crane, bustard
TAIGA - tiger DESERT - long-eared hedgehog

5. Plants in nature can reach significant sizes. For example, pine trees in middle lane Russia can grow to a height of 20-30 meters. However, in peat bogs in the middle zone, these same pines are never tall. Explain this phenomenon.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

6. List the birds that winter in our area.

______________________________________________________________________________

Bullfinch, magpie, sparrow, crossbill, nuthatch, carrion raven, waxwing, nutcracker, woodpeckers, peregrine falcon, eagles, jay, swallow, tits. Hazel grouse, ptarmigan, black grouse, wood grouse. (31 species)

7. Think about what word is missing in the text, insert it.

“This means that every effort must be made to prevent birds from coming into contact with oil. The simplest way to combat oil can be used sawdust “As soon as they are saturated with oil, they are collected and burned.”

8. Which tree is called the “match queen”?

a) Birch.

V) Aspen.

9. By composing a word, you will understand where you can see rare animals in our time.

A V D E Z I K N O P _____________________________ Reserve.

10. Underline the name of this bird.

a) Tit.

b ) Crossbill.

c) Starling.

11. Name the environmental sign and explain it.

_do not tear up medicinal plants_____________________________

12. These amphibians are listed in the Red Book of the Lipetsk region.

Point with arrows where is the Eagle Owl, where is the Short-eared Owl?

white great egret White stork

Gray crane black stork

Results of the Olympiad on the surrounding world in ___ grades.

20 1 1-2012 academic year year.

Teacher: __________________________________________

At the beginning of the 20th century. a new biological science was formed - ecology. Translated from Greek it is “the science of habitat.”

Ecology is the science of the relationships between organisms and communities among themselves and with the environment.

The concept of the interconnection of living beings with each other and with their environment has existed in biology for a long time. In addition to describing the structure of animals and plants, zoological and botanical works have long described the conditions of their existence.

The term “ecology” itself was introduced into science in 1866 by the prominent German biologist E. Haeckel. However, only in the 20th century, mainly in the second half, purely ecological research gained enormous scope. And this, of course, is not accidental.

The development of human society at the end of the 2nd millennium is characterized by intensive population growth, and consequently, an increase in humanity’s needs for food and raw materials. In the context of scientific and technological progress, the impact of people on nature has acquired a truly planetary character. Vast spaces on Earth have undergone radical transformations as a result of human economic activity. This was reflected in the depletion of natural resources, the destruction of natural complexes, and the pollution of the external environment.

Man has entered into an acute conflict with nature, the deepening of which threatens a global environmental catastrophe. As a result, many species of organisms may die, and first of all the person himself. To prevent this, we need to reconsider our relationship with the world around us. The existence and development of human society must be based on a deep understanding of the laws of existence and development of living nature, natural complexes and systems.

Ecology will serve as the scientific basis for solving the above problems. Today it is rapidly accumulating data and has an ever-increasing influence on natural history, science in general, as well as on all spheres of human activity - agriculture, industry, economics and politics, education, healthcare and culture. Only on the basis of environmental knowledge can an effective system of nature protection and rational use of natural resources be built.

Objectives of ecology as a science:

1) study of the relationships of organisms and their populations with the environment;

2) study of the effect of the environment on the structure, life activity and behavior of organisms;

3) establishing the relationship between the environment and population size;

4) study of relationships between populations of different species;

5) study of the struggle for existence and direction natural selection in the population.

Human ecology- a complex science that studies the patterns of relationships between humans and the environment, issues of population, preservation and development of health, improvement of human physical and mental capabilities.

The human environment, compared to the environment of other living beings, is a very complex interweaving of interacting natural and anthropogenic factors, and this set varies sharply in different places.

Humans have 3 habitats:

1) natural;

2) social;

3) technogenic. The criterion for the quality of the human environment is its condition

health.

Unlike all other creatures, man has a dual character from an ecological point of view: on the one hand, man is the object of various environmental factors ( sunlight, other creatures), on the other hand, man himself is an ecological (anthropogenic) factor.

Today a very fashionable and relevant term is in use - ecology! But what do people mean when they use this word in their speech, when they write it in articles, scientific works and “tearing off” the treasured piece of “eco” from it in order to “glue” it to something important, for example: “eco-products”, “eco-leather”, “ecolife”?

In fact, “ecology” is a word consisting of the Greek “oikos” - “house” and “logos” - “science”. It turns out that literally “ecology” is the science of the home. But, of course, the concept itself is much broader, multifaceted, and more interesting than it seems, based on this definition.

If you immerse yourself in understanding everything that this fashionable term means, you can discover a lot of new and very interesting things, especially for a person who is aimed at a correct (healthy) lifestyle.

Ecology: what is it and what does it study?

