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Essay on ecology.

Read this essay to learn about ecology. After reading this essay you will learn about: 1. Introduction to Ecology 2. History and Scope of Ecology 3. Definitions 4. Origin of Ecological Crises 5. Four Laws 6. Objectives 7. Subdivisions 8. Community Ecology 9. Rules .

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Essay # 1. Introduction to Ecology :

Every organism invariably depends upon the environment and other organism for its existence. It either eats other organisms or is eaten by others and competes with other for the necessities of life such as food, shelter and mate survival requires group association.

Such associations and concept of organisms and their environment in general constitute the sci­ence of ecology. The word ecology was coined by Ernst Haeckel in 1869 and is derived from two Greek words oikos meaning house or place of living and logos meaning study of.

The field of ecology deals with the influence of environmental factors on all the aspects of life such as morphology, physiology, growth, distribution, behaviour and survival of the organisms. Ecology or environmental biology pertains to the study of relationship between various organisms and their environment. This includes consideration of plants, animals and human beings.

Essay # 2. History and Scope of Ecology :

The word “Ecology” derived from the Greek words “Oikos” meaning habitation, and “logos” meaning discourse or study, implies a study of the habitations of organisms.

Ecology was first described as a separate field of knowledge in 1866 by the German Zoologist Ernst Haeckel, who established the relationship of the animals to its organic as well as its inor­ganic environment, particularly its friendly or hos­tile relations to those animals or plants with which it comes in contact.

In due course ecology was defined as “A study of animals and plants in their relations to each other and to their environment”.

Ecology can be considered on a wider scale moving from an individual molecule to the entire global ecosystem.

However, four identifiable sub­divisions of scales are of particular interest:

(i) Individuals,

(ii) Populations,

(iii) Communities and

(iv) Ecosystems.

At each scale, the subjects of interest to ecologists change. At the individual level the response of individuals to their environment (biotic and abiotic) is key issue, while at the level of populations of a single species, species-spe­cies interaction is important.

In recent years it was realised that ecology is an interdisciplinary science, though its body of knowledge lies in biology yet its interaction with other disciplines are quite prominent. There are different approach for understand­ing the ecological sciences (Table 1.1), this include the study of ecology from the stand point of con­ceptual understanding, from organisms involved or habitat condition or even from point of appli­cation.

Each categories of ecological studies re­quires specialized understanding. As the science progressed much with time, the conceptual un­derstanding became more and more complex and interactive.

There are many characteristics in ecological sci­ence.

Essay # 3. Definitions of Ecology:

Ecology has been defined in various ways:

i. Ecology is the study of an organism and its environment.

ii. The study of interrelationship of organism or groups of an organism to their envi­ronment is called ecology.

Human ecology is a social science that studies the relationship between man and its environment. It studies the relationship between human biological factors and the natural environment.

Social ecology studies the relations among natural environment, population, technology and society.

The physical and the biological world that we live in is our environment.

The activities of various organisms in the environment which interact with each other are so finely balanced that they are in equilibrium in a steady state. This is known as ecological balance.

The principal causes for ecological degradation are drastic changes in the technology of agricultural and industries production and transportation.

Essay # 4. Origin of Ecological Crises :

i. Exploding population

ii. Affluent and wastefulness.

The affluent society has become an efficient society.

iii. Man’s is made aggressiveness

iv. Profits

v. Religion

vi. Technology.

Essay # 5. Four Laws of Ecology :

i. Everything is connected to everything else.

ii. Everything must go somewhere.

iii. Nature knows best.

iv. There is no such thing as a free launch.

Deep Ecology:

The word is perceived notes a collection of isolated objects but as a network of phenomena that are fundamentally interconnected and interdependent.

Shallow Ecology:

It views humans as above or outside of nature as the source of all values and prescribe only instrumental or use value to nature.

Feminist Ecology and Echo Feminism:

It links the exploitation of nature with that of women and women’s history with the history of the environment.

Industrial Ecology:

Industrial process resembles those of a natural eco system where in materials and energy circulates continuously in a complex web of interaction. Micro­organisms turn animal waste in to food for plants which are either eaten by animals or enter the cycle through death and decay.

Essay # 6. Objectives of Ecological Study :

The main objectives of this science are to study:

i. The inter-relationships between organisms in population and diverse communities.

ii. The temporal changes (seasonal, annual, successional etc.) in the occurrence of organisms.

iii. The behaviour under natural conditions.

iv. The structural adaptations and functional adjustments of organisms to their physical environment, i.e., Eco-physiology.

v. The development in the course of evolution i.e., evolutionary development.

vi. The biological productivity and energy flow in natural system, i.e., productive ecology.

vii. The development of mathematical models to relate intersection of parameters and to predict the effects.

The main objective of the study of ecology is to apply the knowledge gained from ecological study to safeguard against disasters caused by:

i. Uncontrolled interference with natural populations,

ii. Unchecked felling of trees,

iii. Environmental pollution.

Essay # 7. Subdivisions of Ecology :

I. Two important subdivisions of ecology are recognised by ecologists, these are:

i. Autecology and

ii. Synecology.

i. Autecology :

It is concerned with the ecology of an individual species and its population. While studying the autecology of a particular species, an ecologist studies, its behaviour and adap­tation to the environmental condition at every stage of that individual’s life cycle. Autecol­ogy is also called species ecology.

ii. Synecology :

It is study of communities, their composition, their behaviour and relation to the envi­ronment.

Synecology is also called Ecology of Communities

Synecology is further divided into three fields:

i. Population ecology

ii. Community ecology

iii. Ecosystem ecology

II. On the basis of the kind of environment or habitat, ecology has been sub-divided into the following branches:

III. With advancing trends in the fields of ecology, present day ecologists divide ecol­ogy into the following branches:

Essay # 8. Community Ecology :

A population of a single species cannot survive by itself because there is inter depen­dence of one form of life on another. An aggregation of populations of different species living together (in inter dependence) in a specific area, having a specific set of environmen­tal conditions constitute a biotic community e.g., the various plants and animals in a pond or lake constitute on biotic community whereas the plants and animals in a particular forest constitute another biotic community.

Broadly speaking, there are two types of communities.

These are major and minor community:

(i) Major Community:

It is large community which is self-regulating, self-sustain­ing and independent unit comprising of a number of minor communities in it. Examples of major communities are: a pond, a lake, a forest, a desert, a meadow and a grassland. Each of these major communities includes several minor commu­nities.

(ii) Minor Community:

It is a smaller community which is not a self-sustaining unit. It is dependent on other communities for its existence. The major community exemplified by a forest has many minor communities namely the plant commu­nity (the plant population of the forest), the animal community (the animal popu­lation of the forest) and the microbial community (bacteria and fungi population).

Characteristics of a Community :

A community has the following characteristics:

(i) Structure:

Structure of a community can be studied by determining the density, frequency and abundance of species.

(ii) Dominance:

Usually a community has one or more species which occur in large number. Such species are called dominants and the community is often named after them.

(iii) Diversity:

The community consists of different groups of plants and animals of different species, may be large and small, may belong to one life from or another but are essentially growing in a uniform environment.

(iv) Periodicity:

This includes study of various life processes (respiration, growth, reproduction etc.) in the various seasons of the year in the dominant species of a community.

The recurrence of these important life processes at regular intervals in a year and their manifestation in nature is termed periodicity.

(v) Stratification:

Natural forest communities possess a number of layers or storeys or strata related to the height of plants, for example, tall trees, smaller trees, shrubs and herbaceous layers form the different strata. This phenomenon in a plant community is called stratification.

(vi) Eco-tone and Edge-effect:

A zone of vegetation spreading or separating two dif­ferent types of communities is called ecotone. These are marginal zones and are easily recognisable.

Usually, in ecotones, the variety of one species is larger than in any of the adjacent communities. A phenomenon of increased variety and intensity of plants at the common junction is called edge-effect and is essentially due to wider range of suitable environmental conditions.

(vii) Ecological Niche:

Different species of animals and plants fulfil different functions in the ecological complex. The role of each is spoken of as its ecological niche i.e., the role is that a species plays in its ecosystem: what it eats, who eats it, its range of movement etc., in other words, the total range of its interaction with other species of its environment.

We can also say that ecological niche is a small habitat within a habitat in which only a single species can survive.

E.P. Odum has differentiated habitat and ecological niche by saying that the habitat is an organism’s address and the ecological niche is its profession.

(viii) Ecological Succession:

Communities are not static but progressively change with time in a definite manner. This change of the plant and animal communities in an orderly sequence in an area is called ecological or biotic succession. Ecological succession finally leads to a stable nature community called climax community.

(ix) Interspecific Association:

This is the study of two or more species growing to­gether in close association in regular occurrence.

(x) Community Productivity:

The study of production of biomass (organic matter) is known as production ecology.

The net production of biomass and storage of energy by a community per unit time and area is called community productivity.

(xi) Biotic Stability:

A biotic community has the ability to quickly regain equilibrium after a disturbance in population fluctuation. This is called biotic stability and is directly proportional to the number of interacting species it contains i.e., the diversity in the community.

Before man encroached upon it, the world biosphere was a large climax community resulting from thousands of years of evolution. With increase in population, the demand for space has been steadily increasing and so the ecosystem have been rapidly exploited beyond the capacity of the environment to adjust, thereby totally disrupting the balance of nature.

Before a point of no return is reached, man should stop manipulating the environment to his advantage. The survival of mankind will be in peril of pollution of the environment, degra­dation of the land, over consumption and wasteful use of natural resources are not checked immediately. Development should be the result of scientific management based on ecologi­cal principles.

Concern for environment protection was shown in the conference on Human environment held at Stockholm in June, 1972. The prime objective of the conference was to focus attention on the major environmental issues, to recognise and identify the causes for environmental degradation and the need to prevent and control it.

The conference called upon all the nations of the world to protect, improve, preserve and enhance the environment for the present and future generations.

In the United Nations conference on Environment and Development at Rio de Janeiro held in June, 1992, an action plan was formulated for solving the major environmental prob­lems threatening the environment, like,

(a) Global warming

(b) Ozone layer depletion

(c) Pollution of air, water and land

(d) Acid rain or acid precipitation

(e) Desertification

(f) Soil erosion

(g) Deforestation and

(h) Depletion of genetic resources

The pressing need today is environmentally compatible development to protect the en­vironment for the future generation and to restore the ecological balance on earth.

