ENVIRONMENTAL
BIOLOGY , ETHICS
AND PRINCIPLES
ENVIRONMENT
COMPONENTS : BIOTIC
ABIOTIC
TYPES : GEOGRAPHICAL OR NATURAL
MAN-MADE : inner; outer
MAN MADE ENVIRONMENT
Components of Environment
Biotic
Trophic
Structure
Abiotic
Producers/
Autotrophs
Physical
factors
Consumers
Chemical
factors
1, 2, 3, ..
Decomposers
Abiotic Components
Resources
Environmental
Conditions
Directly consumed
or utilized by
organisms
Not directly
consumed but affect
growth and survival
of organisms
Examples: Mineral
elements like N, P, K,
CO2
Examples:
Temperature,
salinity, pH
Biotic Components
• Producers
• Consumers
• Decomposers
• Ecology – science dealing with the
interrelationships of living organisms to their
environment.
Comes from Greek word
-“oikos” meaning home, coined by Ernst Haeckel
-”logos” means study
• Environmental Biology pertains to the sociological,
technological and ecological studies of environment
• Environmental Science
Types of Interaction
1. Biotic affecting biotic
e.g. pollination
2. Biotic affecting abiotic
e.g. decomposition
3. Abiotic affecting biotic
e.g. hibernation
4. Abiotic affecting abiotic
e.g. soil erosion
Environmental Principles
First Law of Ecology: The Law of Interdependence
and Interconnectedness
Everything is connected to something else.
Everything has a purpose
Second Law: Change and Material Cycles
Principles of Ecology cont.
Third law of Ecology: the Law of limits and
Population Dynamics
Consumption must not exceed production
and vice versa
Fourth Law of Ecology: the law of diversity and
stability
There is unity and beauty in
diversity
Principles of Ecology cont.
Fifth law of Ecology: Balance of Nature and
Stewardship
Sixth Law of Ecology: the law of finiteness
of resources
Principles of Ecology cont.
Third law of Ecology: the Law of limits and
tolerance
Consumption must not exceed production
and vice versa
Fourth Law of Ecology: the law of complexity and
diversity
There is unity and beauty in
diversity
WHAT IS ETHICS?
•Ethos
-custom, habit, character or disposition
- a characteristic way of life
- “should or ought to”
Ethics is a relatively complete and systematically arranged body of
data which relate to the morality of human conduct.
Ethics presents truths that are acted upon which directly imply
and indicate directions for human conduct.
by human conduct, we refer to the human activity which is
deliberate and free- an act performed with advertence and
motive; an act determined by free will which is either in
agreement or disagreement with the dictates of reasons.
• Ethics is the scientific inquiry into the principles of morality.
• Ethics is the science of human acts with reference to right
and wrong.
• Ethics is the study of the rectitude of human conduct.
• Ethics is the science that lays down the principles of
right living.
• According to Socrates, ethics is the investigation of life.
The scope of ethics is much broader than the realm of law.
Ethics extends to all our duties and obligations, virtues and
vices, as we interact with each other – whether or not we
should lie or steal, whether we should be charitable toward
those less fortunate than ourselves, whether we should be
forgiving, and how to resolve conflicts of interest when we
have conflicting obligations to different persons.
• The general study of goodness.
• The general study of right action.
VALUE
INTRINSIC VALUE: The worth objects
have in their own right,
independent of their value to any other
end.
INSTRUMENTAL VALUE : The worth
objects have in fulfilling
other ends.
Ethical Positions
• Anthropocentrism: Human centered morality
• Only humans have intrinsic value and moral standing.
• The rest of the natural world has instrumental value (use to
humans).
• We can best protect nature by looking out for human needs.
• E.g. Saving the rainforests will provide O2 and
medicines for humans.
Genesis: God commands humans to "fill the earth and subdue it;
and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of
the air and over every living thing...”
• After the great flood God says to Noah: the animals will dread
and fear you, and I will give you dominion over "everything that
creeps on the ground, and over all the fish of the sea.“
Ethical Positions
• Biocentrism : Life-centered morality
• All and only living beings, specifically individual organisms (not
species or ecosystems) have intrinsic value and moral standing.
• Humans are not superior to other life forms nor privileged, and
must respect the inherent worth of every organism
• Humans should minimize harm and interference with nature: eat
vegetarian since less land needs to be cultivated.
Ethical Positions
• Ecocentrism : ecosystem centered morality
- Non-living things, species, and natural processes have moral
standing or intrinsic value and are deserving of respect.
- Individuals must be concerned about the whole community of
life/nature,.
- Humans should strive to preserve ecological balance and stability.
Activity
• 1.Students will select 2 principles in ecology and will explain and give
concrete examples. Submission will be through SB. ( 10 points)
• 2.Select one (1) environmental attitude and one (1) ethical
principle which you can apply as a student of environmental biology
and ecology, ( 10 points)