Ecology is a science that studies the interaction of living organisms with the environment. Based on the translation of the compound term, this is the science of the home. But the word “house” in ecology does not mean that, or, more precisely, not only the dwelling in which a specific family, an individual, or even a group of people lives. The word “house” here means the whole planet, the world - the house in which all people live. And, of course, in different sections of ecology, individual “rooms” of this “house” are considered.

Ecology studies everything that somehow interacts or affects living organisms. This is a very voluminous science that affects a good hundred current issues for man and his life on earth.

Types of ecology

Like some other sciences, ecology includes many different sections. After all, it’s quite difficult to fit everything important in one direction. You can get confused and never draw the necessary conclusions or find solutions to serious problems.

It is worth knowing that ecology is a relatively young science. She is only no more than 200 years old. However, today science is on the same level of importance as mathematics, physics, biology, etc. At the same time, ecology not only affects some scientific fields (botany, chemistry, microbiology), but is even based on them.

There are the following types of ecology:

• ecology of the biosphere - a section that studies the human environment and global changes in it;
• industrial ecology - a direction that studies the impact of industrial enterprises and processes on the environment;
• ecology of the industry - each industry is entertaining and interesting from an environmental point of view;
• agricultural ecology - studies the influence and interaction of agriculture with the environment;
• evolutionary ecology - studies the processes of evolution of living organisms and their impact on the environment;
• valeology - the science of quality of life and human health;
• geoecology - studies the geosphere of the planet and its inhabitants;
• ecology of seas and oceans - aimed at studying issues of cleanliness of the earth's water surface;
• social ecology - the science of the purity of the social area;
• economic ecology - aimed at developing algorithms rational use planet's resources.

In fact, the branches of this science are constantly expanding and multiplying. But absolutely all branches come down to a general ecology, the task of which is to preserve a healthy habitat and prevent our planet from dying before the allotted time.

About the ecology of thought and the purity of worldview

So far, there is officially no section in ecology that would be aimed at studying the influence of a person’s own worldview on the environment and one’s own health. However, the way he thinks and perceives the world a person greatly influences his actions. We must not forget about the ecology of thought. After all, only the right train of thought and a deep understanding of the need to live in harmony with nature will allow us to preserve our “home” without causing damage to it. A person with pure, bright thoughts is spiritually healthy. His physical body is also stronger. And this is also very important for preserving the health of the environment and creating a comfortable ecosystem for everyone living on earth.

Term and concept of ecology

Of course, from everything written above one can already understand that the term “ecology” includes a huge amount of information and “scatters” into important elements, the facets of which constitute a single important goal - studying the planet and preserving its health. But who came up with all this and why is it so important? It's worth looking into.

Who coined the term "ecology"?

The term “ecology” was first used by the philosopher and naturalist Ernst Heinrich Haeckel. The same German philosopher is the author of such biological terms as ontogenesis, phylogeny, which are also directly related to ecology.

What does ecology mean?

As you can already guess, ecology is a comprehensive concept that includes a lot of issues related to the environment and its purity. But why do we so often hear compound words with the prefix “eco” and understand this as cleanliness, health, safety? Nothing complicated! After all, the main idea of ​​ecology as a science is to find solutions to preserve the beauty and health of nature. An ecologist is a person who studies the influence of any processes, substances, things on the surrounding world and living organisms. Therefore, when a person says ecology, he means a clean environment. When we say any word with the prefix “eco,” we mean that it is something clean, safe and beneficial to our health. The exception is specific terms used in the scientific community.

An ecotope is a separate area of ​​the habitat of living organisms that has undergone some changes as a result of the activities of these organisms.

An ecosystem is an environment for interaction between a group of living organisms.

In other cases, words with the prefix “eco” are new words composed with a claim to indicate benefits. That is, in fact, very often eco-products, eco-materials, eco-culture are just marketing ploy. It’s not always worth trusting such a console blindly. It’s better to take a closer look at the thing that was marked as treasured green leaf(emblem of environmentally friendly products) and study the composition. And only then draw conclusions about the purity and safety of the chosen product.

Where and who needs ecology

Today, the subject of ecology is studied at school, secondary and higher specialized institutions, regardless of the profile. Of course, in the departments of botany, agronomy, zoology, etc., this subject is given much more attention than, for example, in the Faculty of Economics. But almost every general education program has a section on ecology. And this is no coincidence. Every person should be environmentally literate. You may not be a lawyer, but you should understand the environment around you. You may not know the concepts of medicine, but it is important to know the basics of how to preserve the health of the planet. Where and how do we come into contact with environmental issues? Well, for example, when you go to throw away garbage, you already become a “cog” in the mechanism of a system that either violates the overall well-being of the environment or helps maintain the health of the planet. After all, you need to know how to properly and where to throw away garbage in order to minimize bad influence waste on human health and the environment. When a person lights a cigarette, he also has a direct impact on the formation of the background health of nature. One cigarette, it would seem, can bring a lot of negative prospects to both the smoker himself and the world around him as a whole.