Some recent initiatives for defining ecological standards ISO 14000.

ii. Eco Management and audit scheme

iii. Life cycle assessment

Essay # 9. Rules in Ecology:

i. Ecology is a Science:

It is a purely scientific discipline which aims to understand the rela­tionships between organisms and their wider environment.

ii. Ecology is only Understandable in the Light of Evolution:

The huge diversity of organisms and the wealth of variety in their morpholo­gies, physiologies and behavioural all are the result of many millions of years of evolution.

iii. Nothing Happens ‘for the Good of the Spe­cies’:

The patterns of behaviour organisms is regulated by natural selection even though it is detrimental for species.

iv. Gene and Environment are both Impor­tant:

The environment of an organism finds itself in playing an important role in deter­mining the options open to any individuals.

v. Understanding of Complexity Requires Models:

Ecology is a complex subject with huge variation in almost every scale. To under­stand these complexity mathematical model is required.

vi. Story Telling is Dangerous:

To explain the ecological process hypothesis has to be ex­plained properly.

vii. There are Hierarchies of Explanations:

For any observation there is often an immediate and delayed causes. These hierarchies need to be explained properly.

viii. There are Multiple Constrains on Organ­isms:

In evolution of species there are a num­ber of constrain (physical and evolutionary) on organisms.

ix. Chance is Important:

Chance events in ecol­ogy play a crucial role.

x. The Boundaries of Ecology are in the Mind of the Ecologist:

Domain of ecological un­derstanding is highly flexible. Modern ecology is thus an interdisciplinary science with various subdivision like plant ecol­ogy, animal ecology, and microbial ecology. It can further be segmented as ecology of individuals (autecology) or groups (synecology). With passage of time, varieties of dimensions of ecological sci­ences were developed with their interlink ages (Fig. 1.1).

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Ecology Essay Ideas

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Ecology is the study of the interactions and reciprocal influence of living organisms within a specific environment. It's usually taught in the context of biology, though some high schools also offer courses in Environmental Science which includes topics in ecology.

Ecology Topics to Choose From

Topics within the field can range broadly, so your choices of topics are practically endless! The list below may help you generate your own ideas for a research paper or essay.

Research Topics

• How are new predators introduced into an area? Where has this happened in the United States?
• How is the ecosystem of your backyard different from the ecosystem of another person's backyard ecosystem?
• How is a desert ecosystem different from a forest ecosystem?
• What is the history and impact of manure?
• How are different types of manure good or bad?
• How has the popularity of sushi impacted the earth?
• What trends in eating habits have impacted our environment?
• What hosts and parasites exist in your home?
• Pick five products from your refrigerator, including the packaging. How long would it take for the products to decay in the earth?
• How are trees affected by acid rain?
• How do you build an ecovillage?
• How clean is the air in your town?
• What is the soil from your yard made of?
• Why are coral reefs important?
• Explain the ecosystem of a cave. How could that system be disturbed?
• Explain how rotting wood impacts the earth and people.
• What ten things could you recycle in your home?
• How is recycled paper made?
• How much carbon dioxide is released into the air every day because of fuel consumption in cars? How could this be reduced?
• How much paper is thrown away in your town every day? How could we use paper that is thrown away?
• How could each family save water?
• How does discarded motor oil affect the environment?
• How can we increase the use of public transportation? How would that help the environment?
• Pick an endangered species. What could make it go extinct? What could save this species from extinction?
• What species have been discovered within the past year?
• How could the human race become extinct? Describe a scenario.
• How does a local factory affect the environment?
• How do ecosystems improve water quality?

Topics for Opinion Papers

There is a great deal of controversy about topics that link ecology and public policy. If you enjoy writing papers that take a point of view , consider some of these:

• What impact is climate change having on our local ecology?
• Should the United States ban the use of plastics to protect delicate ecosystems?
• Should new laws be enacted to limit the use of energy produced by fossil fuels?
• How far should human beings go to protect ecologies where endangered species live?
• Is there ever a time when natural ecology should be sacrificed for human needs?
• Should scientists bring back an extinct animal? What animals would you bring back and why?
• If scientists brought back the saber-toothed tiger, how might it impact the environment?
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Table of Contents

What Is Ecology

Biotic And Abiotic Factors

Types Of Ecology

Importance Of Ecology

Examples Of Ecology

What is Ecology?

Ecology is a  branch of science, including human science, population, community, ecosystem and biosphere. Ecology is the study of organisms, the environment and how the organisms interact with each other and their environment. It is studied at various levels, such as organism, population, community, biosphere and ecosystem.

An ecologist’s primary goal is to improve their understanding of life processes, adaptations and habitats , interactions and biodiversity of organisms.

Let us have a detailed look at the ecology notes provided here and explore the concept of ecology.

Biotic and Abiotic Factors

The main aim of ecology is to understand the distribution of biotic and abiotic factors of living things in the environment. The biotic and abiotic factors include the living and non-living factors and their interaction with the environment.

Biotic components

Biotic components are living factors of an ecosystem. A few examples of biotic components include bacteria,  animals, birds,  fungi, plants, etc.

Abiotic components

Abiotic components are non-living chemical and physical factors of an ecosystem. These components could be acquired from the atmosphere, lithosphere and hydrosphere. A few examples of abiotic components include sunlight, soil, air, moisture minerals and more.

Living organisms are grouped into biotic components, whereas non-living components like sunlight, water, topography are listed under abiotic components.

Types of Ecology

The diagram showing different Types of Ecology

Ecology can be classified into different types. The different types of ecology are given below:

Global Ecology

It deals with interactions among earth’s ecosystems, land, atmosphere and oceans. It helps to understand the large-scale interactions and their influence on the planet.

Landscape Ecology

It deals with the exchange of energy, materials, organisms and other products of ecosystems. Landscape ecology throws light on the role of human impacts on the landscape structures and functions.

Ecosystem Ecology

It deals with the entire ecosystem, including the study of living and non-living components and their relationship with the environment. This science researches how ecosystems work, their interactions, etc.

Community Ecology

It deals with how community structure is modified by interactions among living organisms. Ecology community is made up of two or more populations of different species living in a particular geographic area.

Population Ecology

It deals with factors that alter and impact the genetic composition and the size of the population of organisms. Ecologists are interested in fluctuations in the size of a population, the growth of a population and any other interactions with the population.

In biology, a population can be defined as a set of individuals of the same species living in a given place at a given time. Births and immigration are the main factors that increase the population and death and emigration are the main factors that decrease the population.

Population ecology examines the population distribution and density. Population density is the number of individuals in a given volume or area. This helps in determining whether a particular species is in endanger or its number is to be controlled and resources to be replenished.

Organismal Ecology

Organismal ecology is the study of an individual organism’s behaviour, morphology, physiology, etc. in response to environmental challenges. It looks at how individual organisms interact with biotic and abiotic components. Ecologists research how organisms are adapted to these non-living and living components of their surroundings.

Individual species are related to various adaptations like physiological adaptation,  morphological adaptation, and behavioural adaptation.

Molecular Ecology

The study of ecology focuses on the production of proteins and how these proteins affect the organisms and their environment. This happens at the molecular level.

DNA forms the proteins that interact with each other and the environment. These interactions give rise to some complex organisms.

Importance of Ecology

The following reasons explain the importance of ecology:

Conservation of Environment

Ecology helps us to understand how our actions affect the environment. It shows the individuals the extent of damage we cause to the environment.

Lack of understanding of ecology has led to the degradation of land and the environment. It has also led to the extinction and endangerment of certain species. For eg., dinosaurs, white shark, mammoths, etc. Thus, the study of the environment and organisms helps us to protect them from any damage and danger.

Resource Allocation

With the knowledge of ecology, we are able to know which resources are necessary for the survival of different organisms. Lack of ecological knowledge has led to scarcity and deprivation of these resources, leading to competition.

Energy Conservation

All organisms require energy for their growth and development. Lack of ecological understanding leads to the over-exploitation of energy resources such as light, nutrition and radiation, leading to its depletion.

Proper knowledge of ecological requirements prevents the unnecessary wastage of energy resources, thereby, conserving energy for future purposes.

Eco-Friendliness

Ecology encourages harmonious living within the species and the adoption of a lifestyle that protects the ecology of life.

Examples of Ecology

Following are a few examples of ecology:

Human Ecology

It focuses on the relationship between humans and the environment. It emphasizes the impact human beings have on the environment and gives knowledge on how we can improve ourselves for the betterment of humans and the environment.

Niche Construction

It deals with the study of how organisms alter the environment for the benefit of themselves and other living beings. For eg, termites create a 6 feet tall mound and at the same time feed and protect their entire population.

Also Read: Biodiversity

To explore more about what is ecology, importance and types of ecology, keep visiting the BYJU’S website or download the BYJU’S app for further reference.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is ecology.

Ecology is the branch of science that deals with the relationship of organisms with one another and with their physical surroundings.

What are the different levels of ecology?

The different levels of ecology include- organisms, communities, population and ecosystem.

What are the different types of ecology?

The different types of ecology include- molecular ecology, organismal ecology, population ecology, community ecology, global ecology, landscape ecology and ecosystem ecology.

How are ecology and evolution related?

Ecology plays a significant role in forming new species and modifying the existing ones. Natural selection is one of the many factors that influences evolutionary change.

Who devised the word ecology?

Ecology was first devised by Ernst Haeckel, a German Zoologist. However, ecology has its origins in other sciences such as geology, biology, and evolution among others.

What is habitat ecology?

Habitat ecology is the type of natural environment in which a particular species of an organism live, characterized by both physical and biological features.

What is a niche?

An organism free from the interference of other species and can use a full range of biotic and abiotic resources in which it can survive and reproduce is known as its fundamental niche.

Register at BYJU’S for more ecology notes. Go through these notes for reference.

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THANK FOR YOUR GOOD EXPLANATION OF ECOLOGY

very good explanation for ecology.

what is tolerance

Tolerance is defined as an organism’s capacity to survive variation in environmental conditions. For example, a polar bear can thrive in the sub-zero temperatures of the Arctic, but it cannot survive in warmer climates such as the tropics.

Nice and lovely answer dear

Thanks so much

tank you for good explain

the interaction of living and non living things in the community

thank you for giving details

thank you for good expression

Thanks for such a explanation

Thanks for the explanation

Thanks for such explanation

thankyou so mach for your explanation

Wow I enjoyed the explanations thanks

ecology and its relevance to man , natural resources, their sustainable management and conservation?

Thanks for the Info. Crystal clear and simple. Helped me a lot.

CAN I KNOW ABOUT THE SIGMOID GROWTH GRAPH?

Please refer to this link https://byjus.com/biology/an-introduction-to-population-growth/

This is very helpful because my half-yearly exam is coming, and easy to learn about ecology, thanks

Thanks so much for the well clear answers it helps so much

Thank you so much! This explanation has helped me a lot.

Thank you for the information about ecological system

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Essays on Ecology

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5 Best Ecology Essay Topics for College Students

Living things rely on their environment for survival. Without it, no living things, including human beings, would survive. Unfortunately, people are consistently destroying habitats through various activities. They do mining, farming, build cities, infrastructure, and dump waste on the environment. 

These activities have devastating effects and cause ecological imbalances. When writing an essay on ecology, choosing an interesting topic can be daunting. The field is wide, which makes it harder to get the best topic. Here are five attractive topics you can consider.

