Photo Courtesy: https://www.google.com.ph/search?

q=teaching+environmental+sci+biodiversity&tbm=isch&ved=2

Joselito Trandio P. Mendoza, Ph.D. Rosemarie L. Villanueva, DEd.

Mae Angeline T. Tajolosa, Ph.D. Hilario S. Taberna Jr., Msci.
Hilario S. Taberna Jr., Msci. Liane D. Dolfiño, DEd.
Sarah Jane S. Jucal, MEd. Mae Angeline T. Tajolosa, Ph. D.
Analyn C. Sa-an, MSci. Melissa H. Arganoza, MSci.
Reah Ann A. Torres, Ph.D. Alma Mae S. Torremoro, Ph.D.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface…………………………………………………………………………..……….i
Module 1. Introduction to Environmental
Science…...………………………………………………………….….…..…..1
1. Definition of Environment…………………………………………………..4
2. Components of the Environment…………………………………………..7
3. Element and Structures of Environment………………………………...15
4. Scope and Importance of Studying Environmental Science…………..20
5. Nine Environmental Principles……………………………………………27
6. Role of Environmental Education…………………………………………30
7. Men and Women of the Environment…………………………………….33

Module 2. Basics of Ecology…………………………………………….…………40

1. Basic Ecological Terminologies……………………………………….….44
2. The Ecosystem and Its Components………………………...……….….49
3. Energy Flow in Ecosystem………………………………………………..57
4. Population and Community Ecology………………………………….….64

Module 3. Sustaining Natural Resources……………………………..…....……75

1. Natural Resources and Man………………………………………………78
2. Natural Resources and Associated Problems………………………..…86
3. Management and Conservation of Natural Resources…………………95
Module 4. Sustaining Biodiversity………………………………………...….…118
1. Definition of Biodiversity………………………………………………....123
2. Levels of Biodiversity……………………………………………………..120
3. Evolution and Genesis of Biodiversity…………………………………..133
4. Value and Benefits of Biodiversity…………………………………..…..139
5. Threats to Biodiversity…………………………………………………...145
6. Protection and Conservation of Biodiversity…………………………...151

Module 5. Environmental Problems and Mitigating

Measures……………...………………………………………...……………158
1. Environmental Pollution………………………………………………….161
2. Global Warming and Climate Change……………………………...…..172
3. Ozone Depletion……………………………………………………….…182
4. Overpopulation and Infectious Diseases………………………….……186
5. Environmental Management and Laws………………………...………189

| ii
 UNIVERSITY VISION, MISSION, GOALS

VISION
ISAT U as a leading science and technology university in Southeast Asia
by 2030.

MISSION
The University is committed to provide quality and relevant advanced
education, higher technological, professional instruction and training in arts,
sciences, education, architecture, engineering, agriculture, forestry, and
other fields of study, thereby producing locally oriented, globally
competitive, and globally eco-friendly human resources. It shall promote
research and development programs to advance science and technology
and undertake sustainable extension and production activities.

CORE VALUES
Integrity
Commitment
Accountability
Responsiveness
Excellence

INSTITUTIONAL GOALS

1. To provide a nurturing environment where academic freedom is

guaranteed and respected for the optimum development of human
potential.
2. To produce highly competent and eco-friendly graduates, who will
become leaders and experts in their fields of specialization.
3. To conduct research towards the advancement of science and
technology.
4. To provide extension and production activities for the improvement of
the quality of life in the community.
5. To provide effective and efficient delivery of services through responsive
management of human, physical, financial and information resources.

INSTITUTIONAL OUTCOMES/GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES

1. ISAT U graduates will demonstrate:
a. love of God and Nation;
b. expertise in their field of specialization;
c. leadership in the practice of their profession;
d. social responsiveness, gender sensitivity and respect towards
people and environment;
e. awareness of and concern to domestic and global issues; and

| iii
 f. ability to communicate effectively and think critically and
creatively.
2. ISAT U graduates will work:
a. with integrity and commitment in their respective fields of
endeavors; and
b. harmoniously in a multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural
environment.
3. ISAT U graduates will engage into:
a. life-long learning by keeping abreast with the latest development
in the society; and
b. the development and transfer of technology.

| iv
 Photo Courtesy: https://www.google.com.ph/search?q=environmental+science&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwiZo7zQmKvrAhVNTZQKHSZkDg0Q2-

Joselito Trandio P. Mendoza, Ph.D.

