Ecology and Built Environment

Elective II
Autonomous semester VIII
Introduction to Ecology & Ecosystem Services

1. What is ecology?
2. How is the field of ecology organised?
3. How does ecology relate to other biological sciences?
4. How are ecology and environmental science related?
5. What benefits and services do we derive from healthy, functioning ecosystems?

Group Activity -

Assessing the Value of Ecosystem Services

• Compose a list of resources that are provided by ecosystems to humanity;

• Assess which resources are not ecosystem services, explaining the rationale for excluding these
resources;
• Explain how ecosystems produce each of the listed resources; and
• Explain how depletion of this ecosystem service would be costly.

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 Introduction to Ecology & Ecosystem Services

What is ecology?

Ecology is a branch of biological sciences which studies the interactions among organisms and their environment (chemical and physical
factors). Ecology is a multidisciplinary science related with Biology, Climatology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Physics, Biophysics, Geology
and Geography.

The word "ecology" ("Ökologie") was coined in 1866 by the German scientist Ernst Haeckel. Ecology (from Greek: οἶκος, "house", or
"environment"; -λογία, "study of") is the branch of biology which studies the interactions among organisms and their environment.

Ecology is the branch of biology that deals with the relations of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings.

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 Introduction to Ecology & Ecosystem Services

How is the field of ecology organised?

1. Organism - observe one thing in habitat,

2. Population - Group of Organisms, Factors affecting growth and pop. size

3. Community - include plants and other animal species (scientists here study the affect of predation and competition on this level)

4. Ecosystem - contains community of populations and abiotic environment

5. Biome - Largest communities on land, similar ecosystems on different continents on earth.

6. Biosphere - Entire earth

Levels in order of simple to most complex - Organism, > Population, > Community, > Ecosystem, > Biome, > Biosphere

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Biosphere
Biomes
Pond Ecosystem
Community
Population
Organism
 Introduction to Ecology & Ecosystem Services
How does ecology relate to other biological sciences?
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, evolution, distribution, and
taxonomy" whereas
Ecology "is the scientific analysis and study of interactions among organisms and their environment."
Branches of Biology On the Basis of Approach to Study:
Anatomy: It is the scientific study focusing on the physical structures and parts of organisms
(plants and animals).
Morphology: Morphology is a branch of biology dealing with the study of the form and structure
(internal and external) of organisms and their specific structural features
Histology: Histology is the scientific study of the fine detail of biological cells and tissues using
microscopes
Cytology: The study of structure and function of plant and animal cells.
Physiology: the branch of biology dealing with the functions and activities of living organisms
and their parts, including all physical and chemical processes is called physiology.
Embryology: Embryology is the study of the development of an embryo from the stage of
ovum fertilization through to the fetal stage.
Taxonomy or Systematics: The science of identifying, naming, grouping and classifying plants
and animals is called taxonomy or systematics.
Ecology: Ecology is the scientific study of the interactions between organisms and their
environment.
Biogeology: The study of the interaction between the Earth’s biosphere and the lithosphere.
Biogeography: Biogeography is a study of the distribution of various species and ecosystems
geographically and throughout geological time and space.
Paleontology: the study of fossils to determine the structure and evolution of extinct animals
and plants and the age and conditions of deposition of the is called Palaeontology.
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Evolution: evolution is the branch of biology which studies the change in the characteristics of
a species over several generations and relies on the process of natural selection.
Genetics: Genetics is a branch of a biology that deals with heredity and variations.
Parasitology: Parasites are those organisms that live on or inside other organism called the
host and draw nourishment from the host are called parasites. The study of parasites is called
parasitology. It includes the study of three major groups of animals: parasitic protozoa,
parasitic helminths (worms), and those arthropods that directly cause disease or act as
vectors of various pathogens.
Pathology: It is a branch of biology which studies diseases in plant and animals and their
treatment.
Immunology: The immune system protects us from infection through various lines of
defense. Immunology is the study of the immune system.
Eugenics: the study of or belief in the possibility of improving the qualities of the human
species or a human population, especially by such means as discouraging reproduction by
persons having genetic defects or presumed to have inheritable undesirable traits. Thus it is a
science which aims to improve the human race through controlled heredity.
Biochemistry: Biochemistry is the study of the processes behind all living organisms,
 Introduction to Ecology & Ecosystem Services

How are ecology and environmental science related?

