What is Environmental Science?

The study of the effects of natural and unnatural processes, and of

interactions of the physical components of the planet on the environment.
The field of science that studies the interactions of the physical, chemical, and
biological components of the environment and also the relationships and
effects of these components with the organisms in the environment.
The field of environmental science can be divided into three main goals, which
are to learn how the natural world works, to understand how we as humans
interact with the environment, and also to determine how we affect the
environment. The third goal of determining how humans affect the
environment also includes finding ways to deal with these effects on the
environment.
What is Ecology?
The branch of biology that deals with the relations of organisms to one
another and to their physical surroundings.
Includes the study of interactions organisms have with each other, other
organisms, and with abiotic components of their environment.
Ecology is not synonymous with environment, environmentalism, natural
history, or environmental science. It is closely related to evolutionary biology,
genetics, and ethology.
Ecosystems are composed of dynamically interacting parts including
organisms, the communities they make up, and the non-living components of
their environment. Ecosystem processes, such as primary production,
pedogenesis, nutrient cycling, and various niche construction activities,
regulate the flux of energy and matter through an environment.
The Three Branches of ECOLOGY
1. Biological Sciences is an exciting and rapidly developing subject area. The study of
living things has undergone tremendous expansion in recent years, and topics such
as cell biology, neuroscience, evolutionary biology and ecology are advancing rapidly.
The rapid expansion has been accompanied by a blurring of the distinctions between
disciplines: a biologist with an interest in tropical plants may well use many of the
tools and techniques that are indispensable to a molecular geneticist.
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms,
including their structure, function, growth, evolution, distribution, identification and
taxonomy.
The Branches of Biological Science
Agricultural science encompasses the study of production techniques,
agricultural systems, minimizing the effects of pests, improving productivity
and food production and demand. This area includes the development of
drought-resistant crops, new pesticides, soil degradation and waste
management.
Anatomy is the study of the body plans of different organisms. The study of
human anatomy is very important to the branches of medicine. This branch of
biology includes dissections of different species to learn more about them, the
study of how environmental and biological factors affect different species and
the study of different biological systems. Most students in the medical field
must take human anatomy courses.
Genetics focuses on the study of genes, heredity and variations of different
organisms. Students in genetics learn about the structures of genes, gene

behavior and gene distribution among other topics. Genetic research also
includes studying various diseases and the effects they have on different
genes.
Biochemistry includes the study of chemical processes within living
organisms. It is closely related to molecular biology. Students in this field
study the human metabolism and the structure of cells.
Botany is the study of plant biology. Botanists learn about plant structure,
reproduction, development, diseases, and evolutionary relationships.
Zoology is focused around the study of animal biology. Zoologists discover
the structure, evolution, classification, and habits of animals. They may focus
on species preservation or the effects of habitat destruction.
2. Physical Science is the systematic study of the inorganic world, as distinct from the
study of the organic world, which is the province of biological science. Physical
science is ordinarily thought of as consisting of four broad areas: astronomy, physics,
chemistry, and the Earth sciences. Physical Science ultimately derive from the
rationalistic materialism that emerged in classical Greece, itself an outgrowth of
magical and mythical views of the world.
The Branches of Physical Science