Module 1: Concepts of Human Ecosystems and Human Ecological Interaction

oikos

The term “ecology” is from which Greek word?

house or habitation

What does oikos mean?

Haeckel

Who coined the term ecology?

Ecosystem

This is a model for the cycles of matter and energy that include organic entities and their linkages to the inorganic.

Resilience

A measure of the degree of change a system can undergo while still maintaining its basic elements or relationships. 

Stability

A measure of the speed with which a system returns to equilibrium after absorbing disturbances.

1. Natural

2. Semi-natural

3. Artificial

What are the 3 types of ecosystems?

Natural Ecosystems

• Not perceptibly altered by humans

• The actual and historical role of humans in the functioning of the ecosystem is nil or almost nil. Species composition and species numbers are uninfluenced. Geomorphic, ecological and biological processes are almost undisturbed by humans.

• Examples are: Highest parts of mountains, Undisturbed parts of the seas, lakes, rivers, tundras, etc, and Primeval natural forest ecosystems.

Semi-natural Ecosystems

• Altered by human actions, but which retain significant native elements

• May range from unaltered species composition to just using the natural background-soil and or water by man. 

• Almost all ecosystems resulting from “traditional” forms of agricultural land use as steppes, puszta's and wooded meadows fall in this category.

Artificial ecosystems

• Human-made system of plants, animals and people living in an area together with their surroundings

• Zoo parks often create artificial ecosystems by placing animals in human-made areas similar to their natural habitat. People can also create lakes in the middle of desserts and keep penguins in warm climates, but only if they create an artificial ecosystem.

Family

The basic foundation of social organization comprised of individuals associated by blood relationship, legal union, adoption, or consensual affiliation.

Organizations

These can be a random group of people who spontaneously came together to address a short-term need, such as collecting litter along a certain stretch of road. Or, it might be a carefully collected, aligned and integrated group of people who came together for the long-term to address a long-term need, such as stopping poverty in a certain country.

Community

The structure of relationships through which a localized population meets its daily requirements’. It points out its key role of providing support to its members for its survival by forming relationship of care.

Systems theory

This theory identifies community as the amalgamation of different units or sub-systems that jointly work towards achievement of community goals.

Human Settlements

The totality of the human community – whether city, town, or village – with all the social, material, organizational, spiritual, and cultural elements that sustain it.

1. Nature

2. Man

3. Society

4. Shells

5. Networks

What comprises human settlements?

1. Actor based model

2. Ecosystem-based model

3. Social system with the ecosystems model

4. Human ecosystems model

What are the 4 Human Ecological Frameworks?

Actor-based model

What human ecological framework is this?

Ecosystem-based model

What human ecological framework is this?

Social system with the ecosystems model

What human ecological framework is this?

Human ecosystems model

What human ecological framework is this?