Ecology and Environmental Science Fundamentals

Vocabulary and concepts covering the basics of Ecology, Environmental Science, and the Nine Environmental Principles.

Oikos

Greek word meaning a place to live or a home.

Logia

Greek word meaning to study.

Ecology (Hackel definition)

The study of the relationships between living organisms and their environment.

Ecology (Odum and Begon definition)

The scientific study of the distribution and abundance of organisms and the interactions that determine distribution and abundance.

Ecology (S. S. Dodson definition)

The study of the relationships, distribution, and abundance of the organism, or group of organisms in an environment.

Environment

The immediate surrounding of organisms, including biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) factors.

Organism

A single species living in an area.

Population

A group of organisms of the same species living at a specific area.

Community

A component comprising organisms of various species living at a specific area performing myriad roles necessary in the maintenance of life.

Ecosystems

Entities comprising both the biotic and abiotic components including all prevailing interactions in them.

Environmental Science

The interdisciplinary study of natural processes and interactions of the physical components of the planet on the environment, relating it to human impacts.

Succession

The natural process by which ecosystems change over time, such as mosses and lichens colonizing land before grasses and shrubs.

Biodiversity

The variety of species in an ecosystem, which helps maintain balance and resilience.

Sustainability

The goal of balancing human needs with environmental protection, ensuring ecosystems remain resilient while meeting human needs responsibly.

Ecophysiology

A field of ecology that examines how physiological functions of organisms influence the way they interact with their environment.

Population Ecology

A field of ecology that deals with the dynamics of a single species of organisms.

Community Ecology (Synecology)

A field of ecology that studies interspecific interactions within an ecological community.

Ecosystems Ecology

A field of ecology that studies the flow of energy and matter through the biotic and abiotic components of ecosystems.

Systems Ecology

A field of ecology focusing on the development and organization of an ecological system from a holistic perspective.

Evolutionary Ecology

A field of ecology that studies evolutionary histories of organisms and their interactions.

Political ecology

A field of ecology that connects politics and economy to problems of environmental control and ecological change.

Atmospheric sciences

A field of environmental science dealing with global warming, atmospheric circulation, chemical reactions, and carbon dioxide emissions.

Environmental chemistry

A field of environmental science exploring chemical effects on plants, chemical degradation, and transport through the environment.

Geosciences

A branch of planetary sciences exploring the chemical and physical constitution of the earth and its atmosphere.

Social sciences (Environmental Science)

A field dealing with the relationship between humans and nature, divided into geography, anthropology, and sociology.

Geography

The study of ways human populations affect earth’s features using specific data mostly based on quantitative research.

Anthropology

The examination of how various facets of humankind interact with each other and the environment, including biology, culture, and history.

Sociology

The exploration of various dynamics in human society.

Nature Knows Best

The most basic environmental principle stating that nutrients cycle from environment to organism and back; any disruption causes imbalance.

All forms of life is important

The environmental principle of interdependence, where all living things are valuable for maintaining ecosystem stability.

Everything is connected to everything else

The environmental principle of interrelatedness, where all components interact and outside interference can cause system-wide imbalance.

Everything changes

The principle that change may be linear, cyclical, or random; examples include evolution or volcanic eruptions.

Everything must go somewhere

The environmental principle stating that waste does not cease to exist but simply moves, potentially becoming a pollutant or a resource.

Ours is a finite earth

The principle that Earth's resources are either renewable (water, air, plants) or nonrenewable (minerals, oil) and are limited.

Carrying capacity

The maximum number of individuals of a given species which can be supported by a particular habitat or ecosystem without damaging it.

Sustainable development

Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Stewardship

The efficient management of the earth by maintaining ecological balance, based on the belief that humans are keepers of God’s creation.