Mae Angeline T. Tajolosa, Ph.D.
Hilario S. Taberna Jr., Msci.
 The environment is an evergreen subject because it matters a lot to our daily lives. It’s where
we live, eat, breathe and bring up our children. Our life support systems entirely rely on the
well-being of every organism living on planet earth. This is why a lot has been written and
spoken about the protection and conservation of the environment.

Environmental science is a field that deals with the study of the interaction between human
systems and natural systems. Natural systems involve the earth itself and life. Human systems
are primarily the populations of the earth.

This module is consists of seven lessons which will generally provide an overview of what is the
definition, scope, element and structure of the environment. It also discussed the definition,
scope and importance of studying environmental science. Moreover, the nine environmental
principles are enumerated to encourage students from diverse backgrounds and opportunity to
become active members of the global society of the twenty-first century. They can become key
players in contributing to the well- being of the environment that have impacts on their daily
lives and for their futures. On the other hand, the role of environmental education is discussed
to allow individuals to explore environmental issues, engage in problem-solving, and take action
to improve the environment. As a result, individuals develop a deeper understanding
of environmental issues and have the skills to make informed and responsible decisions. Lastly,
the men and women of the environment are presented to give the environmentalist a human
face. Let us take a lead on environmental vanguards that devoted their passions and lives in
defending the only home that we have -the planet Earth.

In this module, you will learn the following lessons:

Lesson 1- Definition of Environment

Lesson 2 -Components of the Environment
Lesson 3 -Element and Structures of Environment
Lesson 4 - Scope and Importance of Studying Environmental Science
Lesson 5 - Nine Environmental Principles
Lesson 6- Role of Environmental Education
Lesson 7 - Men and Women of the Environment.

Module Outcomes:
At the end of the module, you must have:
1. defined the environment;
2. described the components of the environment;
3. enumerated the elements and structure of the environment;
4. defined the scope and importance of studying Environmental Science;
5. enumerated and understood the nine environmental principles;
6. discussed the role of Environmental Education; and
7. identified the men and women of the Environment.
Before you start with the lessons in this module, familiarize yourself with the terms listed
in Table 1.

Table 1. Terms you need to know in this module.

The mass of air surrounding the Earth.
Atmosphere

The portion of Earth and its atmosphere that can support life
Biosphere
(Source: US EPA)

The pattern of weather in a particular region over a set period

Climate
of time, usually 30 years. The pattern is affected by the
amount of rain or snowfall, average temperatures throughout
the year, humidity, wind speeds and so on.
Ecology The relationship between the plants, animals and
the environment in a particular area

A community of organisms that depend on each other and

Ecosystem
the environment they inhabit.

The natural world, including the land, water, air, plants

Environment
and animals, especially considered as something that
is affected by human activity
The plants and animals those are native to a particular area
Flora and fauna
or period of time.
The area occupied by a community or species (a group of
Habitat
animals or plants), such as a forest floor, desert, or seashore.

Any living thing, from bacteria and fungi through insects,

Organism
plants, animals and humans

Nature The physical world including all living things as well as

the land and the oceans

Natural resources Valuable substances (i.e.as wood and oil that exist in
a country’s land and ocean)

|3
 Lesson Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you must have:
1. defined and characterized the environment; and
2. known the origin of the word “environment”.

The environment is the real world that has the living as well as non-living types of
surroundings on the earth. It also refers to particular geographical areas. The
plants, air, water, animals, human beings and other living things exist in the
environment. In the environment, there are different interactions
between animals, plants, soil, water and other living and non-living things. They
constantly interact with it and adapt themselves to conditions in their environment.
Indeed, the environment is a nature that nurtures our life on earth.

Engage

Look around you? What do you see? List them down.

So everything that you can see around is what you call our environment.

Explore

Design an "environment" cards for two different types of environments. Discuss

the similarities and differences of each environment.

Explain

I. Definition of Environment

An environment is the natural world that surrounds us, which includes both living
and nonliving things such as soil, water, animals and plants, which adapt
themselves to their surroundings. It is nature’s gift that helps in nourishing the life
on the earth. It is very important for us to know the scope and elements of the place
that we live in. Hence, it is very important to keep it clean in order to live a healthy
and peaceful life. This lesson highlights the definition of the environment, its scope
and elements. Also, the types and structures of the environment are enumerated

|4
The word Environment is derived from the French word “Environ” which means
“surrounding”. Our surrounding includes biotic factors like human beings, plants,
animals and microbes and the abiotic factors such as light, air, water and soil.

