ECOLOGY : HISTORY AND

RELEVANCE TO HUMANKIND
By: MARY JANE DUMALAG
BS REM STUDENT
ECOLOGY
 oekologie (ecology)

- coined in 1869 by Ernst Haeckel

- study that deals with the relations of organisms to one another and to their
surroundings.

- Greek word oikos meaning "house" or "dwelling", and the Latin and Greek
word logos meaning “scientific study"
HISTORICAL ASPECTS OF ECOLOGY

• Early man as a hunter

• The rise of agriculture

• Ecology prior to the seventeenth century

TECHOLOGICAL ACHIEVEMENT
 Economics - “ management of the household”.

A SUMMARY OF PERCEIVED DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ECONOMIC AND ECOLOGY

ATTRIBUTE ECONOMICS ECOLOGY

School of thought Cornucopian Neo-malthusian
Currency Money Energy
Growth form J - shape S - shape
Selection pressure R - selected K - selected
Technological approach High technology Appropriate technology
System services Services provided by Services provided by natural
economic capital capital
Resource use Linear (disposal) Circular (recycling)
System regulation Exponential expansion Carrying capacity
Futuristic goal Exploration and expansion Sustainabilty and stability
PERCEIVED DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ECONOMIC AND ECOLOGY
 LEVELS
OF
ORGANIZATION HIERARCHY
 ECOLOGICAL LEVELS-OF- ORGANIZATION SPECTRUM

Biotic components Genes Cells Organs Organism Population Community

Plus

Abiotic components Matter Energy

Equals II II II II II II
Genetic Cell Organ Organism Population
Biosystem
Systems Systems Systems Systems Systems Ecosystem
LEVELS-OF-ORGANIZATION HIERARCHY
LEVELS-OF-ORGANIZATION HIERARCHY
Example of Biome

Temperate Desiduous Forest Biome Continental Shelf Ocean Biome

Temperate Deciduous Forest Biome Continental Shelf Ocean - biome

LEVELS-OF-ORGANIZATION HIERARCHY
• The seven transcending processes or functions that depicted as vertical
components of eleven integrative level of organization such as:
• Energetic
• Evolution
• Development
• Regulation
• Behavior
• Diversity
• Integration