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Introduction to Ecology and Environment for IAS

The below article deals with the introduction to environment and ecology, the graphical representation of the terminologies, and their significance.

The vocabulary is a set of words represented in a regional language. They usually develop and use fundamental communication concepts to acquire knowledge. One of the essential terminologies we often hear during global warming is the introduction to environment and ecology. The observation and analyses of graphical representation ensure the importance of an introduction to environment and ecology. Thus, the environment and ecology consist of many lists of abiotic factors and biotic factors. As environment and ecology terminologies play a vital role, analysing them using graphical representation is always suggested, saving the ecology.

Introduction to Environment and Ecology

The introduction to environment and ecology terminologies plays an important role. The environment is a condition that influences and affects the development and sustainability of all living organisms on the earth’s surface. The term environment consists of all living and nonliving organisms that occur naturally. The term primarily refers to the earth’s parts that interact with the climate, organisms, weather, and resources, affecting economic and human activity.

It consists of an ecological system that includes all microorganisms, vegetation, atmosphere, soil, and other natural phenomena. 

Ecology is the study of an organism’s inter-relationship related to its physical and chemical surroundings. The ecology depicts the functional and structural unit of the environment. It consists of a community of organisms and a list of abiotic factors that interact with each other during their energy cycle.

Organisms, environments, and ecology are interrelated to each other. If any chains get affected, the whole atmosphere will be in danger. It is vital to understand the environment for the survival of the fittest.

The constant increase in human population status has led to deforestation, excess usage of resources, and pollution destroying the natural ecology. It makes the people aware of the introduction to environment and ecology for IAS terminologies.

Terminologies and Graphical Representation

It is a way of analysing the data numerically. They exhibit the relationship between the ideas, data, and concepts via a diagram. There are species in endangered surroundings, and making them countable graphical representations is one of the easiest ways to exhibit the rescue methods.

Introduction to Ecology

Ecology studies organisms’ interaction with their biotic and abiotic surroundings. Odum, the Father of modern ecology, states that Ecology is the study of the functions and structure of ecosystems. Reiter first used the term ecology, and Ernst Haeckel coined it. 

Based on the ecosystem, the ecology was classified into two divisions.

Autecology: It deals with organisms, their adaptations, and their interactions with their surroundings.

Synecology: It deals with studying diverse species that live in a community and interact with the circumstances. Synecology is further classified into terrestrial and aquatic ecology.

Aquatic Ecology: Deals with aquatic organisms, e.g., Marine, freshwater, etc.

Terrestrial Ecology: Deals with the terrestrial microorganisms, e.g., Desert and forests.

System Ecology: Deals with the branch of ecology that takes benefits of modern technology to understand the ecosystem.

Gynaecology: Deals with the genetic factor and their variation.

Applied Ecology: Deals with the conservation of economic advantages of species.

Abiotic Factors: Abiotic factors or components are non-living organisms that comprise the ecology’s physical parts.

List of Abiotic Factors

  • Temperature

It is an essential abiotic factor that ranges from zero stage in polar regions. It also affects the kinetic and metabolic psychological factors.

Eurythermal: Organisms that tolerate a wide range of temperatures.

Stenothermal: Organisms that take a narrow range of temperature.

  • Water

Water plays an important role in all living creatures’ life. Various conditions such as pH and chemical composition are water sources, and the water salinity is different from its occurrence.

Euryhaline – Organisms that tolerate wide salinities

Stenohaline – Organisms that take narrow salinities.

  • Light

Sunlight is the main energy source for the earth’s surface and acts as a driving force for ecology. Light converts light energy into chemical energy by the process of photosynthesis.

  • Soil 

The different environments have diverse qualities of the soil, and it is due to the weathering and biological and climatic conditions.

It is essential to know how living organisms collaborate with adverse environmental situations.

  • They regulate through osmoregulation and thermoregulation to maintain a constant temperature and osmotic pressure.
  • They are poikilotherms that adapt to the environment to extreme conditions.
  • Organisms migrate from one place to another in search of food and environmental conditions.
  • Cold-blooded animals’ suspension makes them ready to survive hot and cold conditions.

Conclusion

Environment and ecology play a significant role in providing healthy life on the earth’s surface. It is a habitat for various living organisms such as air, water, food, and other aspects. Therefore, every individual needs to save and protect our environment. The observation and analyses of graphical representation ensure the importance of an introduction to environment and ecology. The ecology depicts the functional and structural unit of the domain. It is essential to know how living organisms collaborate with adverse environmental situations.

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Frequently asked questions

Get answers to the most common queries related to the UPSC Examination Preparation.

What is Euryhaline?

Answer. Euryhaline are organisms that tolerate wide salinities.

Write about the classification of ecology?

Answer. Based on the ecosystem, the ecology was classified into two divisions. Autecology:...Read full

Define ecology?

Answer. Ecology is the study of an organism’s inter-relationship related to its physical and chemical surround...Read full

What are the effects on the human population?

Answer. The constant increase in human population status has led to deforestation, excess usage of resources, and po...Read full