Ecology: the subject and tasks of ecology, methods

The study of the laws of the geosphere, the search for and discovery of the links between nature and man, and the construction of an optimal model for this interaction, is what ecology is doing. The subject and tasks of ecology, goals and methods of research - what are they? This will be discussed later.

What is ecology?

It is a science on which, in essence, the future of the whole human society depends. In the 21st century, the crisis in the relationship between man and the environment has escalated to the utmost, so the main goals and tasks of ecology lie in finding ways to resolve this conflict.

The name of the discipline comes from two Greek words: "oikos" - "house, dwelling", and "logos" - "doctrine." In 1866, for the first time, the science of "ecology" was mentioned, the subject and tasks of which concern the features of the interaction of communities of living organisms among themselves, as well as with the environment. This term was introduced by German scientist Ernst Haeckel on the pages of the book "The general morphology of organisms."

In a broad sense, the subject of environmental studies lies in the relationship between organisms and the world around them, as well as in the study of the structure and organization of ecosystems and populations, and the allocation of mechanisms to maintain their resistance in the space-time field.

The essence of the ecology of the 21st century

Only at the end of the XIX century the science of ecology was formed. The subject and its tasks in those days were reduced to the study of the interrelationships of living organisms with the external environment of their habitat. In fact, it remained so until the middle of the twentieth century, preserving the features of purely biological discipline.

Towards the end of the last century, ecology begins to turn into one of the first synthetic (interdisciplinary) sciences. Today it has retained its Greek name. True, it, in essence, does not accurately reflect the main tasks of ecology.

The modern ecology of the XXI century is the science of strategies for the conservation and sustainable development of life on Earth as a whole. This is the main vocation of this discipline, combining theoretical and practical features.

Ecology: the subject and tasks of ecology

Hardly the main in the methodological apparatus of any science is its subject and complex of tasks. "The knowledge of the economy of nature," - such seemed to Ernst Haeckel ecology. The subject and tasks of ecology - what are they? Let's try to understand this question.

To answer it, one must rely on the principle of systemicity known in science. It provides for the understanding of natural complexes as single, holistic systems. Based on the principle of systemic nature, the object of studying ecology is the ecosystem (or rather, ecosystems of different ranks).

Ecology in its development is called upon to answer two fundamental questions:

1. What is the structure of the ecosystem.
2. How does the ecosystem function and develop?

Accordingly, the whole ecology is divided into two large sections: the structural and the dynamic. And both of them are in close interaction.

Proceeding from the general scientific principle of systemic nature, one can also outline the subject of studying this science: this is the study of the structure, features, and also the patterns of the functioning of ecosystems at different levels.

What are the tasks ecology has to do with science? The following can be distinguished from them:

1. General and complex study of the biosphere and its development under the influence of various factors.
2. Prediction of the dynamics of the state of ecosystems in the space-time field.
3. Develop ways to optimize the relationship between nature and man in order to improve the quality of life on the planet as a whole.

The place of ecology in the general scientific system of knowledge

Modern ecology combines elements of natural, humanitarian, exact and technical sciences. Biology, geography, medicine, economics, psychology, sociology and rational nature management - with these and some other disciplines it is in close interaction.

In addition, at the junction of ecology with other closely related sciences, completely new and interesting disciplines were formed. Among them - bioecology, geoecology, engineering ecology, noospheriology and the like.

The structure of modern environmental science

To date, more than 100 directions in environmental science are known, each of which deals with its narrow problems. There are several classifications of ecology, each of which is built according to its principles. The most detailed and justified is the structure proposed by the scientist M. Reimers.

He proposes to divide the ecological science into two large blocks:

1. Theoretical ecology.
2. Applied ecology.

The first includes bioecology with all its numerous units, as well as recreation. The block of applied ecology includes geoecology, socioecology, biosphere and engineering ecology with its branches.

A very important place in the applied block is occupied by engineering ecology - the science of factors and criteria for environmental pollution. It is also often called techno-ecology. It includes many disciplines: ecology of energy, ecology of transport and communications, ecology of agriculture, space ecology, ecological expertise and others.

It is worth noting that each of the above disciplines is designed to solve their problems and problems. At the same time, they all use the achievements and achievements of other environmental disciplines.

Tasks and methods of ecology

To solve a set of its problems, environmental science uses a wide range of different methods. They can be represented by three main groups:

1. Methods for collecting information on the status and functioning of ecosystems.
2. Methods for processing the information received.
3. Methods for interpreting received materials and results.

The most popular methods used in the ecology today are: stationary observation and experimentation, mathematical, cartographic, and also the method of modeling. Especially popular today is the construction of mathematical models. For this, an abstract model of the ecosystem (using special symbols) is built on the basis of the empirical facts and materials extracted in the field. Then, changing the values of some parameters, you can easily observe how the system will behave (change).

Finally...

Almost a century and a half ago, science arose, from the successful development of which today depends the future of all mankind. The name of this science is ecology. The subject and tasks of ecology are reduced to the study of the features and regularities of the functioning of ecosystems, on the basis of which strategies for the stable development of life on our planet are developed. Modern man does not need to prove the necessity of the existence of this science.