Why marine ecology is important in the 21st century

71% of the earth is water which is home to about 50% to 80% of all living things. Oceans are crucial in supporting survival on earth. They significantly contribute to keeping the earth cool, air circulation, rainfall, food, and jobs. A lot of pollution that happens on land eventually finds its way into the water. 

In the long run, salinity levels, PH, water density, and oxygen levels get affected. Some organisms migrate from their habitats and become alien or invasive species. A student can discuss the negative effects of invasive species on ecosystems. 

They can focus on marine pollution and the involvement of human beings in destroying marine ecosystems. The topic can be wide, but many students seek writing help from college-paper.org professional writers when they want to create the best quality essays. 

What will ecology look like in the future?

When studying ecology, it is important to look into past and present activities and then project how they will affect the future. The actions of the past and present will determine how living things will survive in the future. All life may fail to survive, or it may change to different adaptation strategies. Some of the areas a student can explore on this topic are:

• How will global diversity look like in future
• The growing human population and its effect on future ecosystems
• Afforestation and future wildlife survival 
• Surviving in a zoo. The biological effects and ethics. 
• Can human beings survive without other creatures?
• How future temperature extremities will affect survival on the earth
• The impact of human activities on the ecosystem and conservation biology

The impact of urbanization on ecosystems

Since the earliest civilization, human beings have been building cities. They choose the best places with enough water supply and other natural resources. As people migrate into towns, they grow bigger into cities. The growth process significantly impacts ecosystems, yet the impact is irreversible. Forests are destroyed, animals lose their habitat, species interactions get altered, and freshwater sources get destroyed. 

The growth of cities can be termed as positive, but it undermines biodiversity. It creates a huge disconnect between human beings and nature. It affects land use, introduces foreign species, and impacts climate change. The irony of the matter is that human beings rely on the environment for survival. 

Environmentalists and conservationists need to ask themselves the harder questions. How will native animals and plants survive amid vast urban developments? These are areas a student can explore and create topics that focus on specific effects both currently and in the future. 

Special adaptation of non-native species and their threat to native species

Most non-native species were introduced into their current habitat by people. Other types found themselves in a new ecosystem as they migrated in search of better survival. The disadvantage with them is that they develop better survival mechanisms than their host or native species. 

They have better tolerance, reproduce faster, and can survive in marginal places. In search of survival, they prey on native species and cause huge imbalances in the ecosystem. In an effort to control them, human beings often use chemicals that make matters worse. Globally, the total cost of controlling invasive species exceeds $1.3 trillion within the last 50 years. A student can explore several areas such as:

• The impact of invasive species on the ecosystem
• How human evolution can help manage invasive species
• How invasive species threaten the existence of native species

Public health and the ecosystems

Public health has a direct relationship with healthy ecosystems. The ecosystems provide human beings with medicine, fresh air, clean water, raw materials, and energy. When the ecosystems provide contaminated water, poor quality food, and polluted air, the public suffers deeply from various diseases and sicknesses. 

Everyone who benefits from the environment is a direct partaker of its conservation. This includes the government, communities, and individuals. As the health of the environment improves, public health improves too. 

All living things are interrelated, and one depends on the other for survival. This includes human beings, plant life, and animal life. Human beings have been important in the destruction of habitats through their activities. A student can choose various topics on ecology and write an attractive essay. The topics can range from marine life to urbanization, future ecologies, and invasive species. A student should give focus on each topic and develop arguments or points that are relevant. 

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You should now understand that:

Ecology is a scientific approach to the study of the biosphere.

Ecosystems are created by the interrelationships between living organisms and the physical environments they inhabit (land, water, air). Ecosystems require a source of energy to make them work and for most, although not all, this is light from the sun.

To study ecosystems we have to start to identify the components involved and the interrelationships between them. We can list the living organisms by identifying the species involved.

Food chains and food webs are a way of mapping one type of interrelationship between the organisms in an ecosystem.

Human beings are part of ecosystems, as well as manipulators of ecosystems. As such we are dependent on, as well as responsible for, the ecological health of the ecosystems we inhabit.

Home — Essay Samples — Environment — Natural Environment — Analysis Of What Ecology Is

Analysis of What Ecology is

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Words: 447 |

Published: Feb 12, 2019

Words: 447 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

Works Cited

• Odum, E. P. (2020). Fundamentals of Ecology. Cengage Learning.
• Begon, M., Townsend, C. R., & Harper, J. L. (2006). Ecology: From individuals to ecosystems. Wiley.
• Smith, R. L., & Smith, T. M. (2014). Elements of ecology. Pearson.
• Pimm, S. L. (2001). The world according to Pimm: a scientist audits the earth. McGraw-Hill.
• Krebs, C. J. (2019). Ecology: The experimental analysis of distribution and abundance. Pearson.
• Ricklefs, R. E., & Miller, G. L. (2000). Ecology. Macmillan.
• Gurevitch, J., Scheiner, S. M., & Fox, G. A. (2006). The ecology of plants. Sinauer Associates.
• Keddy, P. A. (2007). Plants and vegetation: Origins, processes, consequences. Cambridge University Press.
• Turner, M. G. (2019). Landscape ecology in theory and practice: Pattern and process. Springer.
• Levin, S. A. (1992). The problem of pattern and scale in ecology: The Robert H. MacArthur Award lecture. Ecology, 73(6), 1943-1967.

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Nature’s Secrets: Top 200 Ecology Research Topics

Welcome to the world of Ecology, where the study of nature evolves like an interesting story. Ecology helps us solve the complex relationships between living organisms and their environments. In this fascinating journey, we will see ecology research topics that reveal the secrets of ecosystems, biodiversity, and the delicate balance of nature. 

From understanding how different species react to the impact of human activities on our planet, Ecology offers insights that go beyond the ordinary. 

So, whether you’re fascinated by the web of life in a forest, the dynamics of a coral reef, or the challenges of conservation, these research topics will guide you into the heart of ecological wonders. Let’s start this adventure of knowledge, discovering the hidden secrets that shape the world around us.

What Is Ecology?

Table of Contents

Ecology is the study of how living things interact with each other and their environment. It explores relationships between plants, animals, and their surroundings, helping us understand how nature works and how different elements in ecosystems connect.

What Are The 6 Topics Studied In Ecology?

Ecology studies the relationships between living things and their environment. Here are six topics studied in ecology:

• Ecosystems: Examining how living organisms, like plants and animals, interact with each other and their non living surroundings, such as soil, water, and air.
• Biodiversity: Analyzing the variety of life in different ecosystems, including the number and types of species present.
• Population Dynamics: Understanding how the numbers of individuals in a species change over time, including factors like birth rates, death rates, and migration.
• Community Interactions: Exploring how different species in a specific area interact with each other, such as through competition or cooperation.
• Ecological Succession: Studying the increasing changes in ecosystems over time, including how new communities of plants and animals replace older ones.
• Conservation Biology: Focusing on protecting and preserving ecosystems and species, especially those facing threats or endangerment.

Top 200 Ecology Research Topics

Now the wait is over and here we will be listing top 200 ecology research topics. And they are as:

Top 10 Ecology Research Topics On Biodiversity Conservation

• Conservation Genetics and its Role in Biodiversity Preservation
• Ecological Consequences of Habitat Fragmentation on Biodiversity
• Monitoring and Assessing Biodiversity in Changing Landscapes
• Conservation Strategies for Endangered Species
• The Significance of Protected Areas in Biodiversity Conservation
• Ecosystem Services and Biodiversity Conservation
• Citizen Science Initiatives in Biodiversity Monitoring
• Integrating Indigenous Knowledge in Biodiversity Conservation
• Climate Change Impacts on Biodiversity and Conservation Measures
• Human-Wildlife Conflict and its Implications for Biodiversity Conservation

Top 10 Research Topics On Climate Change Impacts

• Climate Change Effects on Biodiversity and Ecosystems
• Influence of Climate Change on Global Water Resources
• Rising Sea Levels and Coastal Ecosystem Vulnerability
• Climate Change Affects on Agriculture and Food Security
• Extreme Weather Events and their Ecological Consequences
• Ocean Acidification: Ecological and Marine Life Impacts
• Changes in Species Distribution by Climate Change
• Climate Change and Migration Patterns of Wildlife
• Effects of Climate Change on Polar and Alpine Ecosystems
• Climate Change and Human Health: Ecological Perspectives

Top 10 Ecology Research Topics On Habitat Restoration

• Ecosystem Recovery after Habitat Disturbance
• Effects of Restoration Techniques on Soil Health
• Ecological Succession in Restored Habitats
• Invasive Species Management in Restoration Projects
• Role of Native Plant Species in Habitat Restoration
• Impact of Restoration on Wildlife Communities
• Community Engagement in Urban Habitat Restoration
• Restoration of Wetland Ecosystems and Biodiversity
• Historical Ecology and its Role in Habitat Restoration
• Evaluating Long-Term Success of Habitat Restoration Projects

Top 10 Research Topics On Ecosystem Services

• Valuation of Ecosystem Services for purpose of Sustainable Resource Management
• Biodiversity’s Role in Providing Ecosystem Services
• Climate Change Impacts on Ecosystem Services
• Urban Ecosystem Services and Green Infrastructure
• Cultural Ecosystem Services: Linking Nature and Well-being
• Watershed Services: Sustainable Water Resource Management
• Forest Ecosystem Services and Sustainable Forestry Practices
• Marine Ecosystem Services: Conservation and Management
• Agricultural Practices and Ecosystem Service Delivery
• Restoration Ecology for Enhancing Ecosystem Services

Top 10 Ecology Research Topics On Wildlife Ecology

• Behavior and Social Structure of Wild Animal Populations
• Conservation Genetics in Wildlife Management
• Human-Wildlife Conflict and Mitigation Strategies
• Wildlife Habitat Use and Selection
• Effects of Climate Change on Wildlife Ecology
• Wildlife Disease Ecology and Emerging Infectious Diseases
• Predator-Prey Dynamics in Natural Ecosystems
• Movement Ecology and Migration Patterns
• Wildlife Monitoring Techniques and Technology
• Restoration Ecology for Wildlife Habitat Enhancement

Top 10 Ecology Research Topics On Marine Ecology

• Coral Reef Resilience and Conservation
• Marine Biodiversity in Deep-Sea Ecosystems
• Ocean Acidification & its Impact on Marine Life
• Fisheries Management for Sustainable Marine Ecology
• Marine Protected Areas and Conservation Strategies
• Plastic Pollution & its impact on Marine Ecosystems
• Seabird Ecology and Conservation
• Mangrove Ecosystems: Function and Conservation
• Climate Change Impacts on Marine Ecosystems
• Seagrass Ecology and Restoration efforts in Coastal Areas

