Ecological Problems – Definition

Term “ecological problems” is today mostly used to describe different environmental problems. After all, ecology is a top environmental science, and many people identify ecology as some sort of science that is primarily oriented on protection of our environment. This is only a partial meaning of what ecology really stands for, and this is the interconnection between all living organisms and their environment.

This full meaning of ecology is not often used in today's vocabulary. Given the current environmental mess and the fact that our planet has more environmental problems than ever before, it is really no surprise that much more emphasis is put at this negative context of ecology.

This is really the reason why there is really no difference between environmental and ecological problems in everyday talk.

Problems of environment are also problems of ecology because environment is really a centre of all ecological research. Climate change, all sorts of pollution, deforestation, endangered animals, these are all ecological problems since ecology uses scientific approach to find potential solutions to these problems. Though ecology has evolved greatly since its beginnings and became one of the most comprehensive scientific disciplines it doesn't have all the right solutions to these problems.

Exercise 4. Using the text put the sentences into the right order. One sentence is odd:

1) Ecology is trying to solve environmental problems.

2) Today the word “ecology” has sometimes a negative context because of ecological problems.

3) Environment is situated in the centre of all ecological researches.

4) Acid rains and plant emissions have a harmful influence on the environment.

5) Ecology is the interconnection between all living organisms and their environment.

6) However, ecology still cannot have all the solutions.

7) The term “ecological problems” is described a lot of environmental problems.

Exercise 5. Can you think of any solutions of environmental problems? Some ideas have already been given:

I think people should … … have strict environmental laws.

I suppose people shouldn’t … … reuse some products.

I guess people must … … use public transport instead of cars.

I believe people cannot … … hunt animals.

Exercise 6. Read the text about one of the possible solutions. Use a dictionary to look up the unknown words. While reading write out the information about ecosystem-based management (definition, aims, components, tools, places where EBM has already been used):

Ecosystem-Based Management

Ecosystem-based management (EBM) is an integrated, science-based approach to the management of natural resources. Its aim is to sustain ecosystems in a healthy, productive and resilient condition so that they can provide the functions, goods and services that enrich and sustain human well-being. As such, ecosystem-based management necessarily incorporates biological, physical and human components, including social and economic systems. Ecosystem-based management’s goals include learning how these biophysical and socioeconomic spheres interact, and finding institutional and scientific ways of managing multiple human activities within entire ecosystems (rather than arbitrary management units), based on this understanding of the linkages among activities and social and ecological system components.

Ecosystem-based management has been implemented in a number of places around the world. In Antarctica, the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, an international treaty that came into force in 1982, mandates ecosystem-based management of resources of the region. The Convention mandates a precautionary approach to managing harvest and other associated human activities, taking into account the linkages among species and the physical environment.

Ecosystem-based management requires a wide variety of potential tools and approaches because of its place-based and adaptive nature. Existing approaches for EBM in marine systems include spatial control of human activities through the use of protected areas and/or ocean zoning; changes in governance such as the creation of regional coordinating agencies and local co-management structures; monitoring and evaluation via the use of ecosystem indicators derived from multiple disciplines; scenario testing and risk assessment; and precautionary adaptive management. Scientific tools such as integrated socioeconomic-ecological models, geographic information systems (GIS), and specialized software that can allow managers to examine alternate configurations for marine protected areas or other ocean zones can all help to support the use of these management approaches.

Exercise 7. Using your notes prepare a short report (up to 100 words) about ecosystem-based management.

Unit 1.4 Pollution as It Is