The surroundings in which we live forms our environment. This includes our home, our school and all the people, animals and plants that live around us.
Our environment also includes the air around us and the soil where plants grow. Every animal and plant has its own environment. The science that deals with the study of our environment is known as ecology. People who study them are called ecologists.
Ecologists study how animals and plants interact with each other and with the non-living elements of their environment. It is necessary to know these things in order to conserve wildlife in nature reserves. Through this, we can assess how human activities are affecting nature. Our natural environment is being spoilt by industrial wastes in the form of smoke and harmful chemicals. This is called pollution. We should be careful of our environment and save it from pollution.
Ecology and environment
Environment refers to the external conditions or surroundings in which a plant or an animal lives. These surroundings determine the development and behaviors of a living being. For example, lotus and water-lily are specially designed by nature to live in water. They cannot survive anywhere else. They need aquatic conditions to grow and develop.
Ecology is the science that studies the behavior of plants and animals in particular environmental conditions. Ernest Haeckel (1834 -1919), a German biologist, first introduced this term. Ecology is derived from a
Greek word ‘Oikos’ which means ‘a place to live in’.
Human environment
Human beings are one of the most important components of the environment. They are known to frequently change their environment according to the changes in their way of life. They use the natural resources in a very unplanned way.
They seldom think about the future effects while using the natural resources.
As compared to human beings, animals are much more responsible. They live in integrity and do not change their environment too frequently.
They rather adapt themselves according to the environmental conditions. The study of human behaviors with respect to his environment is known as human ecology.
Studying the environment
Scientists who study the environment are known as ecologists. They take different measurements and make their own observations as a part of their study.
An environmentalist studying nature andits life forms.
On the basis of their measurements and observations, they can understand the behavior of different animals with respect to their environment. The job of an ecologist is, basically, to understand how various kinds of natural processes work.
