Ecology Brief illustration

„oikos“ Greek – haushold Greek – haushold Logos – study Logos – study Study of haushold of nature (organization) Study of haushold of nature (organization) Eco – nomy……the same root „oikos“ Eco – nomy……the same root „oikos“ Haushold (management) Haushold (management)

Oikos history Pre-scientific term, knowledge based, empirical Hunter gatherer societes Greek philosopher Theophrastus (student of Aristotel 4/th BC.) „balance of the nature“ Alexander von Humboldt / Plantgeography 1800 Charles Darwin Evolution of Species (1850)

oikos 1866 Ernst Haeckel „Ecology is the study of all the complex interrelations refereed to by Darwin as the condition for the struggle for existence“ Contemporary definition „Ecology is the science that studies distribution and abundance of living organism, and the interaction between organisms and their environment. The environment of an organism inludes both the physical properties - sum of local abiotic factors as well as other organisms that share its habitat“

Features in the definition of Ecology 1. Spatial organization Ecology is the science that studies distribution and abundance of living organism,…….where, how much 2. Relationships and the interaction between organisms and their environment…… rel. to each other and environment 3. Composition of the environment The environment of an organism inludes both the physical properties- sum of local abiotic factors as well as other organisms that share its habitat……. living x nonliving matters 4. Organism and environment are not separate Environment affects the organism, organism afects the environment……………. interdependency 5. Systems definition - organism like a system ….not isolated from the environment

Hierarchy in ecological organization I. Cell II. Organism - multicellular, unicellular III. Popullation IV. Society V. Ecosystem VI. Biosphere

Ecology means… 1. The interactions that organism have with other organism and with their environment 2. The science that studies these interactions 3. The branch of sociology: human groups and their physical and social environments (Human ecology) 4. Effects (impacts) of modern civilization on the environment – prevention, conservation (Environmental ecology)