Ecology is the scientific analysis and study of interactions among organisms and their environment. Ecology as a science plays an important role in our

understanding of various ecosystems. It is an interdisciplinary field that includes both biology and earth science, but is a separate area of study from

environmentalism, natural history, and environmental science.

Environmental science focuses on the interactions between the physical, chemical, and biological components of the environment, including their effects on

all types of organisms. To many people, environmental science specifically refers to the impact of humans on the environment.

Some issues studied by ecologists may include: For environmental science, key issues may include:

• Life processes, interactions and adaptations of a specific species
• The influence of environment factors on populations of organisms
• Progression of changes in ecosystems
• The abundance and distribution of organisms in an environment
• Biodiversity within an ecosystem.
• How urban areas drive environmental change
• Material demands of production and human consumption on biodiversity
• The impact of local environmental changes at the global level
• Changes in environment over long periods
• Effects of human populations on specific ecosystems
• Sustainability studies

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 Introduction to Ecology & Ecosystem Services

What benefits and services do we derive from healthy, functioning ecosystems?

An ecosystem is a community of living organisms in conjunction with the nonliving components of their environment, interacting as a system. Each part of the

ecosystem is important because ecosystems are interdependent. Damaged or imbalanced ecosystems can cause many problems

Ecosystem services are the many and varied benefits that humans freely gain from the natural environment and from properly-functioning ecosystems. Such

ecosystems include, for example, agroecosystems, forest ecosystems, grassland ecosystems and aquatic ecosystems. Collectively, these benefits are becoming

known as 'ecosystem services', and are often integral to the provisioning of clean drinking water, the decomposition of wastes, and the natural pollination of crops

and other plants. Ecosystem services are grouped into four broad categories: provisioning, such as the production of food and water; regulating, such as the

control of climate and disease; supporting, such as nutrient cycles and oxygen production; and cultural, such as spiritual and recreational benefits.

benefits • maintenance of biodiversity.

• purification of air and water.
• mitigation of droughts and floods.
• generation and preservation of soils and renewal of their
fertility.
• detoxification and decomposition of wastes.
• pollination of crops and natural vegetation.
• dispersal of seeds.
• cycling and movement of nutrients.
• control of the vast majority of potential agricultural pests.
• protection of coastal shores from erosion by waves.
• protection from the suns harmful ultraviolet rays.
• partial stabilization of climate.
• moderation of weather extremes and their impacts.
• provision of aesthetic beauty and intellectual stimulation that lift
the human spirit.
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 Introduction to Ecology & Ecosystem Services

What benefits and services do we derive from healthy, functioning ecosystems?

Supporting services
These include services such as nutrient recycling, primary production, soil formation, habitat Regulating services
provision and pollination.[16] These services make it possible for the ecosystems to continue • Carbon sequestration and climate regulation
providing services such as food supply, flood regulation, and water purification. • Predation regulates prey populations
Provisioning services • Waste decomposition and detoxification
• food (including seafood and game), crops, wild foods, and spices • Purification of water and air
• raw materials (including lumber, skins, fuel wood, organic matter, fodder, and fertilizer) • pest and disease control
• genetic resources (including crop improvement genes, and health care) Cultural services
• water • cultural (including use of nature as motif in books, film, painting, folklore, national symbols,
• biogenic minerals architect, advertising, etc.)
• medicinal resources (including pharmaceuticals, chemical models, and test and assay • spiritual and historical (including use of nature for religious or heritage value or natural)
organisms) • recreational experiences (including ecotourism, outdoor sports, and recreation)
• energy (hydropower, biomass fuels) • science and education (including use of natural systems for school excursions, and
• ornamental resources (including fashion, handicraft, jewelry, pets, worship, decoration and scientific discovery)
souvenirs like furs, feathers, ivory, orchids, butterflies, aquarium fish, shells, etc.) • Therapeutic (including Ecotherapy, social forestry and animal assisted therapy)

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 Introduction to Ecology & Ecosystem Services

Group Activity -

Assessing the Value of Ecosystem Services

• Compose a list of resources that are provided by ecosystems to humanity;

• Assess which resources are not ecosystem services, explaining the rationale for excluding these resources;
• Explain how ecosystems produce each of the listed resources; and
• Explain how depletion of this ecosystem service would be costly.

Watch - Kaikondarahalli Lake -- The Uncommon Story of an Urban Commons https://youtu.be/Y71Otk2EiNU

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