Ecology which is a Greek word is defined as a scientific study of the relations or interactions between the organisms and their environment. Ecology also involves the study of ecosystems which is the science dealing with the network of interaction between organisms at different scales of organization. Since ecology involves all forms of biodiversity, the ecologists have therefore carried extensive research involving the smallest organisms as well as the biggest ones in the bid to better understand the environment (Nash Roderick 1989 2-3). The global flux of the atmospheric gases, are also part of ecology. These gases which are very significant to the general characteristics of the environment are usually regulated by the gases emitted or taken in the organisms during the respiration or photosynthesis processes.
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Human beings have always endeavored to understand their environment better so as to comfortably live in it. Ecology which is a young discipline the field of environmental science was developed in the nineteenth century from the natural sciences. However ecology is not much similar to the other studies in environmental science since it’s more related to the disciplines of evolution, physiology, genetics as well as the general behavior of organisms in response to their environment. Through ecology, human beings have been able to understand the environment in a better way than before. Ecology helps us to understand the life processes of organisms as well as their adaptation mechanisms, and their distribution and number (Nash Roderick 1989 8-9). Movement of materials and energy from one stage to the other through the environment, and the patterns in development and succession in ecosystems are all understood and appreciated through the study of ecology.
According to Carson, R., A (2000 21-30) the science of ecology has brought more understanding in most of the global processes form the marine and terrestrial habitats to the individual inter-specific interactions with the environment. It has also shown useful application in several fields like conservation biology such as the management of wetlands, management of natural resources. Moreover, ecology has brought better understanding and proper problem solving in community health as well as providing conceptual framework for understanding and researching human social interaction. It’s usually distinguished from natural history since natural history deals with the descriptive study of organisms. I therefore tend to believe that the continued insights of ecology into nature have made it possible to achieve a satisfactory balance between human progress and protection of the environment.
How ecological insights of into nature have made it possible to achieve a satisfactory balance between human progress and protection of the environment.
The environment is usually interlinked with ecology in many different ways. Basically the environment which is the living place for all organisms, explains all the factors and scales of life that are external to the organism. These factors include the ambiotic factors such as temperature, climate, radiation, chemistry and geology as well as the biotic factors such as the genes, cells, and members of same or different species who share the same environment. On the other side ecology is concerned with biological relations of organisms and how they relate with the environment. Ecological studies focuses on environmental factors like the chemistry, temperature pressure and energy which are very important in environmental management. (Goodland, R. 1990 5-7). The laws and principles of thermodynamics which controls most of the environmental principles are also obeyed in ecosystem processes which make ecology to be very important in understanding and managing the environment for the purpose of peaceful coexistence with human beings.
Environmental and ecological reactions are habitually studied through manageable parts, though the when these issues of the environment are understood they are then linked together again as a holocoenotic system (White-Stevens, Robert 1972 17-21). This implies that the change of one of the ecological or environmental factors can result to change in the state of the entire ecosystem. Though ecology involves so many studies on issues affecting the environment, it is different from the other environmental studies since its one of the few academic disciplines dedicated to the mechanistic complications of the ecosystems and the metaphysical hierarchy where the cause mechanisms of the larger systems are understood without referring to the mechanisms of the smaller systems. Some of the metaphysical aspects observed in the environment are the increases, in the outer skins of certain seeds or small insects when their existence has been threatened due to excessive predation. These environmental adaptations in certain insects ensure continued existence of these species.
Nature’s relationship with society and history together with the knowledge of human beings shows many indications that the relation has really gone through many phases with the latest phase being the threatening global environmental crisis (Carson, R., A 2000 21-30). This phase of balances between the human progress and the environmental protection represents a significant progress in our understanding of nature. This understanding has been shown by the extensive dialogue among relevant disciplines as well as the recommendable empirical studies being conducted in the ecological field. Environmental history should be given the pride of place within this large field of the current environmental studies.
The current awareness in environmental destruction has been the source of great concern in ecology. Many colleges have now than before introduced extensive studies on the earth’s world ecological systems. This has equipped more individuals with the needed skills in assessing environmental parameters. For instance St josephs College in china has started studies bioremediation which is the study of plants that take up pollutants from the water and soil hence helping in cleaning up the atmosphere. More studies elsewhere have focused on ecotoxicology which is the study of harmful biological effects of specific pollutants or combination of pollutants that are usually discharged into the environment. This study has given insights on the effect of cocktail and other contaminants discharge to the rivers and other waters. According to Europa publications (2001 70-71), the study has therefore provided new approaches in controlling effluents and therefore saving the aquatic life as well as providing more clean water for the human consumption. Extensive research has focused on the complex chemical and biological processes influencing the toxicity of ammonia to fish and other aquatic life so as to develop standards of practical control for their protection.