Top 10 Research Topics On Urban Ecology

• Urban Biodiversity and Conservation Strategies
• Green Spaces & Ecosystem Services in Urban Environments
• Urban Heat Island Effect and Mitigation Measures
• Urban Wildlife Ecology and Human-Wildlife Interactions
• Sustainable Urban Planning and Design for Ecosystem Health
• Urban Agriculture: Impacts on Biodiversity and Food Security
• Air Quality and Urban Tree Canopy: A Nexus in Urban Ecology
• Stormwater Management and Ecological Solutions in Urban Areas
• Urbanization Effects on Microbial Communities in Soil
• Citizen Science Contributions to Urban Ecology Research

Top 10 Ecology Research Topics On Forest Ecology

• Old-Growth Forest Ecology and Conservation
• Forest Fragmentation and its Impact on Biodiversity
• Fire Ecology: Natural Processes and Human Intervention
• Forest Carbon Sequestration and Climate Change Mitigation
• Dynamics of Tree-Soil Interactions in Forest Ecosystems
• Invasive Species Management in Forested Landscapes
• Forest Restoration Ecology and Reforestation Strategies
• Effects of Logging and Timber Harvesting on Forest Ecology
• Microbial Communities in Forest Soils: Diversity and Function
• Ecological Consequences of Climate Change in Forested Regions

Top 10 Research Topics On Invasive Species Management

• Ecological Impacts of Invasive Species
• Mechanisms of Invasion Success
• Early Detection and Rapid Response Strategies
• Effects of Climate Change on Invasive Species Dynamics
• Management Strategies for Aquatic Invasive Species
• Biological Control of Invasive Species
• Evolutionary Responses in Invasive Species
• Community-Level Impacts of Invasive Species
• Economic Costs and Benefits of Invasive Species Management
• Restoration Ecology After Invasive Species Removal

Top 10 Ecology Research Topics On Conservation Genetics

• Genetic Diversity and Conservation of Endangered Species
• Population Genetics of Rare and Threatened Plants
• Conservation Genomics in Wildlife Management
• Genetic Adaptation to Changing Environments
• Genomic Approaches in Assessing Inbreeding Depression
• Landscape Genetics and Habitat Connectivity
• Genetic Monitoring for Effective Conservation
• Genomic Tools in Studying Hybridization and Introgression
• Conservation Genetics of Migratory Species
• Genetic Markers for Non-Invasive Monitoring of Wildlife

Top 10 Research Topics On Landscape Ecology

• Spatial Patterns and Dynamics in Landscape Ecology
• Connectivity and Fragmentation of Landscape
• Urbanization and its Impact on Landscape Structure
• Landscape Heterogeneity and Biodiversity Conservation
• Ecosystem Services in the Context of Landscape Ecology
• Remote Sensing and GIS Applications in Landscape Ecology
• Modeling Landscape Change and Future Scenarios
• Landscape Ecology and Climate Change Impacts
• Land-Use Change Effects on Landscape Patterns
• Resilience and Sustainability in Landscape Ecology

Top 10 Ecology Research Topics On Agroecology

• Sustainable Farming Practices for Agroecosystem Health
• Agroecology and Biodiversity Conservation in Agricultural Landscapes
• Soil Health and Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems
• Organic Farming Systems: Ecological Impacts and Benefits
• Agroecological Approaches to Pest Management
• Agroforestry Systems and Ecosystem Services
• Climate-Resilient Agriculture in Agroecological Frameworks
• Indigenous and Traditional Agro Ecological Knowledge
• Integrating Livestock into Agroecosystems for Sustainability
• Socioeconomic Dimensions of Agroecological Transition

Top 10 Research Topics On Ecological Modeling

• Spatial and Temporal Dynamics in Ecological Models
• Integrating Climate Change in Ecological Modeling
• Agent-Based Modeling in Ecological Studies
• Ecological Network Models: Structure and Dynamics
• Predictive Modeling for Conservation Planning
• Individual-Based Models in Animal Behavior Ecology
• Dynamic Energy Budget Models in Population Ecology
• Bayesian Approaches in Ecological Modeling
• Ecological Niche Modeling for Species Distribution
• Coupling Ecological and Economic Models for Sustainability

Top 10 Ecology Research Topics On Environmental Pollution

• Affects of Air Pollution on Ecosystems and Human Health
• Microplastics in Aquatic Ecosystems: Sources and Effects
• Soil Pollution and its Consequences for Terrestrial Ecology
• Noise Pollution and its Effects on Wildlife Behavior
• Heavy Metal Contamination in Urban Ecosystems
• Emerging Contaminants: Pharmaceuticals in the Environment
• Pesticide Pollution and Agricultural Ecosystems
• Oil Spills and Marine Ecosystems: Recovery and Resilience
• Plastic Waste in Marine Environments: Ecological Impacts
• Urbanization and its Role in Environmental Pollution

Top 10 Research Topics On Ecotourism Impact

• Ecotourism and Biodiversity Conservation
• Socioeconomic Impacts of Ecotourism on Local Communities
• Sustainable Practices in Ecotourism Operations
• Wildlife Disturbance and Ecotourism: Balancing Conservation
• Ecotourism and Cultural Heritage Preservation
• Assessing the Environmental Footprint of Ecotourism
• Ecotourism and Sustainable Resource Management
• Community Involvement in Ecotourism Development
• Monitoring and Mitigating Ecotourism Impacts on Fragile Ecosystems
• Ecotourism Certification and Standards for Responsible Tourism

Top 10 Ecology Research Topics On Plant Ecology

• Plant-Animal Interactions and Mutualistic Relationships
• Impacts of Climate Change on Plant Communities
• Plant Functional Traits and Ecosystem Functioning
• Plant-Insect Interactions: Pollination and Herbivory
• Dynamics of Plant Communities in Disturbed Habitats
• Plant Defense Mechanisms Against Herbivores
• Allelopathy: Chemical Interactions among Plants
• Plant Invasions and their Ecological Consequences
• Influence of Soil Microbes on Plant Health and Diversity
• Role of Mycorrhizal Fungi in Plant Ecology

Top 10 Research Topics On Evolutionary Ecology

• Adaptation and Evolutionary Dynamics in Changing Environments
• Coevolutionary Interactions between Species
• Evolutionary Consequences of Mutualistic Relationships
• Evolutionary Ecology of Life History Strategies
• Evolutionary Responses to Anthropogenic Stressors
• Evolutionary Ecology of Invasive Species
• Historical Biogeography and Evolutionary Patterns
• Evolutionary Ecology of Plant-Animal Interactions
• Evolutionary Drivers of Biodiversity
• Evolutionary Consequences of Climate Change

Top 10 Ecology Research Topics On Freshwater Ecology

• Biodiversity and Conservation of Freshwater Ecosystems
• Aquatic Macroinvertebrates as Bioindicators of Water Quality
• Effects of Climate Change on Freshwater Ecology
• Nutrient Cycling in Freshwater Environments
• Impact of Invasive Species on Freshwater Ecosystems
• Dynamics of Aquatic Food Webs in Lakes and Rivers
• Restoration Ecology of Freshwater Habitats
• Ecological Consequences of Dams and Water Management
• Microbial Communities in Freshwater Environments
• Threats to Freshwater Ecosystems: Pollution and Habitat Loss

Top 10 Research Topics On Microbial Ecology

• Microbial Diversity in Natural Environments
• Microbial Interactions in Soil Ecosystems
• Human Microbiome and Health
• Microbial Ecology of Extreme Environments
• Microbes in Aquatic Ecosystems: Dynamics and Roles
• Microbial Communities in Plant Rhizospheres
• Microbial Biogeography and Distribution Patterns
• Impact of Climate Change on Microbial Ecology
• Microbial Responses to Pollution and Environmental Stress
• Microbial Roles in Biogeochemical Cycling

Top 10 Ecology Research Topics On Sustainable Agriculture

• Agroecological Practices for Sustainable Farming
• Soil Health Management in Sustainable Agriculture
• Water Conservation Strategies in Agricultural Systems
• Organic Farming: Impacts on Ecology and Sustainability
• Integrated Pest Management for Sustainable Agriculture
• Biodiversity Enhancement through Crop Rotation
• Agroforestry: Integrating Trees into Agricultural Landscapes
• Climate-Smart Agriculture Approaches
• Efficient Nutrient Management in Sustainable Farming
• Sustainable Livestock Farming Practices

Top 50 Ecology Essay Topics

In addition to the above topics we are giving you a bonus of top 50 ecology essay topics based on different categories and they are as:

Top 10 Essay Research Topics On Environmental Sustainability

• Climate Change Impacts and Mitigation Strategies
• Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystem Restoration
• Sustainable Agriculture Practices
• Renewable Energy Solutions
• Waste Management and Circular Economy
• Urban Planning for Sustainable Cities
• Water Conservation and Management
• Environmental Policies and Governance
• Corporate Social Responsibility in Sustainability
• Indigenous Knowledge and Practices in Environmental Sustainability

Top 10 Essay Research Topics On Social Justice and Equity

• Racial Inequality and Systemic Racism
• Gender Equality and Women’s Rights
• LGBTQ+ Rights and Inclusivity
• Economic Disparities and Poverty
• Access to Education: Challenges and Solutions
• Criminal Justice Reform and Fair Policing
• Disability Rights and Inclusion
• Indigenous Rights and Land Sovereignty
• Immigration Policies and Human Rights
• Healthcare Disparities: Addressing Equity in Access and Treatment

Top 10 Essay Research Topics On Technology and Society

• Ethical Implications of Artificial Intelligence
• Digital Privacy and Security Concerns
• Impact of Social Media on Society
• The Role of Technology in Education
• Automation and the Future of Work
• Cybersecurity Challenges and Solutions
• Internet of Things (IoT) and Smart Cities
• Biotechnology and Bioethics
• Technology and Healthcare: Advancements and Concerns
• Accessibility and Inclusivity in Technological Innovations

Top 10 Essay Research Topics On Health and Wellness

• Mental Health Stigma and Awareness
• Healthcare Disparities in Underserved Communities
• Impact of Technology on Mental Health
• Lifestyle Factors and Chronic Disease Prevention
• Access to Affordable Healthcare
• Public Health Strategies for Disease Prevention
• Global Health Challenges and Solutions
• Integrative Medicine and Holistic Health Approaches
• Nutrition and its Role in Overall Wellness
• Aging Population: Health Challenges and Innovations

Top 10 Essay Research Topics On Global Economic Trends

• The Impact of Globalization on Economic Inequality
• Sustainable Development Goals and Economic Growth
• Technological Advancements and Economic Transformation
• Trade Wars and their Effects on Global Economies
• The Rise of Gig Economy and Changing Workforce Dynamics
• Financial Inclusion and Economic Empowerment
• COVID-19 Pandemic’s Impact on Global Economic Trends
• Green Finance and Environmental Sustainability in Economics
• Economic Policies for Post-Pandemic Recovery
• The Role of Emerging Markets in Shaping Global Economic Trends

As we conclude our exploration of Ecology Research Topics, we’ve uncovered a big collection of subjects into the wonders of our natural world. From studying Biodiversity Conservation to researching Microbial Ecology, these topics offer a deeper understanding of the balance of our ecosystems. 

