CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION
• Ecology
• Ecosystem
• Environment
• Environmental Science
• The four meaning of Science
• The role of Enviornmental Education
• The concept of Earth Capital in Sustainable Living

Prepared by: Ms. Almera N. Genita Lpt

❑Almost completely
isolated from everything
in the universe and is
totally exposed to sunlight
▪ GROUP OR ASSOCIATIONS OF
POPULATIONS OF TWO OR
MORE DIFFERENT SPECIES,
OCCUPYING THE SAME
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA AT THE
SAME TIME. (BIOCOENOSIS)
▪ THE ORGANISMS THAT
INHABIT THE EARTH
NEED THE SUPPORT
ENERGY FROM THE
SUN.
Cyanobacteria
▪ ORGANISMS THAT
TRANSFER
ENERGY
▪ ORGANISMS
THAT RECYCLE
NUTRIENTS
▪ HOWEVER, NONE OF
THESE ECOLOGICAL
PROCESSES WOULD BE
POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE
PHYSICAL OR THE
ABIOTIC COMPONENTS
WHAT IS THE
SCIENCE OF
ECOLOGY?
❑ IT IS THE SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF THE
DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE OF
LIVING ORGANISMS AND HOW THE
DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE ARE
AFFECTED BY INTERACTIONS
BETWEEN THE ORGANISMS AND
THEIR ENVIRONMENT

❑ DEALS WITH THE ABIOTIC AS WELL

AS THE BIOTIC ORGANISMS.
❖TO FURTHER UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE THE
RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ORGANISMS AND THEIR
ENVIRONMENT, AND THE EXTERNAL FORCES AND
CONDITIONS ACTING ON THE COMMUNITY OF
ORGANISMS, THE FOLLOWING TERMS ARE DEFINED:

⮚ECOLOGY
⮚ECOSYSTEM
⮚ENVIRONMENT
⮚ENVIRONMENTAL
SCIENCE
 WHAT IS
ECOLOGY?
▪ GREEK: OIKOS “HOUSEHOLD”, AND
LOGOS, “KNOWLEDGE”
▪ STUDY OF RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN
ORGANISMS AND THEIR
ENVIRONMENT
▪ STUDY OF ECOSYSTEMS
ECOSYSTEM- IS AN INTEGRATED UNIT
CONSISTING OF A COMMUNITY OF
ORGANISMS IN THE FORM OF
BACTERIA, PLANTS AND ANIMALS AND
THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT IN THE
FORM OF WATER, AIR, SOIL, AND
CLIMATE THAT THEY INHABIT.
 FOUR TYPES OF ECOSYSTEMS

• ARTIFICIAL
• TERRESTRIAL
• LENTIC
• LOTIC
❑ HUMAN MADE SYSTEM
OF PLANTS, ANIMALS,
AND PEOPLE LIVING IN
AN AREA TOGETHER
WITH THEIR
SORROUNDINGS.
❑LAND-BASED
COMMUNITY OF
ORGANISMS
❑LENTIC AND LOTIC ECOSYSTEM
ENVIRONMENT- REFERS TO
THE SUM OF THE EXTERNAL
FORCES AND CONDITIONS
ACTING ON AN ORGANISM OR
COMMUNITY OF ORGANISM.
- THE SORROUNDINGS OR
CONDITIONS IN WHICH A
PERSON, ANIMAL OR PLANTS
OPERATE.
TWO TYPES OF ENVIRONMENT:

⮚NATURAL OR PHYSICAL
ENVIRONMENT
⮚CULTURAL OR SOCIAL
ENVIRONMENT
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN NATURAL AND
CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT?
NATURAL
ENVIRONMENT- THE
SORROUNDINGS ARE
MOSTLY PROVIDED BY
NATURE SUCH AS LAND
OR MARINE
ENVIRONMENT
CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT-
THE SORROUNDINGS ARE
PRIMARILY THOSE THAT ARE
THE RESULTS OF HUMAN
ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS URBAN
CENTERS, TALL STRUCTURES
OR BUILDINGS,AND COMPLEX
NETWORK OF TRANSPORT
SYSTEMS AND SHOPPING
MALLS.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