However the achievement of a balance between human progress and environmental protection is not an easy task though ecology has really helped in achieving the standards. Some of the measures that have been proposed by the environmentalists are use of electric vehicles as a method of road transport that would reduce pollution by air by the nitrogen oxides carbon dioxide and particulates associated with conventional car exhaust (Europa publications 2001 70-72). Ecologists have also studied the reasons leading to extinction of certain plants and animal species and also given appropriate advice so as to protect them. Human activities like agricultural expansion and deforestation in such for farming and settlement land have made the efforts of environment management even more complicated. However the increased people’s knowledge on the good farming methods and the dangers of deforestation has made them more cautious in protecting the environment.
According to Goodland Robert (1990 139-141), ecologists and development agencies have defined biological diversity as encompassing the genetic diversity within species, the types or variety of ecosystems as well as the number of different species in an area. Biological diversity has gained familiarity to the scientist and the policy makers although its definition is subjective and depends on the user. However, world conservation strategy by referring to living resources has the best definition for biodiversity as used in the protection of environment. Living resource conservation encompasses the preservation of genetic diversity as well as promoting the sustainable use of species and their ecosystems
Conservation of biological diversity and still maintaining human development is a global problem that has continued affecting all species not forgetting human beings. For instance the current rate of destruction of the tropical forest in search for fuel and shifting agriculture can only be controlled through the most conservative estimates of the current biodiversity (Goodland Robert 1990 140-142). Ecologists and conservationist have in the recent past advanced their awareness in the ecological, economical and aesthetic need of protecting biological diversity. This awareness which has been noted in the last 15 years has gained the acknowledgement of the international development community programs. This knowledge in ecology has created more awareness to the developing nations as well as the multilateral and bilateral donor institutions which have then appreciated that sustainable economic development is directly dependent on the conservation and good use of the natural resources.
However it has been slow for the ecologist and environmental conservationist to realize that the biodiversity found in domestic and wild plants as well as in the animal resources is necessary for continued development and that it should be maintained in all places. There have also been events that have illustrated the emerging appreciation that biological diversity conservation is related to general human welfare and economic developments in the world. In order to conserve biological resources we should conserve more natural habitats and also manage those that already exist. In the same efforts we should also increased production of food and fuel wood on the already cleared land so as to minimize pressure and mineral exhaustion on the remaining wild areas (Goodland Robert 1990 140-142).
Ecological services such as soil and water regulation are also maintained through conservation of biological diversity. In July 1986 the World Bank adopted an environmental conservation policy that directed the bank to fund projects on already disturbed lands and to moderate the use of these lands by funding the preservation of ecologically similar areas (Rubin, C 1999 240-243). All these conservational measured have been facilitated by the improved understanding of nature through ecological studies. These measures are aimed at achieving and maintaining a satisfactory balance between the human activities in development and good environmental preservation measures. Despite the current advances in environmental protection the
Ecology analysis has also led to the ecological accounting which has enabled human beings to determine environmental effects in terms of money. According to Schaltegger, and Burritt (2000 230-232), ecological accounting has adapted the primary fundamentals of management accounting to management of environmental information. It’s usually concerned with the activities, methods and systems that are applied in the recording and analyzing as well as reporting the consequences of a certain economic activity on the natural environmet. This study has shed more light on production sites, plants and companies. There is also the internal ecological accounting which has provided ecological knowledge necessary for the internal management purposes. This accounting is similar to the old traditional methods used to inform the managers about the environmental impacts of their companies.
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Internal ecological accounting has been confirmed to be a very crucial precondition when dealing with environment management measure. This accounting is also necessary for the external accounting. External ecological accounting and reporting has taken in account the information requirements of the external stakeholders in protection of the environment. Moreover the lenders, insurance companies and investors require sensible management of the environmental risks while the governments are concerned with regulations of environment management (Schaltegger, and Burritt 2000 230-231). Unlike the perception of many people, ecological accounting in not only used by few companies and individuals who have necessary resources to carry out experiments but its used in many parts of the world. Environmental laws and regulations have also been put in place in countries like us, Europe and other parts of the world which have created a new area of substance accounting as a foundation for monitoring reports that the companies have to submit.
