World of Philosophy

Author(s): Christopher Key Chapple, Intaj Malek, Dilip Charan, Sunanda Shastri, Prashant Dave
Publisher: Shanti Prakashan

Page 669

precise "ecology is the pattern of relationships between plants, animals, people and their environment".? Charles H. Southwick in his book "Ecology and the Quality of our Environment" has tried to enlarge the canvas of the definition of environment and has said that "Ecology is the scientific study of the relationship of living organism with their environment". This view is shared by other thinkers as well who regard ecology not merely as scientific discipline but the natural development of everything affecting life and environment, including that which is relevant to human society and activity. Prominent Russian scholar Lestsin observes "The prime purpose of human ecology is to find through research into interaction between man and his environment, the optional conditions necessary for man to survive and develop his physical and spiritual ability". But inspite of man's realisation of the puzzling problem of environment and ecology, his efforts seem to be only moles before the mountains. B. Dubos rightly holds- "Human Ecology is at present in cricis almost everywhere in the modern world because man seems to be unable to adjust to the change in the environment and the mode of life which he has himself created."
Components of Environment and Eco-System:
In order to have a proper understanding of Environment and Ecosystem, a brief analysis of their components in needed, which can be classified broadly in four categories:- (i) Abiotic substance (ii) Producer organism (iii) Consumer organism (iv) Decomposer organism. Under the category of Abiotic substance come the carbonic and non-carbonic substances both like water, gases like cabon-di-oxide, nitrogen, oxygen etc., soils, minerals, salts, acids, sunlight, heat, eather and others. Producer organisms are mainly vegitation and Bacteria which are called 'Autotroph'. They prepare their own food by transforming the carbonic substances into non-carbonic substances through the process of Photo-Synthesis of the energy recieved from the sun-light and also by taking the nitrogen, minirals and other elements through their roots from the soil. Thus, the Consumer organisms depend upon the abiotic substances, but they are the producer of their food themselves. Under the third category come the consumer organisms like herbivores animals and human beings both, who have to depend upon the vegitation and their products for their food. They are called 'Primary consumer', upon whom depend the secondary consumer like Tigers, Lions and other carnivorus animals for their food. Man comes under the category of "Tertiary Consumer", who are 'Omnivores' as they consume vegitational products and meat both. Under the fourth category come the Decomposer organisms like fungus, paracites etc., which transforms the dead matter like wastages, refuses etc. in to the primary Abiotic substances of nature. These four components of environment and eco-system maintain the cyclic order of the Environment
620