ENVIRONMENT

Environment is the sum total of all biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) factors that surround and potentially influence an organism.

The word ‘Environment’ has been derived from the French word ‘environner’.

Environment is defined as sum total of all the external conditions and factors that surround and influence the organisms and are responsible for their wellbeing and development.

Environment Science is defined as that branch of science which deals with the study of environment and various aspects related to environment.

Environmental Sciences in its broadest sense is the science of the complex interactions that occur among the terrestrial, atmospheric, aquatic, living and anthropogenic environments. It includes all the disciplines, such as chemistry, biology, ecology, sociology, and environment that affect or describe these interactions.

Environmental Chemistry: It may be defined as the study of the sources, reactions, transport, effects and the fates of chemical species in water, soil, air and living environments, and the effects of technology thereon.

Ecology: (Oikologie, made of two Greek words, i.e., Oikos- house or dwelling+ Logos- study). Thus literary meaning of ecology is, study of organisms at their home,

Ecology can be defined as the branch which deals with inter-relationship between environment and organisms.

The term ‘Ecology’ was first coined by Ernest Haeckel in 1868.

Ecological Factors: Any external thing, substance or condition which has effect on living organisms is called ecological factors or factor and totality of all these factors constitute environmental complex or environment.

There are four major types of factors:

       A.   Climatic Factors

·         Light

·         Temperature

·         Humidity

·         Precipitation

·         Wind

·         Fire

     B.   Topographic Factors

These are related with physical geography of earth and are also called ‘physiographic factors’

Altitude

Direction of mountains and valleys

    C.   Edaphic Factors

·         Soil type and properties

     D.   Biotic Factors

·         Positive Interactions: Mutualism, Proto-corporation, Commensalism

·         Negative interactions: Parasitism, Predation, Competition, Amensalism