ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY,

ETHICS AND PRINCIPLES

 WHAT IS
ENVIRONMENT?
• The surroundings or conditions in which a person, animal, or
plant lives or operates.
• The word environmental usually refers to the conditions
around which affects people and other organisms.
Environmental science is the study of the interactions
between humans, other organisms, and their surroundings and how
these interactions affect their surroundings.

Ecology is a branch of biological science that deals with the

relationships between living things and the non-living components of
the environment and plays an important role in environmental
science. Its focus of study is the ecosystem.
An ecosystem occupies an important hierarchy in the level of organization in
nature, more complex than a community, consisting of organisms interacting
with one another and with the nonliving matter and energy within a defined
area.
WHAT IS ENVIRONMENT?
ENVIRONMENT - the surroundings or conditions in which a person, animal, or
plant lives or operates.
COMPONENTS:
• BIOTIC - any living component that affects another organism or shapes the ecosystem
• ABIOTIC - non-living chemical and physical parts of the environment that affect living organisms and
the functioning of ecosystems
TYPES :
• GEOGRAPHICAL OR NATURAL – the terrestrial environment that is a creation of
complex natural and environmental conditions. Although it arose independently of
humankind, it is the complement of direct interaction between nature and human society.
(land, water, volcanoes, deserts, etc.)
• MAN-MADE – a human creation. Man cannot live in the geographical environment, so
he creates some of his environmental conditions to adjust to it. (infrastructures)
• Inner
• outer
MAN MADE ENVIRONMENT
Inner environment: social environment, heritage

Outer environment: physical environment created with the help of

Science and Technology
Components of Environment

Biotic Abiotic
Producers/ Physical
Autotrophs factors
Trophic
Consumers Chemical
Structure
defined as the partitioning of biomass
1, 2, 3, .. factors
between trophic levels (subsets of an
ecological community that gather energy
and nutrients in similar ways, that is,
producers, carnivores).
Decomposers
Biotic Components

 Producers
 Consumers
 Decomposers
Abiotic Components
Environmental
Resources
Conditions
Not directly consumed
Directly consumed or
but affect growth and
utilized by organisms
survival of organisms

Examples: Mineral Examples:

elements like N, P, K, Temperature, salinity,
CO2 pH
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
 Environment refers to the surrounding of the ecosystem
 Ecosystem is the unit of environment consisting of biotic and abiotic components
 Environmental Biology pertains to the sociological, technological and ecological studies of
environment
 Environmental Science is an interdisciplinary academic field that integrates physical,
biological and information sciences to the study of the environment, and the solution of
environmental problems.
 Ecosystem Components

BIOTIC ABIOTIC

Climatic Physiographic
Producers Decomposers •Light -Topography
•Plants •Bacteria •Temperature -Soil
Consumers •Fungi •Moisture
•Herbivores •Wind
•Carnivores •Fire
•Omnivores
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
 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
to the morality of human conduct.

Ethics presents truths that are acted upon which

directly imply and indicate directions for human
conduct.
• 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.

VALUE
INTRINSIC VALUE: The worth objects have
in their own right,
independent of their value to any other
value simply because of existence)

INSTRUMENTAL VALUE : The worth objects

have in fulfilling
other ends. (worth or value because they
those who matter; values because they are
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
 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.
 Principles of Ecology
a fundamental truth or proposition that serves as
the foundation for a system of belief or behavior
or for a chain of reasoning.
• “Everything is connected to everything else,”
• “Everything in Nature Changes”
• “Everything in Nature has to go Somewhere”.
• “Ours is a finite Earth”,
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND GOVERNANCE

RELEVANT PRINCIPLES
1. Polluter-Pays Principle
“If anyone intentionally spoils the
water of another…let him not only
pay for damages, but purify the
stream or cistern which contains
the water.”
• the polluter pays principle is enacted to
make the party responsible for
producing pollution responsible for
paying for the damage done to the
natural environment.
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND GOVERNANCE
RELEVANT PRINCIPLES
2. Intergenerational Equity
• based on sustainable development
• Proper distribution of renewable and non-renewable resources is the key of the
concept of sustainable development. Where intergenerational equity tries to
distribute among present and future generation
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND GOVERNANCE

RELEVANT PRINCIPLES
3. Writ of Mandamus and Writ of Kalikasan
“The State shall protect and
advance the right of the people to a
balanced and healthful ecology in
accord with the rhythm and
harmony of nature.”
Mandamus is a judicial remedy in the form of an order
from a court to any government, subordinate court,
corporation, or public authority, to do some specific
act which that body is obliged under law to do, and
which is in the nature of public duty, and in certain
cases one of a statutory duty.
Student Activity
1. Select two ecological principles and
explain by giving examples ( 10 points)
2. Cite one (1) ethical position and one
(1) environmental attitude or behavior
which you can apply as a student of
environmental biology and ecology .
Explain your answer ( 10 points)