Nature of
Ecology
Presented by: Prof. Jobelle DL. Palino, LPT
What is ecology?
What is Ecology?
•is the scientific study of
the relationship
between organisms
and their environment.
The term ecology comes from the Greek words
oikos, meaning “the household” and logy,
meaning the “study of”. Literally, ecology is the
study of the household or environment. The term
originally was coined by the German zoologist
and naturalist Ernst Haeckel in 1886. He
called it Oecologie and defined its scope as the
study of the relationship of organisms to their
environment.
To understand
ECOLOGY thoroughly
is to understand ALL
of BIOLOGY.
To be a complete
BIOLOGIST is to be Prof. E. O Wilson
Harvard University
an ECOLOGIST.
Levels of Ecological
Organization
Individual
•Organism/ living thing.
Population
•A group of organisms of one
type that live in a defined area.
Community
• Populations that lived together in a
defined area.
Ecosystem
• is a region in which the living
organisms and the physical
environment form an interacting unit.
Ecology has a strong ties
to other sciences
Biosphere
• The part of the earth that contains all
ecosystems.
Ecology is an
interdisciplinary science.
Ethics
Biology Economics
Environmental
science
ECOLOGY Mathematics
Geography Physics
Chemistry
Why the Earth’s
environment is considered
as a system?
It is composed of several
➢It is com
components which are interacting
to shape our current and future
ecosystem.
posed of several components which are interacting to shape our current and
future environment.
Sphere of the Earth
Lithosphere
• It is the rigid outer layer of the Earth. It
includes the landforms we see, such as
mountains, valleys and plains as well as the
ocean floor.
Hydrosphere
• Encompasses all the water on the Earth,
including oceans, seas, rivers, lakes
groundwater. It includes both saltwater and
freshwater.
Atmosphere
• Is the layer of gases that surrounds the Earth.
It also play a crucial part in regulating the
Earth’s temperature, protecting life from
harmful solar radiation.
Biosphere
• Refers to the zone of life on Earth. Where
living organisms exist and interact with the
physical environment.
Terrestrial Ecosystem
• Is an ecosystem that exists primarily on land, as
opposed to aquatic ecosystem, which are based in
water. Terrestrial ecosystems are characterized by
their specific climate, soil, plants, and animals and
they include various habitats where organisms
interact with each other and their environment.
What are the importance of
Terrestrial Ecosystem?
• Habitat for biodiversity
• Influence on climate
• Cultural and recreational value
• Economic benefits
Factors Shaping Terrestrial
Environments
• Climate
• Soil
• Topography
• Human Activities
Climate
• It is a long – term weather patterns,
influenced by latitude and altitude proximity
to water and topography.
Soil
• The uppermost layer of the lithosphere,
composed of minerals, organic matters
and water.
Topography
• The arrangement of landforms such as
mountains, valley and plains.
Human activities
• The impact of human actions on terrestrial
environments, including deforestation,
urbanization and pollution.
Natural Variability vs. Climate Change
a decision that may be supportable
from a scientific or economic point of
view may not be supportable from a
political point of view without
modification.
Please explore the current environmental
issues, understand its causes and effects and
develop a practical action plan to address the
issue at both local and global levels.
Thank You!
