Yasemin is correct, ecology is not environmental science. Environmental science is an interdisciplinary area of study that encompasses the biological, chemical, geological, economic, and political forces that mold how we use and manage our environment. It encompasses wildlife and fisheries management, ecotoxicology, and other similar fields. Ecology is a science that addresses the structure and function of the biosphere. Although many ecologists find themselves working in environmental science, and many environmental scientists work essentially as ecologists, they are very different.
A simple parallel that might help discern the two fields is that Ecology is to environmental science as physics is to engineering. Malcolm McCallum On Thu, November 22, 2007 7:33 pm, yasemin baytok wrote: > Dear Ecologgers, > > With all do respect, I disagree with Andy's view that there is no > separation > between environmental and ecological science. I'm frustrated cause, > unfortunately in my country, Turkey, Environmental science = environmental > engineering-agricultural engineering-forest engineering = Ecology! And > they > seem liked to be so called "ecologist" and even believed they are. The > danger is they give lectures about ecology even they do not perform any > ecological research in their life. So, "When they are talking about > environmental science, generally they are not talking about aspects of > ecology" as he mentioned. With this defective situation you figure out the > students' perception of ecology as a science, not mentioning basic > principles of ecology. So here both sciences are misrepresented somehow. > Of > course, we have rare 'silent' ecologists and emerging ones that they > grown. > Still, ecology is minor science and few eminent universities hesitate to > give us a graduate degree on "the" ecology. > > Nowadays, as being attempting to teach current ecological issues and their > interconnectedness with the social sciences for non-biology majors, I > start > with the definition and separation of these sciences as emphasizing > interactions with each others and the others sciences as well. > > Here two different definitions for "environmental science": > > The <http://www.wordwebonline.com/en/BRANCH> branch of > <http://www.wordwebonline.com/en/BIOLOGY> biology > <http://www.wordwebonline.com/en/CONCERNED> concerned with the > <http://www.wordwebonline.com/en/RELATIONS> relations between > <http://www.wordwebonline.com/en/ORGANISM> organisms and their > <http://www.wordwebonline.com/en/ENVIRONMENT> environment - syn: > <http://www.wordwebonline.com/en/ECOLOGY> ecology, > <http://www.wordwebonline.com/en/BIONOMICS> bionomics > > The science which studies the interaction between man and the environment, > emphasizing the links between different subjects related to this issue, > including ecology <http://www.allwords.com/?SearchType=3&Keyword=ecology> > , > economics <http://www.allwords.com/?SearchType=3&Keyword=economics> , > geography <http://www.allwords.com/?SearchType=3&Keyword=geography> , > geology <http://www.allwords.com/?SearchType=3&Keyword=geology> , > meteorology <http://www.allwords.com/?SearchType=3&Keyword=meteorology> , > politics <http://www.allwords.com/?SearchType=3&Keyword=politics> and > sociology <http://www.allwords.com/?SearchType=3&Keyword=sociology> . > > After I saw the first definition, I found myself asking what the > definition > Ecology then was!!! Second one seems quite fair to me. > > I know that the definition of environmental sciences is broad, overlapping > the natural sciences, the social sciences, and engineering. But I really > do > separate out environmental and ecological science: > > Environmental science and Ecology are different fields of study, although > there is some overlap due to the multidisciplinary nature of environmental > science. Ecology is the study of the interrelations of living organisms > and > their environment, whether at the population, community, or ecosystem > level. > In contrast, environmental science is a broad area of study including > diverse areas such as atmospheric sciences, soil chemistry, > pollution-toxicology (water/air/soil quality), environmental > law/economics/politics and biological responses of systems to > anthropogenic > influence. > > I sum up this subject with the comment of few scientists from The American > Institute of Biological Sciences, (AIBS) ' Comments on Draft Taxonomy of > Life Sciences, 2003: > > "Another issue we request the Committee reconsider is the association of > Ecology and Environmental Science. There is a common public misconception > that all ecological research is also environmental research. While there > is > certainly a strong link between the two disciplines, they are unique. > Environmental science has historically been a discipline that includes > non-biological sciences and is focused on solving environmental problems. > In > short, environmental science is largely an interdisciplinary applied > science. While ecology has also grown and benefited from increased > interdisciplinary collaboration, it is largely a basic science. While what > is learned from ecological research can and should inform environmental > science and policy, ecology is not by definition an environmental science > as > environmental science is generally defined. We request the Committee > reconsider its linkage of Ecology with Environmental Science. Each > discipline is robust enough to warrant consideration as an independent > discipline with subfields." > > I'll appreciate your thoughts. > > Respectfully, > > Yasemin Erguner Baytok, PhD candidate > > > Malcolm L. McCallum Assistant Professor of Biology Editor Herpetological Conservation and Biology http://www.herpconbio.org [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