In a broader sense, the environment, on the other hand, means the surrounding
external conditions influencing the development or growth of people, animals or
plants; living or working conditions. This involves three questions:

A. What is Surrounded?
The answer to this question is living objects in general and man in
particular.
B. By what Surrounded
The scope of the term Environment has been changing and widening by
the passage of time. In the primitive age, the environment consisted of
only physical aspects of the planted earth's land, air and water as
biological communities. As time passed on, man extended his
environment through his social, economic, and political functions.
C. Where Surrounded
The answer to this question is that it is in nature that physical component
of the planet earth, with land, air, water on it that support and affects life
in the biosphere. According to a Goudie,” environment is the
representative of physical components of the earth wherein man is an
important factor affecting the environment.”

Some important definitions of the environment are as under:

A. Boring: ‘A person’s environment consists of the sum total of the

stimulation which he receives from his conception until his death.’ It can
be concluded from the above definition that the environment comprises
of various types of forces such as physical, intellectual, economic,
political, cultural, social, moral and emotional.
B. Douglas and Holland: ‘The term environment is used to describe, in the
aggregate, all the sum total of all the external forces, influences and
conditions, which affect the life, nature, behavior, growth, development
and maturity of living organisms.’

|5
Elaborate

Explore a new "environment" that is different from the explored activity. Is there
any difference than the first one? In what way is it different? Is it the same?

Evaluate

Name: Date:
Program and Section: Score:

Direction: Draw your own concept of the environment. Describe it. Take a picture and
post it.

|6
 Lesson Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you must have:
1. enumerated the different components of the environment; and
2. characterized each component of the environment.

The environment is the sum total of conditions that surrounds us at a given point
of time and space. It is comprised of the interacting systems of physical, biological
and cultural elements that are interlinked both individually and collectively. The
environment is the sum total of conditions in which an organism has to survive or
maintain its life process. It influences the growth and development of living forms.
In other words, the environment refers to those surroundings that envelop the living
beings from all sides and affect their lives in too. It consists of atmosphere,
hydrosphere, lithosphere and biosphere. Its chief components are soil, water, air,
organisms and solar energy. It has provided us all the resources for leading a
comfortable life.

Engage

Source: https://www.google.com/search?q=environment++with
+biotic+ and+abiotic+picture

What can you say in this picture? Can you still remember the parts of the earth as
shown in the picture?

|7
Explore

Source: https://handygeography.wordpress.com/gcse/the-
restless-earth-revision-materials/structure-of-the-earth/#

1. Identify each part of the structure of the earth.

2. What are the unique features in every part of the structure of the earth?

Explain

I. Structure of the Earth

The Earth is made up of 4 different layers. They each have unique characteristics
as described below. Figure 1.1 shows where each layer is located.

Figure1.1.Structure of the Earth

Source: https://www.gsi.ie/en-ie/education/our-planet-earth/Pages/The-Earth
structure.aspx

|8
The crust
This is the outside layer of the earth and is made of solid rock, mostly basalt and
granite. There are two types of a crust: oceanic and continental. Oceanic crust is
denser and thinner and mainly composed of basalt. Continental crust is less
dense, thicker and mainly composed of granite.

The mantle
The mantle lies below the crust and is up to 2900 km thick. It consists of hot,
dense, iron and magnesium-rich solid rock. The crust and the upper part of the
mantle make up the lithosphere, which is broken into plates, both large and small.

The core
The core is the center of the earth and is made up of two parts: the liquid outer
core and solid inner core. The outer core is made of nickel, iron and molten rock.
Temperatures here can reach up to 50,000 C.

II. Four Components of the Environment

The environment life support system is consists of four major components such
as the following:
A. Atmosphere: The atmosphere implies the protective blanket of gases,
surrounding the earth:
 It sustains life on the earth.
 It saves it from the hostile environment of outer space.
 It absorbs most of the cosmic rays from outer space and a
major portion of the electromagnetic radiation from the sun.
 It transmits only the ultraviolet, visible, near-infrared radiation
(300 to 2500 nm), and radio waves (0.14 to 40 m) while filtering
out the tissue-damaging ultraviolet waves below 300 nm.

