Tree leaves
Definition of the environment

The environment

The environment in the language of science is the group of biological, chemical and physical elements that surround the organism or a group of organisms and affect the existence and survival.
Ecology is one of the branches of biology, and is specialized in studying the interrelationship between living organisms themselves, and between living organisms, factors and non-living organisms that surround them and affect their existence and distribution.

Components of environment

The environment is influenced by a range of factors or components, including biotic and non-biological factors:
  • Abiotic factors: Include physical and chemical factors such as temperature, salinity, pH, soil, sunlight, climate and other factors.
  • Biotic factors: They include organisms that interact with each other and are divided into:
     * Producers: organisms that manufacture their own food in a process called photosynthesis, examples of producers, plants and algae that contain pigments such as chlorophyll dye, dyes absorb sunlight and use them to incorporate carbon dioxide in the atmosphere with water absorbed by the plant from the soil, vtholh to organic materials such as starch and cellulose, Photosynthesis transforms the energy of sunlight into energy stored in chemical bonds with oxygen; that energy produce a secondary product, and it is the direct and indirect source of energy Which provides energy for all living organisms in the ecosystem, other examples are some bacteria that live on the bottom of the oceans where hot water flows. These bacteria use heat to convert hydrogen sulfide gas into a food. This process is called chemosynthesis.
         * Consumers: organisms that cannot make their own food and get the energy they need to feed on plants or animals, including living organisms that feed on dead organisms, and the residues of organisms.
         * Decomposers: organisms that moulder complex organic compounds in the bodies of dead creatures into simpler molecules, and benefit from the energy produced by decomposition (and do not devour the dead creatures directly).

  •  Lithosphere: The outer shell that surrounds the globe, and provides living organisms with soil, minerals, and other elements.
  • Hydrosphere: A part of the globe that contains water, including lakes, rivers, oceans and others.
  • The atmosphere: A layer of air and gases extending from the Earth's surface to several kilometers above it.
  • Biosphere: It means all living organisms that exist in both the Lithosphere, water and atmosphere.

Levels of environment

Scientists divided the environment into several levels, namely:
  • Individual: Any organism of a certain species, such as a human being, a cat, and others.
  • Community: A group of individuals of the same species living in a particular area.
  • Vital community: A group of organisms that belong to different species and live together in a particular area, and are linked by different relationships:
              * Competition: A relationship between organisms that seek the same limited resources.
               * Predation: A relationship between a predator that feeds on another organism (prey).
                * Mutualism: A relationship between two types of living organisms that benefits both sides, such as the growth of a fungus on the roots of plants, the fungi provide the roots with water, and the plant provides the fungus with food. 
                * Coexistence: A relationship between two types of organisms, one of which benefits one, while the other does not benefit and is not affected, such as some species of bacteria that live in the human body, derive from the food, while not benefiting the human and not affected.

  •  Ecosystem: a specific area containing living organisms (of different types), and nonliving components affect each other and can ecosystem to be a small garden house, or great continent like Australia.


Branches of Ecology

The main branches of ecology include:
  • Physiological ecology: examines the effect of living and non-living environmental factors on the physiology of the organism and its adaptation with its environment.
  • Behavioral ecology: examines the environmental basis of animal behavior, and the role of behavior in animal adaptation to its environment.
  • Ecology of populations or groups: looking at the dynamics or movements of groups and their interaction with different environmental conditions.
  • Ecology of communities: looking at interactions and relationships among different species in a single society.
  • Environmental Systems Science: Examines the path of energy and material transfer in ecosystems.
  • Environmental Ecology: Examines human health issues related to environmental disorders.
  • Landscape Ecology: examines the spatial elements of the landscape, human influence and disorders on them.
  • Global Environment: Examines environmental issues around the world.
  • Ecology and linguistics: examines the relationship between language and environment.

Environmental problems

The most important problems facing the environment include:
  • Pollution: Water, air, and soil pollution.
  • Global warming: leads to ocean warming, melting of glaciers; leading to sea level rise.
  • Explosion or overcrowding: The increase in population leads to a shortage of natural resources, excessive use of chemical fertilizers, and pesticides in agricultural operations.
  • Depletion of natural resources, including sources of fossil fuels.
  • Increase the volume of waste, including nuclear and electronic waste, as well as plastic and other waste that must be disposed of in safe ways.
  • Loss of biodiversity: Human activities destroy the natural habitats of many species, leading to extinction.
  • Deforestation: Increasing demand for food and shelter leads to cut down trees, and thus affects the level of oxygen in the atmosphere.
  • Ocean acidification: The acidity of the oceans increases as a result of the excessive production of carbon dioxide, which affects plankton and oysters, making their shells fragile.
  • Ozone depletion: Excessive use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) causes ozone depletion, which acts as an insulating layer to prevent harmful UV radiation from reaching the Earth's surface.

References

  1. Environment", www.britannica.com.
  2. "Ecology", www.newworldencyclopedia.org.
  3. "Biotic Factors",www.encyclopedia.com.
  4. "Natural Environment", www.learnapt.com.
  5. "Ecological levels: from individuals to ecosystems", www.khanacademy.org.
  6. "interactions in communities", www.khanacademy.org.
  7. "Environmental Problems", www.conserve-energy-future.com.