❖ SYUDY OF INTERACTIONS AMONG

PHYSICAL, CHEMICAL AND
BIOLOGICAL COMPONENTS OF THE
ENVIRONMENT.
▪ IN THE PLANET EARTH, ENVIRONMENTAL
SCIENCE PRIMARILY DEALS ON
POLLUTION AND OTHER CONDITIONS
AND DEVELOPMENTS AS A RESULT OF
HUMAN ACTIVITIES AND THEIR IMPACT
ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY AND
SUSTAINABILITY.
❑IT ALSO COVERS
DEVELOPMENTS AND ISSUES
CONCERNING CLIMATE
CHANGE, BIODIVERSITY,
CONSERVATION, AND
DESERTIFICATION, USE OF
ENERGY RESOURCES, WASTE
MANAGEMENT, POLLUTION
AND SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT.
 THE FOUR MEANING OF SCIENCE
• SCIENCE AS A FORM OF KNOWLEDGE.
• REFERS TO A PARTICULAR FIELD OF SYSTEMATIC INQUIRY IN
WHICH SUCH KNOWLEDGE IS SOUGHT.
• REFERS TO A DISTINCTIVE FORM OR KIND OF HUMAN CULTURAL
ACTIVITY REFERRED TO AS SCIENTISTS, NATURAL
PHILIOSOPHERS AND SAVANTS.
• SCIENCE IS THE VARIETY OF KNOWLEDGE, PEOPLE, SKILLS,
METHODS AND TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE TAKEN TOGETHER TO
UNDERSTAND THE NATURAL WORLD.
THE ROLE OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

❑ OUR PLANET IS CURRENTLY

EXPERIENCING UNPRECEDENTED
STRESS, BROUGHT ABOUT BY
CONTINUING LOSS OF ITS VITAL
NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS AND
FACING A SCENARIO THAT
THREATENED THE WORLD’S
ABILITY TO ACHIEVE SUSTAINABLE
LIVING AND DEVELOPMENT.
▪ WARNED THAT UNLESS THERE WERE
CHANGES IN THE WAYS IN WHICH
DEVELOPMENT PURSUITS PROCEED,
THERE WOULD BE A VERY SIGNIFICANT
INCREASE OF HUMAN DEPRIVATION AND
SUFFERING AND ENVIRONMENTAL
DAMAGE.
❑ AIR POLLUTANTS IN THE FORM OF
GASES AND CHEMICALS ENTER THE
ATMOSPHERE AND THREATENS
HUMAN HEALTH.
❑ TOXIC WASTES AND
INDUSTRIAL EFFLUENTS
FLOW AND CONTAMINATES
RIVERS AND SHORELINES.
❑ ILLEGAL FISHING USING CHEMICALS
SIGNIFICANTLY DAMAGE OUR CORAL
REEFS.
❑ NON-BIODEGRADABLE
MATERIALS CLOGING
ESTEROS, CANALS, AND OTHER
WATERWAYS CAUSING SEVERE
FLOODS IN RURAL AND URBAN
AREAS.
HOW ARE WE GOING
TO SOLVE THESE
ENVIRONMENTAL
ISSUES?
▪ TO INCORPORATE SOCIAL
AND ENVIRONMENTAL
ISSUES, CONCERNS AND
AWARENESS INTO THE
CURRICULA OF PRIMARY,
SECONDARY AND
COLLEGIATE LEVELS IN
THE EDUCATIONAL
PROGRAM OF THE
GOVERNMENT.
▪ THERE IS A TIMELY APPEAL OF
ENVIRONMENTALISTS TO THE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO
INCORPORATE THE “ZERO WASTE”
APPROACH IN DEALING WITH THE
DAY TO DAY ACTIVITIES OF EVERY
FILIPINO IN THE CURRICULA AND
EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES IN
THE THREE LEVELS OF EDUCATION
IN THE COUNTRY.
▪ THE SCHOOLS PROVIDE THE BEST
AVENUE AND TRAINING GROUND
TO INTRODUCE, SUPPORT, AND
PROMOTE ECOLOGICAL
AWARENESS, ACTION AND
COMMITMENT AMONG STUDENTS.
WHAT IS THE GOAL
OF
ENVIRONMENTAL
EDUCATION?
❑ TO DEVELOP AN
ENVIRONMENTALLY LITERATE
CITIENRY WHO WILL SUPPORT AND
ENSURE THE PROTECTION,
CONSERVATION AND
IMPROVEMENT OF THE
ENVIORNMENT, SAFEGUARD AND
PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE LIVING
AND DEVELOPMENT, SOCIAL
EQUITY, AND ECONOMIC
EFFICIENCY IN THE UTILIZATION
OF OUR NATURAL RESOURCES.
 WHAT IS THE CONCEPT
OF EARTH CAPITAL IN
SUSTAINABLE LIVING?

⮚ALL ORGANISMS ARE

INTERDEPENDENT AND
INTERCONNECTED PARTS
OF NATURE AND ARE
COMPLETELY DEPENDENT
ON NATURE.
⮚OUR SURVIVAL AND
HEALTH, AND THE
SURVIVAL OF ALL
LIVING THINGS DEPEND
ON THE EARTH AND ITS
NATURAL SYSTEMS.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING☺☺☺