Ecology and Ecosystem: Sustainability

What is it about?

Definition/Description The term “ecology” (bioecology; bionomics; environmental biology; economy of nature) is derived from ancient Greek; oikos means “household, house, or place to live” (Smith and Pimm 2007) and logos “speech, word, reason” (Dictionary Merriam-Webster 2018). Ecology is focused on the distribution and abundance of organisms, the interactions among organisms and between organisms and their environment, and structure and function of ecosystems (Begon et al. 2006; Maastik et al. 2004; Schulze et al. 2005). Ecology includes subdisciplines such as autecology, population ecology, chemical ecology, evolutionary ecology, physiological ecology, plant ecology, aquatic ecology, applied ecology, paleoecology, community ecology, ecosystem ecology, landscape ecology, and global ecology. It attempts to synthesize understanding from interactions between organisms (biotic components) and between organisms and their physical environments (abiotic components), and from the interplay between both of these (Biology dictionary 2016). An ecosystem is a dynamic complex of organisms (plant, animal, and microorganism), their communities, and their physical environments (air, water, and mineral soil) interacting as a functional unit (Maastik et al. 2004). The biotic and abiotic components interact through nutrient cycles and energy flows (Begon et al. 2006). Ecosystems can be of any size but each ecosystem has a specific, limited space (Schulze et al. 2005). Some scientists view the entire planet as one ecosystem (Likens 1992; Hugget 2017). The ecosystem approach is fundamental to managing Earth’s resources because it addresses the interactions that link biotic systems, of which people are an integral part, with the abiotic systems on which they depend (Chapin et al. 2011).

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Photo by Joel Holland on Unsplash

Photo by Joel Holland on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Summary Ecology (economy of nature) attempts to bridge the wide spectrum of ecological specialities or subdivisions by stressing synthetic view of nature. It integrates biophysical and analytical approaches with humanistic and holistic perspectives. Its goal is to synthesize understanding from interactions between biotic organisms, from interactions between organisms and their abiotic environments, and from the interplay between both of these. Biotic and abiotic components and their interactions are properties of ecosystems. An ecosystem is regarded as the fundamental ecological unit which tends to achieve a balance of the physical-chemical-biological processes and activities within it with space and time. Understanding the ecological linkages at the level of ecosystems are crucial when developing environmental policies and to manage resources because human beings are fundamentally dependent on the ecosystem services produced by aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Enterprises and other work communities should utilize natural resources and raw materials in a sustainable manner, thus reducing environmental pollution and climate change. Ecological sustainability concerns on issues of human rights to viability of local communities and conservation of natural resources. Ecological sustainability is not based only on corporations’ ethical responsibility but also on individual ethical responsibility in everyday life.