In addition to these research topics, we’ve provided a bonus of 50 Ecology Essay Topics, adding more layers to your knowledge. Remember, Ecology is like solving nature’s puzzle, and each topic contributes to revealing its secrets. 

We’ve also touched upon the six fundamental topics in Ecology, providing a foundation for your ecological journey. So, let curiosity be your guide, and explore the mysteries that our planet holds.

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Ecological Perspective Theory and Practice Essay

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Introduction

Theoretical concepts, strengths and weaknesses, theoretical implications, illustrations of theory in social work, ecological perspective in issues of inequality and discrimination.

Ecology as a study of the interrelation of beings and their environment has taken a broader concept, influencing other disciplines from a wide variety of fields. The ecological perspective can be seen as an approach in which the focus is on the interactions and the transactions between people and their environment (Greene, 2008). This can be seen through the main elements of focus in the ecological perspective; one of the main concepts in studying the ecological traditions lies in social theories and development psychology. The core of the ecological perspective is ecology, which serves as the basis for the interpretation as well as source for the major terms employed in the concept (Bronfenbrenner,1979).

With more and more practical implementation of the ecological perspective in a variety of disciplines, there is an interest in studying the theoretical foundations of this perspective.

This essay will provide a comprehensive overview of the theoretical concepts in the ecological perspective, its strengths and weakness, and several examples on the way this perspective is integrated into practical aspects.

The ecological perspective refers to several ecological models that study a numeral factors within the environment that shape people’s behaviour. The factors of the environment might be related to both, physical and socio-cultural surroundings, which include environmental and policy variables within a wide range of influences at many levels (Sallis et al, 2006). The purpose of such models is to seek and identify the causes of a particular behaviour in the environment, according to which an intervention might be designed (McLeroy et al., 1988).

One of the ecological models as proposed by Bronfenbrenner defines the ecological perspective as the scientific study of the progressive, mutual accommodation, throughout the life course between an active , growing human being and his or her environment. This model derives its main terms from the field of ecology, in which the ecological environment is the arrangement of structures, each contained within the next (Bronfenbrenner, 1977), while the levels of influence in such environment are employed in Microsystems meco-system, macro- system and exo-systems. The microsystem levels can be described as the personal interactions within a specific setting.

The setting can be seen as the place in which the person can engage in different activities and play different roles, e.g. home, school, hospital, etc. The physical features of the place, the roles played, the time, and the activity, all represent elements of the setting. A mesosystem, on the other hand, represents the interrelations between major settings, for example, for a student, mesosystem might be represented through the interrelations between home and a school or college.

The exosystem contains the structures, in which a person does not participate, but influences the immediate setting in which the person is located. In that regard, the exosystem can be seen as the forces in social systems, such as governmental institutions and structures, example, the distribution of goods, communications, transportations, and other social networks (Bronfenbrenner, 1977). A macrosystem is mainly concerned with the patterns of the culture and subculture, examined in structural terms as well as carriers of information and ideology. The work of Bronfenbrenner can be considered as the traditional representation of the ecological perspective, upon which this perspective was further expanded and modified.

The aforementioned model was slightly modified to categorise the level of influence into two broad categories, intra- individual (person) and extra – individual (environment). The intra influences included individual attributes, beliefs, values, attitudes and behaviours, while the extra influences included such aspects “environmental topography, social and cultural contexts and policies (Spence and Lee, 2003). It can be stated that the changes that result from a particular influence are mostly categorised into two approaches, which are adaptation and coping. Adaptation can be defined as the capacity to conduct adjustments to the changes in the environmental conditions (Zastrow and Kirst-Ashman, 2007).

The latter is utilized in improving the individual-environment fit, which can be achieved through changes at intra-individual or extra individual levels (Spence and Lee, 2003). Coping on the other hand, refers to a form of adaptation that implies struggle, and it’s generally used to refer to the response to negative conditions. The structural model of the environment adapted from Bronfenbrenner was categorised in a hierarchical multilevel and multidimensional fashion, which describes a dynamic system that operates in space and time. The way the system was adapted can be seen in Fig 1.

It should be noted that the theoretical models of the ecological perspective reviewed in Spence and Lee(2003) outlined other classifications of the environmental influences, among which are the availability and the constraints of resources, the physical structure, the social structure, and cultural and media message. The influence of resource is a significant factor, as it will be outlined in the implications sectors, where to understand a phenomenon the assessment of the factor of resources is essential. The resources were also outlined in Berkman and Glass (2000) in which model the social networks were connected to health.

The model was adapted to the health context and thus, the micro level influence included factors that were affecting health behaviours such as the forces of social influence, levels of social engagement and participation, controlling the contact with infectious diseases, and access to material goods and resources (Berkman and Glass, 2000).

Another adaptation to the ecological model was that in which the levels of influence were expanded into a broader context to include intrapersonal factors, interpersonal processes, institutional factors, community factors, and public policy (McLeroy et al., 1988). Such model was modified specifically for analysing health promotion, where the outcome of the influence of aforementioned factors is patterned behaviour, that is the subject of the analysis in this conceptual model.

The rationale for the provided adjustment can be seen as different levels of factors will facilitate assessing the unique characteristics of different levels of interventions. It should be noted that interventions is an essential aspect in the assessment of the theoretical foundations of ecological perspective, where the theory serves as a method of conceptualising a particular model.

Within the field of environmental psychology, the ecological perspective was one of the areas of emphasis through the span of the field’s development. With a variety of ecological models, which were adapted into different fields, for example, health promotion, physical activities, developmental psychology, these models share many common characteristics, which form the ecological perspective in general. These characteristics include the focus on the dynamic interaction between the individual and his/her environment, the focus on the person and the environment as a single entity, combining concepts from many disciplines, and taking a context-specific view of behaviour (Greene, 2008).

It is noted that the ecological perspective shares common concepts from the systems theory, which is “the transdisciplinary study of the abstract organisation of phenomena, independent of their substance, type, or spatial or temporal scale of existence” (Heylighen and Joslyn, 1992). The common characteristics can be seen when assuming the complex phenomena are the people and their activities. Additionally, common notions exist between the two theories, for example, interface, which is the point of interaction between the individual and the environment, where the difference might be seen in that the emphasis in ecological perspective is on interfaces concerning individuals and small groups (Zastrow and Kirst-Ashman, 2007).

Sharing concepts with systems theories, the ecological perspective also contribute to the ecosystem perspective, a perspective which was derived from the systems theories and ecology. Being mainly applied in social work, the ecosystems perspective focus on the complexity of transactions occurring within a system, guiding the balance between the individual and the environment (Mattaini, 2008).

The strengths and the weakness of the ecological perspective can be divided between those general to the perspective and those specific for a particular ecological model.

The strengths can be outlined through the benefits of the different features of the ecological perspective. One of such features is taking account of the contexts of the environment. The reliance on such attribute as well as the variety of contexts that might be integrated in a specific model makes it easier to allows apply the ecological perspective to a variety of disciplines and fields.

The areas of social work practice, in which the knowledge about the context can be valued, include prisons, hospitals, and schools. In the example of school, the value of the ecological approach is suggested through relating the knowledge about the context to the key occupation group in such setting, e.g. teachers or other professionals (Davies, 2002). Similarly, working with children and their families, the importance of the understanding the context can be seen one of the ecological approach’s strengths that advocates the use of such approach in social work.

The context in such case is within the child’s family, the community and the culture, understanding which facilitates obtaining an insight into the child’s development (Beckett, 2006). Additionally, such strength allowed the inclusion of the ecological approach in the national Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families, in which the assessment of the children’s needs is conducted taking account of three domains, developmental needs, parents’ or caregivers capacities, and wider environmental factors (Department of Health, 2000).

Nevertheless, it should be stated that the utilisation of contexts might present challenges to researches. Such challenges are mainly statistical and are mentioned about the area of ecological psychology, although it might be assumed that the same can be witnessed in other areas as well. A representation of such statistical challenges can be seen in the usage of physical variables to address individual outcomes, rather than general outcomes (Winkel et al., 2009).

Another strong argument in favour of the ecological perspective can be seen in its broad approach toward studying the relationship between the environment and the individual. The fact that many of the levels of influence include those to which the individual is not directly attached, but still influenced by them, is one of the strengths of the ecological perspectives. Additionally, it can be stated that the limitations of the prevailing scientific approaches to study human development contributed to considering the ecological perspective, proposed by Bronfenbrenner.

The broadness strength can be rephrased as the ability to examine multiperson systems without limitation to a single setting, and taking into account both the immediate setting and the environment beyond (Bronfenbrenner, 1977). The broadness strength can be rephrased as the ability to examine of multiperson systems without limitation to a single setting, and taking into account both the immediate setting and the environment beyond

The weakness of the ecological perspective can be seen in the models adapted for social behaviour, although as stated earlier they might apply to other models as well. The weakness is mainly represented through the lack of specificity for conceptualisation of a particular problem.

The lack of such specificity combined with broadness approach highly subjected to interpretation. For example, the approach mentioned earlier in terms of generally assessing children in need, can be seen the same in terms of asylum seeking and refugee children specifically (National Children’s Bureau, 2006). Thus, it might be stated that the broadness of the approach makes it applicable to various contexts, and at the same time, the conceptualization of such applicability can be a difficult task.

In other cases, implementing the ecological approach while working with the population should make account of the ecological fallacy, which can be defined as relating the knowledge about a groups’ past behaviour to generalise them as real events(example, children brought up in deprived areas always end up as poor adults) (Adams et al,2009). Such weakness can be evident when working with such groups as confined individuals.

Thus, actual risk assessment has little success in some social work cases(Davies, 2002). For example, an experienced child protection service user may develop a strong capacity to predict situations of high risk drawing in part of what is observed in the environment which the child is found as well as the formal assessment risk framework but the outcome of this may have an adverse effect as that situation is most likely to be different from previously assessed ones(Healy,2005)

The same can be said about the identification of the interventions for specified problems (McLeroy et al., 1988). Such weakness is mainly mediated through the various adaptations of ecological models, which take the main framework and modify it to suit specific purposes. Additionally, other weaknesses can be viewed in terms of model applied for specific purposes, rather than general disadvantages.

For example, in health promotion, the limitation of the McLeroy model was said to be vague in terms of distinguishing the levels of intervention and settings (Richard et al, 1996). Additional weaknesses, which might be generalised toward all models under the ecological perspective, are concerned with the implementation in practice. Also, social work like any other discipline may find designing and implementing ecological programmes a challenge due to the complexity of the approach and the costs involved in operating it (Richard et al, 2004).