The atmosphere is a thin spherical envelope of gases surrounding the

earth’s surface. Its inner layer, the troposphere, extends only 17
kilometers (11 miles) above sea level at the tropics and about 7
kilometers (4 miles) above the earth’s north and south poles. It contains
the majority of the air that we breathe, consisting mostly of nitrogen (78%
of the total volume) and oxygen (21%). The remaining 1% of the air
includes water vapor, carbon dioxide, and methane, all of which are
called greenhouse gases, which absorb and release energy that warms
the lower atmosphere. Without these gases, the earth would be too cold
for the existence of life as we know it. Almost all of the earth’s weather
occurs within this layer.

|9
 The next layer stretching 17-50 kilometers11-31 miles) above the earth’s
surface, is called the stratosphere. Its lower portion holds enough ozone
to filter out most of the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation. This global
sunscreen allows life to exist on the land and in the surface layers of
bodies of water. Furthermore, figure 1.2 shows the different layers of the
atmosphere.
The atmosphere is composed of nitrogen and oxygen besides, argon,
carbon dioxide, and trace gases.

Figure 1.2 Layers of the Atmosphere

Source:https://www.google.com/search?q=layers+
of+the+environment&source

B. Hydrosphere: The Hydrosphere comprises all types of water resources

oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, streams, reservoir, polar icecaps, glaciers
and ground water near the earth’s surface. It is found as liquid water
(the surface and underground), ice (polar ice, iceberg, and ice in frozen
soil layers called permafrost and vapor in the atmosphere.
 The oceans, which cover 71% of the globe, contain about 97% of
the water.
 About 2% of the water resources are locked in the polar icecaps
and glaciers.
 Only about 1% is available as fresh surface water-rivers, lakes
streams and groundwater fit to be used for human consumption
and other uses.

C. Geosphere or Lithosphere: It is consists of the earth’s intensely hot core,

a thick mantle composed mostly of a thin outer crust. Most of the
geosphere is located in the earth’s interior. Its upper portion contains
non-renewable fossil fuels and minerals that we use, as well as

| 10
 renewable soil chemicals (nutrients) that organisms need to live and
grow.
D. Biosphere: Biosphere indicates the realm of living organisms and their
interactions with the environment that includes atmosphere,
hydrosphere and lithosphere. It is consists of the parts of the
atmosphere, hydrosphere and geosphere where life is found as shown
in Figure 1.3. If the earth were an apple, the biosphere would be no
thicker than the apple’s skin.

Figure 1.3 Segments of the Environment

Source:https://www.google.com/search?q=segments+of+
the+environment&tbm

III. Factors that Sustain the Earth’s Life

Life on earth depends on three interconnected factors:
A. The one-way flow of high-quality energy from the sun, through living
things in their feeding interactions, into the environment as low-quality
energy mostly heat dispersed into air or water at a low temperature, and
eventually back into space as heat. No round trips are allowed because
high-quality energy cannot be recycled. The two laws of
thermodynamics govern this energy flow.
B. The cycling of nutrients (the atoms, ions, or molecules needed for
survival by living organisms) through parts of the biosphere. Because
the earth is closed to significant inputs of matter from space, its
essentiality fixed supply of nutrients must be continually recycled to
support life. Nutrient movements in ecosystems and in the biosphere

| 11
 are round-trips, which can take from seconds to centuries to complete.
The law of conservation of matter governs this nutrient cycling process.
C. Gravity allows the planet to hold onto its atmosphere and helps to enable
the movement and cycling of chemicals through the air, water, soil and
organisms.

Elaborate

Create a model showing the different components of the environment and list at
least two environmental problems found in that specific part.

| 12
Evaluate

Name: Date:
Program and Section: Score:

Multiple Choice

Direction: Encircle the letter of the BEST answer.

1. Where you will find the ozone layer

A. Stratosphere B. Thermosphere
C. Exosphere D. Mesosphere

2. Where weather occurs

A. Stratosphere B. Thermosphere
C. Troposphere D. Mesosphere

3. What two gases are found throughout all layers of the atmosphere?
A. Nitrogen and oxygen
B. Trace gasses and water vapor
C. Oxygen and carbon dioxide
D. Nitrogen and carbon dioxide

4. As you go higher in the troposphere, the temperature

A. Increases
B. Decreases
C. Stays the same
D. Gets very hot

5. Which layer is the outermost layer?

A. Troposphere
B. Exosphere
C. Mesosphere
D. Thermosphere

6. This is the layer where most jet airliners fly.

A. Troposphere
B. Stratosphere
C. Mesosphere
D. Thermosphere

| 13
7. What happens to the air pressure the higher up in space you go?
A. the air pressure increases
B. the air pressure decreases
C. the air pressure stays the same
D. there is no air pressure

