Rediscover ecology

May 14, 2022
6 minutes

Are your memories of the boundaries surrounding this term unclear? The Djossye team will explain all the concepts to you in more depth. This way, in the future, you will be able to expand your knowledge of the aspects that attract you, interpret current events more easily, and raise awareness among those around you (both adults and children!).

No need to look far when it comes to ecology... Thus, on February 10, 2022, we find in the weekly news magazine l'Express, the article "Air pollution in Île-de-France: We could avoid 7,900 deaths per year." This title, far from being out of the ordinary, illustrates one of the major environmental impacts affecting ecology. Through this example, we see the insinuation of the progress we can make to improve air quality. Understanding ecology means first of all mastering its definition, but above all, being able to interpret all of its mechanisms.

ETYMOLOGY

First of all, the etymology of the word ecology comes from the Greek ikos meaning "house" , and logos, meaning "science, study, discourse" . Ecology therefore represents the study of habitat.

However, to properly discuss the origins of ecology, we will present the evolution of the term through various dictionaries. This method allows us to show you the important points in the rise of scientific ecology.

DEFINITION OF THE TERM “ECOLOGY” IN DICTIONARIES

In 2002, the Petit Larousse compact defined "ecology" as being the

“[…]science that studies the relationships of living beings with their environment.”

However, this discipline gained importance from 1930. It was only at the end of the 1960s that ecological concerns became at the heart of associative, ideological (ecologism) and political movements.

Environmentalism is then defined as being a

“[…] school of thought, movement tending towards respect for natural balances, towards the protection of the environment against the nuisances of industrial society”.

But then are we environmentalists or ecologists? What's the difference?

The figure of the ecologist refers to the supporter of environmentalism and is colloquially referred to as "the ecologist." It is distinguished from the term "ecologist," which dates back to the 1980s and refers to specialists in ecology.

Scientific ecologists intended to distinguish their activities from those of citizens (scientists or not) acting for the protection of nature and the environment.

The birth of the term ecology

The term "ecology" is said to have appeared in 1866, under the pen of Ernst Haeckel, a qualified biologist and promoter of Darwinian evolution. Haeckel defines ecology as being

“[…]the totality of the science of the relations of the organism with the environment, including in the broad sense all the conditions of existence.”

This definition of Haeckel is still valid today. Thus, this term is used to describe the study of natural habitats, ecosystems and their inhabitants (organisms).

In this way, according to the National Center for Textual and Lexical Resources (CNRTL), ecology is clearly mentioned as being a science based on:

“[…] the relationships between living beings (humans, animals, plants) and the organic or inorganic environment in which they live.”

This science refers to biodiversity, but also to the ecosystem. It expresses a triangular relationship composed of the individuals of a species and the activity that it exerts on its environment.

A ISSUE AT THE HEART OF THE NEWS

The ecology we see today, however, is the result of a global awareness of the harmful effects of climate change and human activity on its own environment. Faced with various forms of pollution, global warming, and the destruction of ecosystems, ecology seeks to limit the impact we have on the planet.

Our goal is to find a balance that allows our society to live sustainably within these ecosystems. Ecology is a movement in which we all have a role to play. Every action counts. It is therefore up to us to better understand ecological issues and to do more to protect our health, that of our children, and the planet.

Ecology therefore begins with a global awareness of the catastrophic consequences of human activities on the environment. This awareness is symptomatic of what the North American historian Donald Worster called the "ecological era."

BUT SINCE WHEN HAVE WE BEEN TALKING ABOUT AN ECOLOGICAL ERA?

The ecological era began on July 16, 1945, following atomic tests by the United States Armed Forces in the New Mexico desert during the Manhattan Project . The irreversible pollution of the atmosphere by nuclear fission products brought with it for the first time a real threat of an ecological catastrophe. In addition, studies carried out following the disasters of Hiroshima and Nagasaki illustrate the lasting impact of fission and fusion bombs on human populations and ecosystems.

VERY GOOD, BUT WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SCIENTIFIC AND POLITICAL ECOLOGY?

First, scientific ecology is the science that studies the interactions of living beings with each other and with their environment. At the end of the 19th century and in the 20th century, scientific knowledge improved. As a result, scientific ecology benefited from the progress made in other disciplines such as biology, genetics, and geology. Scientific ecology became more refined, and ecologists gained an ever-better understanding of ecosystems.

Political ecology is defined by our awareness of our environment and our interdependencies. It represents the awareness of our belonging to ecosystems that we must preserve. It means being aware of our ecological footprint and having the will to safeguard our living conditions and improve their quality. Political ecology was already present in the 19th century, notably through the industrial revolution and its first reflections on pollution and the deterioration of the Earth and its inhabitants. This vision developed and became, in 1960, a real political movement in several regions of the world.

WHAT ARE THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS TO MONITOR?

First and foremost, the concept of environmental impact is defined by the set of qualitative, quantitative, and functional changes in the environment. An environmental impact can be positive and/or negative. They are generated by a project, a process, a procedure, one or more organizations, and one or more products, from its design to its "end of life."

For air, we retain five environmental impact indicators:

Contribution to the greenhouse effect ;
Acidification of the air;
The formation of tropospheric ozone (it contributes to the greenhouse effect, through oxidative pollution or photochemical pollution);
Ozone layer depletion ;
Particulate and respiratory effects of inorganic substances.

For water, we retain four indicators:

Eutrophication of freshwater. Eutrophication is a process of accumulation of nutrients in a given ecosystem (a so-called "eutrophic" environment is literally a "well-nourished" environment);
Aquatic ecotoxicity. Ecotoxicity is the ability of a substance, due to its toxicity, to produce harmful or unpleasant effects on microorganisms, animals, plants, or humans through the environment;
Eutrophication of marine waters;
Water consumption (flow indicator).

For soil resources and human health, we also retain four indicators:

Primary energy consumption (flow indicator). Primary energy is the set of unprocessed energy products, whether directly exploited or imported.

Figure 1: Diagram of the main primary energies

The different primary energies of the world

Source: information from INSEE, design by Djossye, 2022.

Depletion of non-renewable resources; such as fossil fuels, minerals or ores.
Human toxicity;
Land use.

So, even though we live and die like all living beings, there is one characteristic aspect of human societies that differentiates us from animals: our ability to disrupt the balance of established ecosystems. Every year, we pollute the air, water, and soil, and exterminate thousands of plant and animal species without even realizing it. From now on, it is essential to find the balance that allows our society to live sustainably at the heart of ecosystems.

Let us all act in favor of the environment, each one, on our own scale.