Today there are environmental departments in almost every industrial enterprise. An environmental service operates in every city. On a national scale, environmental issues are resolved and discussed through serious meetings. Scientists talk, think, argue about the ecology of our planet and ordinary people. Every day, when we wake up in the morning, we come into contact with different areas this science. It is interesting, multifaceted and very important for each of us and for all people in general.

Environmental problems and their solutions

When we started talking about the prefix “eco” as a sign of purity, it was a positive “particle” of the topic. There is also a downside - negativity! The phrases “environmental problem” and “ecological disaster” often frighten us in newspaper headlines, online media, television programs and radio reports. Usually something scary, threatening and dirty is “hidden” under these phrases. Dirt here is meant in the literal sense of the word. For example, a discharge from a factory into the sea pollutes aquatic environment and can cause harm to living inhabitants of this ecosystem. This is an environmental problem, of which there can be many today. When we talk about the thinning of the ozone layer, we mean the environmental disaster that this phenomenon can lead to. The science that we are considering here is precisely aimed at minimizing the risks of environmental problems and, even more so, preventing the development of entire catastrophes on the scale of a city, country, or planet. It is for these purposes that this multifaceted, interesting and incredibly important science was created and is being developed.

How environmental problems are prevented and solved

If there is science, there are also scientists who are engaged in its development. Environmental scientists work to study various environmental issues. These include highly specialized areas, such as agroecology, zooecology, the industrial complex and general, classical ecology. Various environmental services are being created and operate successfully around the world. For example, in our country there is such a body as the environmental police. This is a service that monitors compliance with environmental safety rules in cities and other populated areas. Each enterprise has its own department that monitors the impact of the enterprise’s operations on the environment and submits reports on this matter to higher authorities.

On a worldwide scale, developments are constantly being carried out aimed at optimizing various processes to reduce the risks of developing environmental problems and preventing the occurrence of disasters. Ecocontrol works online grocery stores to prevent low-quality products from reaching the tables.

But every person should remember that he is an important link in the system, one way or another influencing the cleanliness and health of our “home”, our planet. A lot also depends on how each person lives, how he thinks, how he acts. Therefore, it is worth paying attention to this science at least at the level of general familiarization with its basic concepts and problems.

- (from eco... and...logy), synthetic biological science about the relationships between living organisms and their habitat. Ecology is one of the fundamental (functional) subdivisions of biology that study the fundamental properties... ... Ecological dictionary

Ecology- (ecology) From Greek roots meaning home and science. The German scientist Ernst Haeckel viewed ecology as the science of the relationship between organisms and the environment. This is a generally accepted definition still in use today. Haeckel first used... Political science. Dictionary.

ECOLOGY- (from the Greek oikos house, dwelling, residence and...logy), the science of the relationships of living organisms and the communities they form among themselves and with the environment. the term ecology was proposed in 1866 by E. Haeckel. Objects of ecology can be populations... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

Ecology- (from the Greek oikos house, dwelling, residence and...logy), the science of the relationships of organisms and their communities with each other and with the environment. The term “ecology” was proposed in 1866 by the German biologist E. Haeckel. From the middle of the 20th century. in connection with... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

ECOLOGY- [Dictionary foreign words Russian language

Ecology- Ecology ♦ Écologie The study of the environment or habitats (from the Greek oikos means "house"), more in a special sense– the study of biotopes (the environment of living organisms), more generally – the study of the biosphere... ... Sponville's Philosophical Dictionary

ECOLOGY- ECOLOGY, a biological discipline that studies the relationships between organisms and them with the ENVIRONMENT. The term was coined by Ernst HACKEL in 1866. Ecologists study populations (groups of identical organisms), communities (complexes... Scientific and technical encyclopedic dictionary

ECOLOGY- (from the Greek oikos dwelling, residence and...logy), biol. science that studies the organization and functioning of supraorganismal systems, etc. levels: populations, biocenoses (communities), biogeocenoses (ecosystems) and biosphere. E. is also defined as... ... Biological encyclopedic dictionary

ECOLOGY- (from the Greek 6ikos - dwelling, location and logos - concept, teaching) science that studies the relationships of organisms with each other and with their habitat. The term “ecology” was first introduced in 1866. biologist Ernst Haeckel. Any type of organism during... ... Philosophical Encyclopedia

ecology- oikology, environmental protection Dictionary of Russian synonyms. ecology noun, number of synonyms: 15 agroecology (2) ... Synonym dictionary

Books

• Ecology, N. N. Marfenin. Ecology. Marfenin N. N. ISBN:978-5-7695-7968-4... Buy for 1367 UAH (Ukraine only)
• Ecology, Pushkar, Vladimir Stepanovich, Yakimenko, Lyudmila Vladimirovna. The main sections of modern interdisciplinary science “Ecology” are consistently presented, studying the most complex mechanisms and patterns of sustainable existence of ecosystems of various...