The basis for the theoretical implications of the ecological perspective can be seen through guiding and design intervention programmes, through addressing the way an interaction occurs at various levels of the specific theoretical model. Hence, following such principles within different areas and disciplines, the framework serves as an indication for which factors should be enabled, enforced and facilitated.

Taking for example the field of education, the ecological perspective might be used to provide a model for the integration of the technology in school. Such example was investigated in Zhao and Frank (2003), where the authors utilized an ecological metaphor of introducing a zebra mussel into the Great Lakes to identify the factors influencing the implementation of computer uses. Following the common elements of the reviewed framework, it can be stated that the school represent a setting within Bronfenbrenner systems, while Great Lakes is the setting within the chosen ecological metaphor.

The difference in the approach proposed in Zhao and Frank is in using an ecosystem, rather than setting, and thus, the context was narrowed to the schools, rather than societies. Paralleling computer uses within species and innovative technologies with exotic species, the authors constructed a framework for the interaction between the elements of the ecosystem. Such framework allowed narrowing down the levels of the influences, with the ultimate goal of determining the technology uses in classroom.

The test of the framework revealed that the dynamics of the school as an ecosystem affect the interactions between the new and existing species, that is computer uses and innovative technologies. Having a hypothetical ecology core, the framework based on the ecological perspective had practical implications among which is the focus on teachers as facilitators of change, the provision of training opportunities (Zhao and Frank, 2003).

With the following being related to the field of education as well as to the technology field, it can be stated that the implications of the ecological perspective are not necessarily applied through ecology metaphors and parallels to the nature. The field of sociology can be seen as of the most prominent examples of the application of ecological perspective. The purposes of applying the ecological perspective in social context might vary from identifying factors and determining cause to understanding the dynamics within a specific setting. As an example of the latter, the ecological perspective was applied in Jiang and Begun (2002) to understand the factors influencing the changes in the local physician supply in a particular area. The modelling process can be seen through the following steps:

• Applying the dynamics of growth in a population to the population of a particular specialty type of physicians, and formulating a model.
• Identifying the intrinsic properties of the selected population. In this case the dimensions identified for such purpose include the width of the physicians’ niche and capital intensity.
• Describe the environment. In this case the dimensions for description are munificence, concentration, and diversity.
• Outline the resources in the environment, e.g. the size of the patient population, the hospital supply, and the economic wealth of the environment.
• Applying the factors and the descriptions to the identified model.
• Testing the model.

The abovementioned utilization of the ecological perspective was proven applicable, and accordingly, several practical mechanisms were derived from such study. These mechanisms might be useful to identify the determinants of changes in one of the dimensions of the population or the indicated resources, such as the size, the specialty. Similarly, such model can be implemented in social work practices, as it will be illustrated in the following sections. The practitioner investigates each of the properties/characteristics of the systems participating in interaction processes. Accordingly, the individual or the population will be investigated as well as pressure factors causing the problem. Finally, an intervention is planned to deal with the factors contributing to the causality of the problem.

Another practical example of the application of the ecological perspective can be seen through investigating the changes that influence a particular part of the population. An example of the latter can be seen in a study by McHale, Dotterer, and Kim (2009), in which the methodological issues for researching the media and the development of youth were investigated in the context of the ecological perspective. The emphasis in such approach can be seen through the focus on activities, being a reflection of development, as outlined by Larson and Verma (1999), cited in McHale, Dotterer, and Kim (2009).

Another ecological influence on studying the development of youth can be seen in the multilayered contexts, “within which individuals are embedded” (McHale et al., 2009). It can be stated that the multilayered contexts are a representation of the levels of influences, whereas the youth, as a population are the subject of these influences. Thus, the environment in such perspective is not perceived as a separate entity, but rather as a collection of those levels of influences, that is contexts within the scope of the aforementioned model. The ecological model chosen for the depiction of such influences was the traditional Bronfenbrenner’ model, while the factors of influence were obtained through a review of the literature, as stated earlier.

The core of the model, which is the individual or the child in this context, is represented through a set of characteristics, such as the activity level, sociability, interests, activities, and others. Additionally, the most proximate level of influences to the child is the microsystem level, comprising of such factors as family, peer group, community neighbourhood, and schools (McHale et al., 2009). The applicability of this model can be see through outlining the context of the youth development, where the established framework narrows the areas of research to specific directions, which might imply particular methodological considerations. One of such considerations can be seen through the identification of variables, specifically in quantitative researches that investigate causal relationships.

The same can be seen about extraneous variables, which the framework might indicate. Other suggestions for the utilization of the ecological perspective in youth development researches might include highlighting the influence of specific factors, e.g. family income, or education, on youth activities, and assessing the role of the individuals themselves in their activities.

With the ecological perspective having a social context, such contexts often intersect with health approach. Among the attempts of integrating the ecological perspective into health improvement is a proposed model which is aimed at identifying the factors that will contribute to the success of tobacco control programmes (Richard et al,2004). Similarly, the factors integrated into the perspective were derived from literature, namely Scheirer’s framework which was successfully used in fields such as mental health.

The factors of the levels of influence were assigned to identify the factors of success, which were then tested as variables in a case study. The ecological perspective proved to be successful for its designated purpose, despite some limitations, and helped to identify configurations of environmental, organizational and professional characteristics that will facilitate the implementation of the programme (Richard et al, 2004).

Generally, it can be stated that the application of the ecological perspective in social work is mainly concerned with assessment and communication. Taking the example of practitioners working with families, the assessment might imply identifying factors related to the families culture, subculture and race.

One of the methods of working with family can be seen through group therapy and family therapy. Family therapy, which is grounded in the ecological perspective, is specifically emphasized, as most clients have family systems to work with. The assessment might be performed through the way through analyzing communication occurring between the family members participating in the therapy. For example, the practitioner might consider the way messages are sent and received within the family unit as well as the paths of communication. Such elements of the communication will provide an insight into the social environment in which the family functions, which can be seen as a part of the treatment.

Another model used to identify family problems is Minuchin’s model (Pardeck, 1996). Utilizing such model, practitioners will attempt to identify the factors of pressure, external for the family unit as well as coming from within. Such factors can be seen through either a pressure on a single member of the family, pressure on the entire family, pressure occurring when moving through life cycles, and idiosyncratic factors unique to the family.

The identification of the type of pressure can be implemented through the communication approach previously mentioned. The intervention can be seen in making corrections to the source of pressure, restoring the balance between the family unit and the environment. The correction can be seen through elimination the source of pressure, if possible, helping the family develop coping mechanism to deal with the pressure, inspecting the larger system in which the family functions, suggesting policies that might have a positive impact on the family’s interaction, and other. The weakness of such approach can be seen in the ecological fallacy, mentioned earlier.

On the one hand, practitioners might generalize the intervention or previous knowledge, assuming that all families experience the same pressure. At the same time, such generalization might not be applicable in present context.

Child protection is concerned with protection children from maltreatment, which according to the ecological perspective is the result of interaction between several factors and systems. Thus, the role of the practitioner can be seen in identifying the interactions that occur and the causality of maltreatment. The practitioner will gather information from the settings, in which the child interacts, including family assessment, in which the family background, history, and structure will be analyzed, the cultural differences, environmental factors in the community, such as poverty, violence, etc, and the services available to the family and the child.

Identifying the external factor, individual factors of the child should be assessed as well, in terms of growth, development, identity development, and others. Such information will be used by the practitioner to identify risks and protective factors, based on which an intervention will be planned to change the conditions and the behaviors that cause risks of maltreatment to occur. With the goal of the intervention set, the plan of the intervention will be implemented.

With discrimination and inequality being social phenomena, the ecological perspective can be used to explain them. Inequality, in that regard, occurs when a differentiation exists in hierarchical structures. Differentiation is perceived in ecological theories in static and dynamic perspectives, where in terms of statics, differentiation is the difference between groups concerning a particular variable, while in terms of dynamics, differentiation refers to processes that produce and maintain differences within and between groups. The ecological perspective helps in explaining inequality, viewing it as complex and multidimensional phenomenon (Maclean and Harrison,2006).

These factors include such distinct clusters: cultural differences, religious differences, compositional differences, and differential treatment (Micklin and Poston, 1998). In terms of discrimination, it can be viewed as a behaviour, which is recognized as a function of the person-environment interaction. Thus, the ecological perspective not only helps in understanding such behaviour and the influential factors, but also the interventions that might be designed in social justice advocacy (Greenleaf and Williams, 2009). Although the latter is mainly connected to the field of psychological counselling, it might be used in social work as well.

Nevertheless, the utilisation of the ecological perspective in explaining such aspects as inequality does not imply individualistic approaches, that is to say the ecological perspective does not operate on the micro-level, as ecologists view questions of such scale as unimportant. It should be stated that being perceived as unimportant does not necessarily mean that the ecological perspective is not applicable in such cases, where several studies found the ecological perspective to be relevant(Micklin and Poston, 1998). Social workers are aware of the importance of context in service users lives and ,understanding and responding to the individual in their environment is an essential part of social work practice(Healy,2005)

It can be concluded that the ecological perspective is a useful approach to analyse and explain various phenomena. The principle of examining the interrelations between the individual and the environment allows designing a framework that can be utilised in various fields and disciplines. The ecological perspective has a great potential, which can be used not only as an explanation and investigation of a phenomenon, but also as a useful mean for designing interventions for problems relating to social work as well as other disciplines(Payne,2005).

Adams, R., Dominelli, L. and Payne, M. (eds.), (2009) Themes, Issues and Critical Debates . Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan.

Beckett, C., (2006) Essential theory for social work practice, London: SAGE.

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Bronefenbrenner, U. (1977), Toward an Experimental Ecology of Human Development . American Psychologist, 32 , 513-531.

Davies, M., (2002) The Blackwell companion to social work, Oxford: Blackwell Publishers

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Grenne, R. R. (2008), Human behavior theory & social work practice, New Brunswick, N.J., Aldine Transaction.

Greenleaf, A. T. & Williams, J. M. (2009), Supporting Social Justice Advocacy: A Paradigm Shift towards an Ecological Perspective Journal for Social Action in Counselling and Psychology [Online], 2. Web.

Healy, K. (2005) Social Work Theories in Context: Creating frameworks for Practice. Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan Heylighen, F. & Joslyn, C. (1992), What is Systems Theory? [Online]. Principia Cybernetica Web.

Jiang, H. J. & Begun, J. W. (2002) Dynamics of change in local physician supply: an ecological perspective. Social Science & Medicine, 54 , 1525-1541.

Maclean, S. And Harrison, R. (2008) SOCIAL WORK THEORY;A Straight forward Guide for Practice Assessors and Placement Supervisors .Staffordshire:Kirwin Maclean.

Mattaini, M. A. (2008) Ecosystems Theory. In: SOWERS, K. M. & DULMUS, C. N. (eds.) Comprehensive handbook of social work and social welfare. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons.

