Scope and Application of Ecology

Scope and Application of Ecology

Plant ecology 

                     It is a subdiscipline of ecology which studies the distribution and abundance of plants, the effects of environmental factors upon the abundance of plants, and the interactions among and betweenplants and other organisms.

Ecology is the scientific study of the interactions between organism and their environments.

All the populations that live in a habitat and interact in various ways with one another are collectively called a community.

Applications of ecology

Pollution

                It is defined as any undesirable change in the physical, chemical or biological characteristics of air, water, and land that may harmfully affect living organisms and natural resources.

Pollutants

                 These are the substances that actually cause pollution are e.g. industrial effluents and domestic wastes.

Two basic types of pollutants are recognized:

Non-biodegradable pollutants such as aluminum cans and nuclear wastes are not degrade or degrade very slowly in the natural environment. Lead cannot be removed from the air we breathe.

Bio-degradable pollutants are the substances that break down into simpler substances due to the activity of living organisms and mixed with the soil. These pollutants do not cause permanent environmental pollution.

Water pollution it is the change in the composition of water by the addition of harmful substances. Water pollution severely affects the health of people.

·       Sewage is the major pollutants of water. It contains organic, matter and the excreta of human and other animals.

·       The waste of industries (acids, alkalis, dyes and other chemicals) are disposed in nearby water bodies.

·       Heavy metals like lead, mercury, arsenic and cadmium also make the water polluted. Polluted water becomes deoxygenated and do not support life therefore water pollution is more dangerous as compared to air pollution.

Control

·       Sewage must be purified through sewage treatment techniques.

·       Industrial wastes should be treated before they are released into water bodies.

·       Water treatment plants, municipal sewage treatment plants, septic tanks, oxidation ponds and filter bed are help full in controlling pollution.

Noise pollution also known as environmental noise or sound pollution, is the propagation of noise with harmful impact on the activity of human or animal life.

The source of outdoor noise worldwide is mainly caused by machines, transport and transportation systems.

High noise levels can contribute to cardiovascular effects in humans and an increased incidence of coronary artery disease.

Control

·       Noise from roadways and other urban factors can be mitigated by urban planning and better design of roads. 

·       Roadway noise can be reduced by the use of noise barriers, limitation of vehicle speeds, alteration of roadway surface texture, limitation of heavy vehicles, use of traffic controls that smooth vehicle flow to reduce braking and acceleration, and tyre design.

Solid waste / Land pollution

The pesticides used in agriculture have chemicals that stay in soil for a long times. The acid rain changes the PH of soil making it unsuitable for cultivation.

Control

·       There should be suitable and safe disposal of wastes including nuclear wastes.

·        Non-biodegradable materials like plastic, glass, metals should be recovered and recycled. Inorganic pesticides should be replaced by organic pesticides.

Thermal pollution

Various industrial processes may utilize water for cooling and resultant warmed water has often been discharged into streams or lakes.

·       It causes thermal pollution or calefaction, thermal pollution produces distinct changes in aquatic biota and interrupt aquatic ecosystem.

·       The warm water bodies hols less oxygen than the cold water, therefore aquatic animals cannot exist in these water bodies.

Control

·       Cooling towers, which transfer waste heat to the atmosphere through evaporation.

·       Cogeneration, a process where waste heat is recycled for domestic and  industrial heating purposes.

Preventive measures

To ensure sustainable use of resources in our environment, we should act upon the principle of ’The 3 R ‘ i.e

·       Reuse:  we should use things again and again. We should not throw away materials such as glass containers and plastic bags.  

·      Recycle: materials such as paper, plastic and glass can be recycled. A recycling of one tonne of paper can save 17 trees.

·       Reduce:  we should use the natural resources less and should not waste them.

·       The coal based industries should construct long chimneys so that smoke dispersed over a large area.

·       The non-combustible solid wastes like ash, rubbish, tins , glass and plastic may be dumped in low-lying areas by landfill method.

Soil  The word soil is derived from latin solum meaning soil or land.Soil  is a collection of natural bodies of earth that is composed of minerals and organic matter and is capable of supporting plant growth.Upper soil layer in which grasses are rooted is normally moist but deep layers are constantly dry. The soil of grassland is basically impermeable with excessive salinity. The soil rich in sand are porous and allow deep root penetration so that the seedlings establish themselves well.It is general rule that finer the texture of a soil the greater its fertility.Deep rooted plants can grow in sandy soils.The loam soils are most suitable for growth of plants as water rises due to capillarity in these soils.

Forestry

Forests are natural ecosystem dominated by trees. These covers about one-third of world’s land surface and provide habitat for wildlife, wood, fodder, fiber and fruit.

·       Forestry is the science, art and practice of understanding, managing and using wisely the natural resources associated with, and derived from forest lands.

·       These resources include timber, water, fish, wildlife, soil, plants, and recreation.

Wildlife

Wild life refers to all non-cultivated plants and non-domesticated animals in an ecosystem. Wild animals are an important source of food and skin (Leather). Wild life is a renewable resource therefore its management is necessary.

·       It is important economically and source of recreation.

·       Legislations may be introduced to prevent hunting.

·       The habitats for wildlife may be conserved.

Agriculture

Agriculture is the cultivation of land and breeding of animals and plants to provide food, fiber, medicinal plants and other products to sustain and enhance life. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization.

The study of agriculture is known as Agricultural science.

·       The major agricultural products can be broadly grouped into foods, fibers, fuels, and raw materials (such as rubber).

·       Classes of foods include cereals (grains), eggs, fungi, milk, vegetables, fruits, oils and meat.

·       Over one-third of the world's workers are employed in agriculture, second only to the service sector, although the number of agricultural workers in developed countries has decreased significantly over the past several centuries.