Environment And Its Basic Study

We often use the term “environment” in several ways, but what exactly does this term mean? 

This term relates to the French word, Environ, which means everything surrounding us. It does not limit air, water, plants, or humans but buildings, lakes, rivers, mountains, animals, birds, and even microorganisms. It is the space with both biotic and abiotic factors, coexisting in harmony and exhibiting different forms of relationship. 

The basic concept of environment is a vast subject that covers almost everything we can see. Therefore, the below discussion will focus on different components of the environment, ecology, ecosystem, their relational behavior, and following such aspects at a glance. 

The components of the environment- types and definitions 

There are four basic components of environment representing atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere and biosphere. Following is a brief description of these components for your better understanding. 

• Atmosphere 

The atmosphere is the most important component of environment as it protects the earth from everything present in space, including sun rays, cosmic rays, and more. It also consists of several gases, the two most important compounds being oxygen and carbon dioxide needed to survive lifeforms on earth. 

• Hydrosphere 

From the name itself, you can understand that the hydrosphere comprises every form of water on this earth. It includes the oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, streams, waterfalls, glaciers, icebergs, ponds, and more. The hydrosphere is the largest habitat as different water bodies have so many forms of life, starting from the octopus and whales in the oceans to the small fishes in rivers and algae in ponds. 

• Lithosphere

The lithosphere is one of the most important basic components of environment that signifies rocks. Everything is considered within the lithosphere from mineral deposits in coal and iron mines to the black soil in the western part of India. It also includes ores, gems, rocks, different types of soils, and more that mainly form various landforms. 

• Biosphere 

Earth is said to be the only planet to have life due to the presence of the biosphere. It includes every life form, from single-cellular organisms (bacteria and virus) to multicellular organisms (fungi, plants, mammals, birds, and more). The biosphere is divided into five kingdoms- monera, protista, fungi, Plantae, and animal. 

Ecology and its relation to environment

To understand how the living forms survive and continue to evolve, it is crucial to know more about the basic concepts of ecology and environment. 

Every life form depends on the environment for its survival, be it for food, air, water, or habitat. Due to different species coexisting together, there is always competition. Different organisms of the same species or different organisms from other species fight amongst themselves to get the best chance at survival. This entire theory forms the basis of evolution since Darwin said that it is the “SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST ” that will determine the continuation of the race with changing environmental components. 

The study of the relationship between organisms of the same or different species and belonging to different spheres of the environment is termed ecology. It involves the study of different types of ecological relationships that exist between different life forms like:

1. Mutualism is considered a mutual relationship that exists between different lifeforms in the same sphere. For example, carnivores like lions, tigers, and even wolves coexist together with a mutual understanding between them. 
2. Commensalism is an ecological relationship where one life form benefits from the other, but the second species neither gains nor loses something. 
3. Symbiosis exists between two organisms where a bigger life form will provide protection and shelter to the lower-class organism. The receiver will give food or offer other benefits. 
4. Parasitism is the most toxic ecological relationship where one organism will always be on the receiving side while causing harm to the host. 

Ecosystem- a brief definition

On the other hand, an ecosystem is defined as an area where biotic and abiotic components thrive together and form a harmonious relationship with each other. The biotic factors include every living being, starting from microorganisms to plants, while the abiotic factors focus on air, land, temperature, soil form, and so on. 

There are different types of ecosystems in the environment that can be clearly understood with the below examples: 

• Terrestrial ecosystem: Comprises of land organisms, plants, air, and water
• Forest ecosystem: Includes large plants, insects, birds, reptiles, mammals, air, sunlight, fungi, and more
• Marine and freshwater ecosystem: Defines the habitat of the hydrosphere  
• Desert ecosystem: Comprises of sand, air, low humidity, cactus, camels, and more

Relation between ecology and ecosystem

Ecology is the study of the environment and how the components behave with each other. On the other hand, the ecosystem is the subpart of ecology, where each ecosystem is considered a unit. For example, the marine and freshwater ecosystems together help in the study of the hydrosphere. Similarly, terrestrial and desert ecosystems are considered for studying the lithosphere. 

Conclusion

Environmental study is a growing concept in today’s time for understanding the interactions between different components, life forms, biotic and abiotic factors, and more. It covers everything, starting with water to the plant species present in a certain forest on earth. With proper study about the environment, one can understand how the organisms survive with each other in different ecological systems and allow the researchers and experts to focus on ecological balance and diversity. This is why having basic ideas of the environment is crucial for everyone.