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Essay on Environment for Students and Children

500+ words essay on environment.

Essay on Environment – All living things that live on this earth comes under the environment. Whether they live on land or water they are part of the environment. The environment also includes air, water, sunlight, plants, animals, etc.

Moreover, the earth is considered the only planet in the universe that supports life. The environment can be understood as a blanket that keeps life on the planet sage and sound.

Importance of Environment

We truly cannot understand the real worth of the environment. But we can estimate some of its importance that can help us understand its importance. It plays a vital role in keeping living things healthy in the environment.

Likewise, it maintains the ecological balance that will keep check of life on earth. It provides food, shelter, air, and fulfills all the human needs whether big or small.

Moreover, the entire life support of humans depends wholly on the environmental factors. In addition, it also helps in maintaining various life cycles on earth.

Most importantly, our environment is the source of natural beauty and is necessary for maintaining physical and mental health.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Benefits of the Environment

The environment gives us countless benefits that we can’t repay our entire life. As they are connected with the forest, trees, animals, water, and air. The forest and trees filter the air and absorb harmful gases. Plants purify water, reduce the chances of flood maintain natural balance and many others.

Moreover, the environment keeps a close check on the environment and its functioning, It regulates the vital systems that are essential for the ecosystem. Besides, it maintains the culture and quality of life on earth.

The environment regulates various natural cycles that happen daily. These cycles help in maintaining the natural balance between living things and the environment. Disturbance of these things can ultimately affect the life cycle of humans and other living beings.

The environment has helped us and other living beings to flourish and grow from thousands of years. The environment provides us fertile land, water, air, livestock and many essential things for survival.

Cause of Environmental Degradation

Human activities are the major cause of environmental degradation because most of the activities humans do harm the environment in some way. The activities of humans that causes environmental degradation is pollution, defective environmental policies, chemicals, greenhouse gases, global warming, ozone depletion, etc.

All these affect the environment badly. Besides, these the overuse of natural resources will create a situation in the future there will be no resources for consumption. And the most basic necessity of living air will get so polluted that humans have to use bottled oxygen for breathing.

Above all, increasing human activity is exerting more pressure on the surface of the earth which is causing many disasters in an unnatural form. Also, we are using the natural resources at a pace that within a few years they will vanish from the earth. To conclude, we can say that it is the environment that is keeping us alive. Without the blanket of environment, we won’t be able to survive.

Moreover, the environment’s contribution to life cannot be repaid. Besides, still what the environment has done for us, in return we only have damaged and degraded it.

FAQs about Essay on Environment

Q.1 What is the true meaning of the environment?

A.1 The ecosystem that includes all the plants, animals, birds, reptiles, insects, water bodies, fishes, human beings, trees, microorganisms and many more are part of the environment. Besides, all these constitute the environment.

Q.2 What is the three types of the environment?

A.2 The three types of environment includes the physical, social, and cultural environment. Besides, various scientists have defined different types and numbers of environment.

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Ecology: short essay on ecology.

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Read this essay to learn about Ecology !

The term “Ecology” was coined by Earnst Haeckel in 1869. It is derived from the Greek words Oikos- home + logos- study. Ecology deals with the study of organisms in their natural home interacting with their surroundings. The surroundings or environment consists of living organisms (biotic) and physical (abiotic) components.

Image Courtesy : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:European_honey_bee_extracts_nectar.jpg

Modern ecologists believe that an adequate definition of ecology must specify some unit of study and one such basic unit described by Tansley (1935) was ecosystem. According to other definition-an ecosystem is a self-regulating group of biotic communities of species interacting with one another and with their non-living environment exchanging energy and matter. Now ecology is often defined as “the study of ecosystems”.

There are many examples of ecosystems a pond, a forest, an estuary, a grassland etc. Usually the boundaries of an ecosystem are chosen for practical reasons having to do with the goals of the particular study. The study of ecosystems mainly consists of the study of certain processes that link the living, or biotic, components to the non-living, or abiotic, components.

Energy transformations and biogeochemical cycling are the main processes that comprise the field of ecosystem/ecology. We can study ecology at the level of the individual, the population, the community, and the ecosystem.

Studies of individuals are concerned mostly about physiology, reproduction, development or behaviour, and studies of populations usually focus on the habitat and resource needs of individual species, their group behaviours, population growth, and what limits their abundance or causes extinction.

Studies of communities examine how populations of many species interact with one another, such as predators and their prey, or competitors that share common needs or resources. In ecosystem, we try to focus on major functional aspects of the system.

These functional aspects include such things as the amount of energy that is produced by photosynthesis, how energy or materials flow along the many steps in a food chain, or what controls the rate of decomposition of materials or the rate at which nutrients are recycled in the system.

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• Concepts of Ecology: Structural and Functional Concept of Ecology

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An Expository Essay on Ecology and Environmental Planning

Nature as it provides resources to satisfy human needs put in place mechanisms to ensure adequate resources are provided to support the existence of organisms for the complete function of the ecosystem. The growth of human population exerts strains on natural resources. New technologies and development strategies have led to the depletion of previously reserved resources (Didem et al, 2009). Growth of human societies has led to surplus resource being converted into economic and infrastructural fortune. Ruttan (1993) in Didem et al, (2009) notes that concerns on environment and resources has progressed through three waves. There was the initial concern of quantitative interactions between resource availability and economic development. This resulted in technical advancement to increase production in the 1940s and 1950s. This transited to the period of where there was awareness on how natural resources led to limits in growth and the concern about the capacity of the environment to recycle elements in the 1960s and 1970s. There was a serious struggle of interests in the demand for services of the environment. There was also concern about ability of the ecosystem to process pollution created by commodity production and consumption. Rapid growth in per capita income also increased consumer demand for environmental services (Didem et al, 2009). As time goes by, human populations keep growing with concentrations in cities and urban areas. Growing cities impact on their surrounding sensitive ecosystems such as wetlands, forests, and mountain ecosystems. This is driven by increasing amounts of resources demand which could result in environmental degradation (UNEP, 2013). Given that ecosystems are closely connected to their environment, any environmental change may have detrimental ecological repercussions (Michaelides, 2012). The significant quantities of natural resources being consumed by cities have a major impact on the environment. The demands for environmental resources are unsustainable. Unsustainable demand need to be significantly reduced and eventually reversed (Newman and Jennings, 2008: 80). Humans interactions with the environment are naturally designed to complement one another, however, possibilities for conflict and imbalance can arise at many levels. Some environmental observers fear that the present commitment to industrial growth and technological advancements will lead to increasing environmental destruction and depletion of resource. This could eventually result in the collapse of society (Meadows, et al., 1972: 2004; Goldsmith et al., 1972). Considering how human population is growing and its consequent effect on the environment and ecosystem, there is the need to effectively manage it. This therefore calls for effective integration of environmental and ecological factors into everyday planning. Environmental and ecological planning has therefore become important to manage the effect of man’s interaction with his environment. In its broadest sense environmental planning is an attempt to balance and harmonize the activities and interactions for which man in his interest of satisfaction, has superimposed on natural environments. In a resource-constrained world, environmental and ecological planning are cornerstones of our ability to enhance and sustain the world’s environments. With growing interaction between man and the ecosystem, ecological and environmental planning has gained widespread attention in recent years. This paper therefore examines this concept in its entirety to understand what goes into it. The paper seeks to review existing works in ecology and environmental planning. This will help understand the academic and professional discourses in the field. It will also help understand and possibly contribute to current debates in the field.

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IN T H E YEAR 1800 50 mil l ion people, or 5.5% of the world's population, lived in cities. By 1990 two milliard, or 45 % of the population, lived in cities; in Europe, however, the figure in 1990 represented already 80% of the population. Similarly, one could say, the emphasis in environmental issues has moved gradually from the protection of fens and woodlands and the like, to solving the problems of the city. A t the same time, environmental problems are more and more entwined wi th the general problems of society and urban centres. As the project of industrial society changes into the project o f post-industrial society the social aims are no longer resting directly on the modern cultural project. Society appears as a difficult to manage complex entity, full o f hidden risks. There has been an enthusiasm in industrial culture for developing models o f the "ecological" or "sustainable" city, combining ecological issues w i t h societal requirements ever si...

Ecological Economics

Manfred Max-neef

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Feyisade C Adeyemi , Olusegun Falola

Introduction Our physical environment comprises of biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) components that exhibit complex interactions with one another. In the natural environment, a series of inter-dependent bio-geo-chemical processes are deployed to ensure sustainability into an indefinite future. Since the advent of the industrial revolution, however, human activities have constituted an unprecedented threat to this delicate balance of nature. The negative impacts of human’s activities in adapting natural resources to his/her needs and wants are becoming ever more alarming. On November 5, 2015, a mining dam in Brazil exploded, tons of toxic waste was released, flowing into streams, rivers and ultimately reaching the Atlantic Ocean. At least 13 people died immediately from direct impacts, many more were displaced, the devastation of local water supply and other complications is likely to lead to many more deaths, 150,000 people are now deprived of their usual source of water supply; thousands of aquatic species were reported dead in the early days of this incident, while stock taking continues (The Guardian, 2015; Aljazeera, 2015). This is a classic example of a human disaster with immediately visible effects that are well documented. However, there are much more damages being done quietly, with negative impacts visibly emerging only in the long term. The diversity of life on Earth shapes and nourishes every facet of human existence but, because these connections are seldom obvious, humans do not always know how their actions affect the environment. Many times humans pursue short-term interests with limited regard for the well-being of other species and the places they live. At the same time, social and economic inequities have forced some people to overexploit resources to meet their basic needs (Conservation International and World Wildlife Fund-US, 1999). Consequently, biodiversity is rapidly declining. If we want to ensure the long-term health of the planet, we need to develop an informed and motivated citizenry that understands what biodiversity is and why it is important. This can only be achieved through education, learning and relearning. Fortunately, efforts have been made and steps are been taken to achieve this goal. The United Nations General Assembly recently adopted the 17 point agenda of the Sustainable Development Goals in September 2015 for the fifteen-year period between 2015 and 2030. The all-embracing goals are focused on sustainable use of earth resources such as reducing the threat to biological diversity of the planet while leading to prosperity. Across the world, most countries are developing and updating their national biodiversity reports and action plans such as to generate local solutions to the global challenge of biodiversity loss. Since man is totally dependent on biological resources for his basic physiological needs, the effort to halt biodiversity loss is a battle for human survival on the planet earth and as such it cuts across all fields of human endeavour. Indeed, physical planning in the modern world is responsible for a lot of the changes that directly impact the earth and biodiversity. Therefore, there is need for physical planners to be involved in the development and implementation of a comprehensive Biodiversity Action Plan for any given country, state or local community. The aim of the chapter is to elaborate the concept of biodiversity theoretically in all its dimensions and to establish how the concept, given a core definition, is put into urban and regional planning training and practice.

