15 Problems in 2025

1. Climate Change – Rising global temperatures and extreme weather.

2. Fuel Fossil Independence – Reducing oil, coal, and gas use.

3. Food Waste – Throwing away edible food.

4. Biodiversity Loss – Decline in plant and animal species.

5. Plastic Pollution – Plastic waste harming nature.

6. Air Pollution – Dirty air affecting health.

7. Deforestation – Cutting down too many trees.

8. Melting Ice Caps, Sea Level Rise – Ice melting, oceans rising.

9. Water Shortage – Not enough clean water.

10. Fast Fashion – Cheap clothing harming the environment.

11. Overfishing – Catching too many fish.

12. Ocean Acidification – Oceans becoming too acidic.

13. Soil Degradation – Soil losing nutrients.

 14. Food and Water Insecurity – Lack of safe food and water.

15. Cobalt Mining – Mining for batteries harming people and nature.
16.

ART II. SECTION 16. 1987 CONSTITUTION

The State shall protect and advance the right of the people to a balanced
and healthful ecology.

The Republic Act No. 9512, or the National Environmental Awareness and
Education Act of 2008

Articulates that the state shall promote national awareness of the role of
natural resources in economic growth.

Environmental Science

Study of living organisms and how they interact with our environment.

An interdisciplinary field that integrates areas of life, physical and earth

science to study and address environmental problems in a science-based
approach.

Interdisciplinary

Involving two or more academic, scientific, and artistic disciplines.

Multidisciplinary
Combining or involving more than one discipline or field of study.

5 Major Fields of Environmental Science

1. Ecology – Relationship between living organisms, including humans,

and their physical environment.

2. Atmospheric Science – Study of Earth’s atmosphere and its relation to

other systems, mostly in relation to the environment.

3. Environmental Chemistry – Focuses on chemical effects on plants and

how chemicals are transported into the environment.

4. Geo Science – Also known as Earth Science, it explores the planet

directly, including volcanoes, soil, and Earth’s crust.

5. Social Science – Relationship between humans and nature.

3 Components of Social Science

1. Geography – Earth’s physical features.

2. Anthropology – Study of humans, past and present.

3. Sociology – How the world interacts.

Layers of the Atmosphere

Exosphere (Outermost Layer)

Thermosphere (Hot part)

Mesosphere (Cold part)

Stratosphere (Ozone layer)

Troposphere (Closest to Earth’s surface, where rain and snow fall)

Biosphere (Where we live)

Importance of Environmental Science

1. To realize that environmental problems are global

These problems are not just national, so a concerted effort across countries
is needed.

2. To understand the impacts of development on the environment

Educate people about decentralization and reduce congestion in urban areas.

3. To discover sustainable ways of living

Utilize present resources and conserve supply for the future.

4. To utilize natural resources efficiently

Use the right methods, techniques, and tools to maximize resource

efficiency.
 5. To shed light on contemporary concepts such as how to conserve
biodiversity

Conserve power, apply the 3 R’s (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle), and use organic
foods.

6. To learn and create awareness about environmental problems at local,

national, and international levels

Spread awareness through social media, blogs, and other platforms.

Biogeochemical cycle – pathway through which conserved matter through

the biotic and abiotic part of eco system

Micro elements – required in small amounts by living organisms

Macro elements – required in large amounts by living organisms

Hydrologic Cycle (1,2,3,4,8)

Carbon Cycle (5,6,7)
1. Evaporation – Water becomes gas.
2. Condensation – Gas becomes water.
3. Precipitation – Clouds get heavy, and water falls as rain or snow.
4. Transpiration – Plants let out water into the air.
5. Assimilation – Plants and animals take in nutrients to grow.
6. Respiration – Living things breathe and use oxygen to get energy.
7. Combustion – Burning something makes heat, light, and smoke.
8. Convection – Hot air or water goes up, and cool air or water goes down.
This keeps going in a loop.

