City College of Angeles

Brgy.Pampang, Angeles City, Philippines

Module 1: Introduction: Science and Environment

Objectives:

At the end of this module, you should be able to:

1. Define ecology as a branch of science and state its importance to humans;

2. Review the principles of ecology; and
3. Identify the scales of ecology with the help of the given diagram.

Introduction

Today we hear people from all walks of life using the terms ecology and environment.
Students, homeowners, politicians, planners and union leaders speak of “environment issues”
and “ecological concerns.” Often these terms are interpreted in different ways, so we need to
establish some basic definitions.

Recognizing the earth’s fragile ecosystem is a challenge to everyone. This is a call for all
of us to respect the only world God has a given us, so that God’s kingdom on earth may become
a reality.

Our lives are very much affected by environmental science every day. The knowledge
and technology we have are products of environmental sciences, the study of how humans
interact with their environment and what can be done to improve these interactions.

Let us therefore open our hearts and minds to God’s call for peace and justice for us and
for the world we live in. Look around you, and see and feel just how great God’s love for
mankind is. He showered us with wondrous manifestations of this gift of wisdom – the
knowledge of the Science of Ecology.

Ecology as compared to Environmental Science?

The word ecology has been synonymous with the word environment, with particular
emphasis on our plundered natural resources, dwindling forest, water and air pollution, acid rain,
greenhouse effect, ozone-layer depletion, toxic waste and many other outer evidences of global
human disturbances. In this lesson, we will study the very real concerns of our environment.

Ecology (from Greek: oikos, “household, home or house” and logos “knowledge”) is the
scientific study of the distribution and abundance of life and the interactions between organisms
and their environment. The environment of an organism includes physical properties, which can
be described as the sum of local abiotic factors such as insolation (sunlight), climate and
geology, and biotic factors, which are other organisms that share its habitat.

The term ecology or oekologie was coined by the German biologist Ernst Haeckel in
1866, when he defined it as “the comprehensive science of the relationship of the organism to the
environment”. Haeckel did not elaborate on the concept, and the first significant textbook on the

Modular Text in Environmental Science Page 1

subject was written by the Danish botanist, Eugenius Warming. For this early work, Warming is
often identified as the founder of ecology.

The Principles of Ecology

1. Everything is connected to everything else.

2. Everything must go somewhere.
3. Sun is the source of life.
4. Nature knows best.
5. Ours is a finite planet.
6. All life forms are important.

Environmental science can be defined as:

Environmental science is the systematic study of our environment and our place in it
either globally or locally, and its living and non-living components. It is a composite entity
incorporating the different fields of science such as:

1. Natural Sciences which include biology, chemistry, earth science, physics and medicine.
2. Social Sciences which include economics, political science, sociology, history, philosophy
and ethics.
3. Other Sciences such as mathematics, statistics, technology, business and management, law,
religion, morality and aesthetics.

Environmental science is the systematic study of our environment and our place in it. A
relatively new field, it is highly interdisciplinary. It encompasses wide range of scientific
disciplines to better understand and manage the natural environment and the relationship and
interconnectedness of all the organisms. It is inclusive and holistic, mission oriented and implies
that we all have a responsibility to get involved and try to do something about the problems we
have created.

Environment (from the French environner: to encircle or surround) can be defined as:
(1) The circumstances and conditions that surround an organism or a group of organisms; (2)
The social and cultural conditions that affect an individual or a community. Since humans
inhabit the natural world as well as the “built or technological, social and cultural world, all
constitute important parts of our environment.

Environment, as a broad term, encompasses all that surround us, natural world in which
we live, and all the things that are produced by people. We, humans have used the world’s
environment, including its resources, with little knowledge or understanding of the consequences
of our actions.

The diversity of the interactions among various organisms in the biosphere extends to
chains of dependence, ultimately to complex biotic communities, all of which are dependent for
survival on specific factors of the environment.
Goals of environmental science:

1. To develop a sustainable world, a world in which the supply of food, water, building
materials, clean air, and other resources can sustain human populations to continue to exists
indefinitely with high standard of living and health.

2. To study environmental problems and issues, and priorities regarding acceptable

environmental preservation of natural species and habitats, freedom of nations to do as they
please, within their own potential boundaries, and issues on the quality of life, fairness and
ethics.

Scales of Ecology

atom population community

molecule organism ecosystem

organelle organ biosphere

cell tissue

1. Atom – smallest unit of an element that still retains the characteristic properties of that
element.
2. Molecule – unit of matter in which two or more atoms of the same element or different ones,
are bonded together.
3. Organelle – specialized part of a cell performing one or more specific functions.
4. Cell – basic living unit of all plants and animals.
5. Tissue – a group of cells and intercellular substances that function together in one or more
specialized tasks.
6. Organ – part of the body composed of two or more tissue types and performing one or more
specific functions.
7. Organism – any living thing considered as a whole, whether composed one cell or many.
8. Population – all members of the same species inhabiting a particular area.
9. Community – all the populations found in a particular area. Consists of all the population that
live and interact in one environment.
10. Ecosystem – community and its physical environment, characterized by a flow of energy and
a cycle of inorganic nutrients.
11. Biosphere - regions of the earth where organisms exist and the life supporting region of
earth.
Post Test

After finishing the lesson, you are now confident in answering the following questions.
Be as specific as you can be.

Activity 1. The e-Report

1. News about the environment has now become an important part of television and newspaper
reports. They make our people aware of what is happening with our environment problems. You
should be able to write your own news report about the current situation. Write the article you
have chosen and be sure make a comment for your article.

2. Interpretation and Analysis of Data:

(a) What are the important environmental facts in your article? Give at least 3.

Self-Test
1. What are the key points in the module?
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2. Based on your readings how can you apply the content from this module to your daily life?
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3. How has class discussion influenced your thinking on this module?

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