Woźniak G., Sierka E., Wheeler A. (2018). Urban and Industrial Habitats: How Important They Are for Ecosystem Services. Ecosystem Services and Global Ecology, http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.75723.

Edyta Sierka

The sustainable management of natural resources can make human survival possible. Sustainable management is based on a deep understanding of the complex mechanisms of the Earth's natural ecosystems and of how those resources can be managed without compromising future benefits and availability. The sustainable management of natural

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How to become an ecologist - A New Scientist Careers Guide

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How to become an ecologist

What does an ecologist do?

Ecologists are life scientists who specialise in studying ecosystems and the relationships between organisms and environments within those ecosystems. They study ecosystems in depth to understand the way animals, plants and other living things interact and co-exist with their habitats.

Ecologists spend a lot of time studying nature, natural resources and different habitats. 

As they gain experience, they can specialise in certain types of ecology. For instance, they can study the dynamics of populations of different species within population ecology or they can work at a molecular level to try to understand an ecosystem within molecular ecology.

Some of the other specialties include behavioural ecology, ecosystem ecology, global ecology or tropical ecology. These all come with different specific tasks and responsibilities.

Furthermore, ecologists can specialise in particular ecosystems, for example forests or saltwater environments, or in a particular animal class , such as mammals or birds.

They can also choose to focus on one wildlife over others, for instance aquatic ecology (freshwater or marine), wildlife ecology and so on, as a form of subspecialty. 

Initially, most ecologists will do more general tasks like surveying and collecting biological information to better understand an ecosystem. They will also use software like geographic information systems (GIS) to record and look up various pieces of information about the environment they are studying.

Among other things, they can use this information to classify the organisms living in the ecosystem, and monitor their behaviour and relationship with the environment, and record information about different aspects of the ecosystem. The specific scientific jobs will depend on the specialty they work in.

As they progress in their career and become more senior, ecologists will often take on more managerial and leadership responsibilities, such as policy writing and making recommendations to change legislation. They can also take on more business-like jobs and be responsible for communicating their ecological findings to stakeholders and companies.

Most career paths in ecology will require an undergraduate degree in an environmental subject or one of the biological sciences. Qualifications in subjects like ecology, biology , marine biology and botany are preferred, but other related subjects such as environmental management, forestry, zoology or conservation biology can also be useful.

For some jobs within the field, a postgraduate degree, such as master’s or a PhD, is preferred or even required. This includes environmental or ecological consultancy jobs, or natural resource management roles.

You might also be able to begin a career in ecology through a college apprenticeship, for example as an environmental practitioner. However, you are likely to start in a lower responsibility position and this route is dependent on apprenticeship availability.

Within your studies, you should try to obtain practical work experience or an internship in an ecological field you are interested in. Some universities may offer help with this or even incorporate this within the curriculum. Work experience is both great on the CV and is a good way of building skills needed for a job and confidence in working in the field.

Once you start your career in ecology, you might choose to become professionally registered as a chartered ecologist (CEcol). This is done via the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM). To do this, you must be a member of CIEEM or another professional body licensed by it.

To become a chartered engineer , you will need to fulfil the education and training requirements, provide evidence of your competencies in portfolio format, and attend an interview if this is successful. This title is great proof of your expertise in the field, and will be attractive to employers.

How long does it take to become an ecologist?

Depending on the route you choose, becoming an ecologist can take three to six years.

If you opt to undertake an undergraduate degree only, this will take three years in most countries or four years in Scotland. If you add on a master’s degree, this will extend the study time by a year, while if you go for a PhD, you will study for at least three more years.

However, most PhD posts are paid, and if you are interested in an academic career in ecology this may be the route for you.

Apprenticeships usually last between one and five years depending on the level of the apprenticeship. For instance, a Level 6 degree apprenticeship in the UK usually runs for three to five years, while a Level 7 apprenticeship can be as short as one year, but usually requires graduate-level knowledge of the subject.

A day in the life of an ecologist

A day in the life of an ecologist can be very different depending on what discipline they choose to work in. Generally, ecologists work 9-5, roughly 40 hours a week. Jobs may come with some out-of-hours commitments, for instance if working in the field for prolonged time periods, but this is usually sparse.

The environment they work in can also be varied and they might move between different sites during their work day. Some jobs, such as field ecology, will require field work and travel, some may be mostly office jobs, while others can be carried out largely in a lab environment.

Ecologists may perform tasks such as surveying ecosystems using techniques like aerial monitoring, GIS or GPS to collect biological information, carrying out environmental impact assessments, helping to create new habitats and facilitating restoration projects. 

They might also participate in meetings with stakeholders or business owners, or meet government members and legal representatives to create new policies and regulations. Ecologists can also spend time addressing sustainability issues and solving environmental problems, particularly in fields like climate change ecology .

In a more academic career, they might gather data and perform data analysis to produce results. They will then interpret those results and spend time writing scientific papers and submitting them for publications.

Ecology offers a large range of work environments and responsibilities, which will vary depending on the field of ecology you work in and the job posting you take.

Ecologist: career options

There are many career options available within ecology. Ecologists can choose to specialise in one of the many available subspecialties, and they can often specialise further, for example in a specific ecosystem or environment within the subspecialty as they progress in their career.

Some of the areas of ecology you could specialise in include:

• Microbial ecology (mainly concerned with microorganisms )
• Molecular ecology (use molecular research to answer questions within different areas of ecology)
• Population ecology (dynamics of populations)
• Community ecology (studies how groups of populations interact)
• Conservation ecology (focused on protected species)
• Behavioural ecology
• Ecosystem ecology
• Climate change ecology
• Tropical ecology

Several of these areas overlap, and you may be able to move from one to another.

Furthermore, within the different areas of ecology, an ecologist can work for different organisations and take on a variety of different roles. Ecologists have roles in academia, in governments, non-governmental organisations, companies and other businesses.

Within these organisations, ecologists can take on roles such as ecological consultant, field research ecologist, ecological manager (or planning ecologist) or ecological researcher.

Altogether, the career options within ecology are abundant and diverse, and it is a good idea to scope out what you like during your studies to be better prepared for job applications.

How much does an ecologist get paid in the UK and the US?

A junior ecologist, for example in the role of an assistant ecologist, will receive between £18,000 and £22,000 per year in the UK. In more senior positions, ecologists can earn up to £45,000 a year.

This may vary depending on your subspecialty and role, your employer and your location. It can also vary depending on the project you are doing. 

In the US, the salary of an ecologist is typically between $63,331 and $79,115 per year. This can vary largely depending on the employer, seniority and time working in the company, and geographical location .

You may be able to supplement your salary with freelance work, by taking on extra managerial roles or by adding teaching roles if you are involved in academia.

• Conservation careers. How to become an ecologist. Available from: https://www.conservation-careers.com/how-to-become-an-ecologist/#What_does_an_ecologist_do (accessed Jun 2024).
• GO Construct. Ecologist. Available from: https://www.goconstruct.org/construction-careers/what-jobs-are-right-for-me/ecologist/#what-does (Accessed Jun 2024)
• Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM). Apprenticeships. Available from: https://cieem.net/i-want-to-be/how-to-become-an-eem/vocational-routes/apprenticeships/ (Accessed Jun 2024)
• Society for the Environment. Environmental apprenticeships. Available from: https://socenv.org.uk/apprenticeships/ (Accessed Jun 2024)
• Forestry England. Job role: ecologist. Available from: https://www.forestryengland.uk/article/ecologist (Accessed Jun 2024)
• National Careers Service. Ecologist. Available from: https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/ecologist (Accessed Jun 2024)
• Salary.com. Ecologist salary in the United States. Available from: https://www.salary.com/research/salary/listing/ecologist-salary (Accessed Jun 2024)

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Political Ecology in Romantic and Victorian Textual Material

Population and production are two terms used to characterize the nineteenth century in Great Britain. For example, the population in England more than doubled by the end of the century due to improving hygiene (i.e., hygeia ), increasing birth rate, declining mortality rate (e.g., medical advances), and prosperity. Public health led to a greater commonwealth. The rise of the Industrial Revolution through factories, transportation (e.g., railway), and the synchronization of time stoked the great migration from agrarian to industrial centers. Would the population outstrip production? How could production evolve to keep up with the rising population? Thomas Malthus theorized about these two factors in An Essay on the Principle of Population (1798) and Principles of Political Ecology (1820), encouraging abstinence to curtail population growth among other principles. As Alan MacFarlane’s “The Malthusian Trap” (2005) argues, “Malthus wrote before the huge resources of energy for humankind locked up in coal and then oil became widely available. For a while, from the middle of the nineteenth century, it looked as if the Malthusian trap was no longer operative. A combination of science (in particular chemistry) and of new resources had made it possible to more than double production in each generation.” [1]

The delicate balance between population and production has been evident since Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1818) and The Last Man (1826), Charles Dickens’s Hard Times (1854), and Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1897) (i.e., Marx’s vampire metaphor to signify capitalism, Das Kapital , 1867) among other texts. What are the consequences if population exceeds production? Checks arise whether due to disease (e.g., typhus or cholera), famine (e.g., Irish potato famine), and disaster (e.g., Tambora, 1815; Hekla, 1845; Krakatoa 1883). In the case of the 1815 Tambora eruption resulting in global climatic change for several years after the initial eruption, British parliament was confronted with the dilemma of whether to purchase the Parthenon marbles from Lord Elgin for £35,000 or divert funds for famine relief in Ireland due to the inclement weather, poor harvest, and typhus outbreak. What if production exceeds population growth? Great supply and low demand result in deflationary pressure, inducing lower consumption, recession, and even economic turmoil (e.g., 1825, 1836–1838, 1873–96) as chronicled in Charles Dickens’s Bleak House (1852), George Eliot’s Mill on the Floss (1860), and Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the D’Ubervilles (1891).

The panel invites proposals on the fusion of human ecology and political economy across the 19th century in textual material focusing on circumstances related to: the Malthusian trap; Ecology of Disaster; Politics of Disease; Procreation vs. Production; Political Economy of Sex and Population; Historical Marxist Materialism and Labor, etc.

For consideration, please submit an abstract (300 word limit) and biography (100 word limit). The first link is to the NeMLA online submission system. An account will need to be created with a user name and password: https://www.cfplist.com/nemla/Home/Login . The next link is to the panel portal to submit the title, abstract, biography, and any media needs: https://cfplist.com/nemla/Home/S/21019 . The deadline for online submissions will be September 30, 2024 .  

If you have any questions, feel free to contact the panel organizer Dewey W. Hall, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona at [email protected] . 

[1] Maureen McLane, “Malthus Our Contemporary?” in Marking Time: Romanticism and Evolution (Toronto: Toronto Press, 2017), 124–5. Darcy Tetreault, “Three Forms of Political Ecology,” Ethics & Environment (2017).