Over the last two decades, the average internal cost of environment related impacts has been increasing at a an alarming rate while the average cost of environmental emission accounting and the reduction cost have reduced during the same period. This has then resulted to an increase in the relative value of environmental impacts information but the information on technology has led to reduced costs in reducing environmental impacts. Recent argument about sustainable ecological development suggests that the environmental impacts of companies could require a separate accounting system which would also imply that other issues like the social impact of companies could require special accounting system. However the ecological accounting that has been in use has shown great help in the companies’ efforts to protect the environment by carrying their activities in environmental friendly ways (Schaltegger, and Burritt 2000 233-234). This therefore implies that this type of ecological accounting is already well established and shows much practical importance than social accounting.
According to Gunderson & Holling (2008 149), the advent of new ecology if often indicated in recent social sciences and legal literature, although most of the insights into the behavior of systems away from the normal ranges is not a new phenomena. On the other hand the old ecology was involved with those systems that are headed for equilibrium. Climax was then determined by the signature of environmental driving forces, such as water and nutrient availability, soil type rainfall and the like. The size and structure of ecosystems as well as their components has been set by the thermodynamics and predictable organizational features of biotic communities. Research has indicated that ecological problems and mostly induced by a disturbance from the equilibrium which is mostly caused by the human activities (Gunderson & Holling 2002 149). These findings have helped environmental scientist to deal with these ecological problems and enhance the environmental protection.
Management of these ecological problems would be easier if the renewable resource systems would have well described and defined properties like the sigmoid growth curves. This would enable the scientists to generate short cycle production function for ecosystem goods and services. These functions would then be managed to get the best results in yields. This way, ecological and political issues will be easily separable as well as manageable so as to give the best results in sustained environmental protection. However some new insights in ecology claim that chaos, contingency and disorganization, where disorganization represents more subtle, organized, complexities in natural systems cannot be manageable (Gunderson & Holling p.150). Studies in ecology have also shown that the environmental changes are not continuous or gradual but they are episodic and critical processes in which structural ecosystems take place at radically different rates covering vast environments.
Ecology and epidemiology have also developed a set of theoretical tools approaches in mathematical modeling which have helped us to understand the primary characteristics of the infection agents in ecosystem (Sagarin & Taylor 2008 190). One of the great problems of social sciences in environmental issues however has been to find the correct scale of adaptation and nature management. The existence of these scales is also not known. The importance of this problem in environmental management has been enhanced by the attention to scale in natural systems. Some decisions have therefore been left to communities or individuals depending on who has the best information on the issue. This therefore means that both ecological scale and social scale have been crucial in the balance between environment management as well as human development.
Conclusion
With the current necessity to conserve the environment and the human need for development, both of which are equally important, it therefore becomes clear that human beings must look for ways of balancing the two. Human activities in his daily development have continued to impact negatively of the environment leading to unpredictable and disastrous natural happenings. These environmental reactions against the human activities have in turn greatly affected the human efforts towards development. These challenges have then resulted to extensive studies and research on the entire universe so as to understand the world and take the appropriate measures towards controlling them. Many scientific studies in biology and environment have been and still are carried out to ensure human development as well as a protected environment. Ecological science is one of the studies in environment that has brought great knowledge and understanding of the environment and therefore promoting the balance between human development and environmental protection (Evans, David. 1999 57-59)
According to Naess & Rothenberg (1990 39-40), Ecology comprises a great deal of natural science that has helped us to understand the atmosphere though is should not however be considered as a universal science. When looking at the relations and interactions between organisms and their environments there are many aspects of their separateness that are not put into account. In ecologism therefore we find excessive universalization or generalization of ecological concepts. Ecological movements have therefore presented human beings with great technical recommendations in reforms. Some of these recommendations are in technical abatement of pollution and reduced consumption in the third world countries. The deep movement of providing environmentally friendly actions is global and should actually not be left for ecologists but for all people. In order to achieve and maintain a satisfactory progress in environmental protection every human being should take initiative in conserving the environment.
In order to sustain this balance between environment protection and environmental management, the ecologist should also work with the public sector managers and the policy makers so as to provide them with scientific expertise necessary in making on ecological and environmental issues (Nash Roderick 1989 p.343). For this to be possible there is need for an amicable relationship between the ecologists and the policy makers which will be facilitated by their common goal in protecting the environment. The measurement of environmental resource value had been largely left to the economist but now the ecologists are also involved in these evaluations which have resulted to more effective decisions in environmental management.
Generally the most challenging problems that are facing the modern societies are related to the consequences of interaction between the people and the environment (National Research Council U.S2009 1-7). Through ecology, human beings have been able to understand the way in which the humans’ social and economic systems interact with the environmental systems. This understanding has been crucial in achieving sustained development. The evolving concept of sustainable development is the main cause for new approaches in environmental policy and management of ecosystem. This concept together with insights in ecology has seen significant improvements in sustained development over the last three decades.
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