PLANTS
1. Photosynthesis – Plants make their own food using sunlight.
2. Chloroplast – The part of the plant cell that does photosynthesis.
3. Chlorophyll – The green stuff in plants that catches sunlight.
4. Stomata – Tiny holes on leaves that let air and water in and out.
Nitrogen Cycle
1. Ammonia is a gas with a strong smell. It is found in cleaning products and
also made by the body.
2. Ammoniacal means something has ammonia in it or smells like ammonia.
3. Urine is ammoniacal when it smells like ammonia, usually because of
bacteria or not drinking enough water.

Nitrification is when special bacteria change ammonia into nitrites (NO₂⁻)

Nitrifying bacteria

Denitrification is when other bacteria change nitrates (NO₃⁻) back into

nitrogen gas, which goes into the air. Denitrifying bacteria Plants use nitrates
to grow.

Philippines – 18 mega-biodiversity countries and 5 th in the number of plant

species
3214 species of fish
99 species critically endangered
187 endangered
176 vulnerable
64 threatened

3 types of BIODIVERSITY
1. Genetic diversity – variation among organisms with the same species
2. Species diversity – variation of species within a particular region
3. Ecological diversity – network of different species in an ecosystem and
interaction of these species

Main threats to biodiversity

1. Land and Sea use
2. Overexploitation
3. Climate change
4. Pollution
5. Invasive species

Ecological niche – animal or plant species will strive to grow

Generalist – thrive in wide conditions and eat a variety of foods
Specialist – only thrive in a narrow range and eat a limited diet
TYPES OF SPECIES
1. Native species (koala) – found in certain eco-system/natural distribution
sometimes called as indigenous species
2. Non-native species – do not occur naturally in an area they’re exotic or
alien species
3. Invasive species – menacing one eco-system at a time
4. Indicator species – reflect the condition of the environment around it
5. Keystone species – help define an entire eco-system
6. Foundation species – abundant and locally species

Biotic – (biocenosis) include all living organisms and their product

Abiotic – refers to the non-living parts of an ecosystem, like water, sunlight,
and soil?

Classification of biotic
1. Producers or Autotrophs make their food
2. Consumer or Heterotrophs eat food that autotrophs create
Herbivore – plants
Carnivore – meat
Omnivore – both
3. Decomposers are also Heterotrophs that break down food to waste and
decay dead matter
3.1
1. Detritivores – feed orally in dead matters
2. Saprotrophs – break down dead matter

Macro ecosystem – dimensionally larger system

Micro ecosystem – field or lab made by scientists

Aquatic Ecosystem
1. Lentic (latin lentus means slow) – standing water such as lakes and ponds
2. Lotic (latin lotus means washing) – running water such as rivers and
streams

Marine ecosystem – 75% of Ecosystem consist of deep, shallow and bottom

ocean
Phytoplankton performs 40% of photosynthesis
Zones
Flora – Plants
Fauna – Animals
1. Intertidal zone – where ocean meets the land
2. Pelagic zone – water further from land or open ocean (cold)
3. Benthic zone – area below pelagic, consist of sand or dead species
4. Abyssal zone – Very cold, high in oxygen low in nutrients content. Deepest
part

Terrestrial ecosystem
Biomes – large scale of community organisms, primarily defined on land

1. Tundra – treeless plain especially in the region of arctic

2. Boreal forest – characteristics of the climatic zone of arctic
3. Chaparral – vegetation consists of tangled shrubs and thorny bushes

Ecological succession – process by which mix species and habitats change

overtime
Each phase is called the “sere or seral stage”

Pioneer community – first biotic on bare area

↓
Seral community – develop during succession
↓
Climax community – stable/final community

Types
1. Primary succession – lifeless areas
2. Secondary succession – major disturbance such as flood/quake
3. Autotrophic succession – organic matter fixed by autotrophs
4. Heterotrophic succession – degradative succession
5. Autogenic succession – modified by species of community itself
6. Heterogenic succession – allogeneic pre existing community is replaced by
another community

Sustainable development – development that meets the needs of the present

without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own
needs

Conservation is an ethics of resource use, allocation, and protection. Its

primary focus is upon maintaining the health of the natural world, its
fisheries, habitats, and biological diversity.
SDG CAKE
Biosphere
Society
Economy

Life expectancy
Pinoy 71.7
Women 74.7
Men 68.7

Facilitation
Inhibition
Tolerance