8. This layer is where satellites are found.

A. thermosphere
B. exosphere
C. stratosphere
D. mesosphere

9. The layers of the atmosphere are classified according to changes

in_________.
A. altitude
B. density
C. composition
D. temperature

10. Which layer of the atmosphere contains the greatest amount of water vapor?
A. thermosphere
B. stratosphere
C. troposphere
D. mesosphere

| 14
 Lesson Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you must have:
1. enumerated and described the elements of the environment;
2. enumerated and characterized the different structures of the
environment.

The environment is defined as the whole physical and biological system

surrounding the man and other organisms along with various factors influencing
them. The factors are soil, air, water, light, temperature, etc. These are called
abiotic factors. Besides the abiotic factors, the environment is very much
influenced by biotic factors which include all forms of life-like plants, animals,
microorganisms, etc.

Man is thus an inseparable part of the environment. Man and Environment have a
very close relationship with each other. The social life of man is affected by the
environment. This is the reason for various types of social and cultural activities
around the world. The hilly people have different lifestyles than people in the plain
area. Similarly, people around the world differ in their food, cloth, festivals, etc. All
these are influenced by the factors around him.

Engage

Look at the interactions between living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) things in
the environment. Do you think there are a lot of interactions? An interaction is
when one has a relationship with something else. For example, a flower needs to
use water to live; in this case, flower and water interact so that the latter lives.
Essentially, they are working together to accomplish something.
Talk about what happens when one component of the environment changes.
Who and what will it affect?

Explore

Map a pond or nearby wetland, track where tadpoles are feeding and where other
organisms are situated or move in relation to each other. Record your observations
and descriptions of this environment. How did the organisms survive?

| 15
Explain

The environment is constituted by the interacting systems of physical, biological,

and cultural elements inter-related in various ways, individually as well as
collectively. These elements may be explained as the following:

1. Physical elements
Physical elements are space, landforms, water bodies, climate soils,
rocks and minerals. They determine the variable character of the human
habitat, its opportunities as well as limitations.

2. Biological elements
Biological elements such as plants, animals, microorganisms and
human beings constitute the biosphere.

3. Cultural elements
Cultural elements such as economic, social and political elements are
essentially manmade features, which make the cultural milieu.

STRUCTURE OF ENVIRONMENT
The environment is both physical and biological. It includes both living and non-
living components.
A. Physical Environment
The Physical Environment is classified into three broad categories:
 Solid
 Liquid
 Gas
These represent the following spheres:
 The lithosphere (solid earth)
 The hydrosphere (water component) and
 The atmosphere
As such, the three basic elements of the physical environment may be
termed as under:
 Lithospheric Environment
 Hydrospheric Environment
 Atmospheric Environment

B. Biological Environment
The biological of environment consists of:
 Plants (flora)
 Animals (fauna).

| 16
Thus, the biotic environment further is divided into a floral environment
and faunal environment. All the organisms work to form their social
groups and organizations at several levels. Thus, the social environment
is formed. In this social environment, the organisms work to derive
matter from the physical environment for their sustenance and
development. This process gives birth to the economic environment.
Man claims to be the most skilled and civilized of all the organisms. This
is the reason why his social organization is most systematic. The three
aspects of man, e.g. physical, social and economic, function in the biotic
environment.

 The Physical Man

The ‘Physical Man’ is one of the organism’s populations or
biological communities. He is in need of basic elements of the
physical environment like habitat (space), air, water and food.
Besides, like other biological populations, he releases wastes into
the ecosystem.

 The Social Man

The ‘Social Man’ performs the following functions:
o establishing social institutions;
o forming social organizations;
o formulating laws, principles and policies; and
o taking steps to safeguard his existence, interest and social
welfare.
 The Economic Man
The economic man derives and utilizes resources from the
physical and biotic environment with his skills and technologies.
The economic function makes the man an environment/
geomorphic process as he transports matter and energy from one
component of the ecosystem to the other. There may be any
following two situations:
o His exploitative functions may be in harmony with the
natural environment. Such, functions do not necessarily
involve a change in the working of the ecosystem.
o These functions may exceed the critical limit.
Consequently, the equilibrium of the
environment/ecosystem is disturbed and a great number
of environment and ecological problems crop up. These
are detrimental to humanity and to the whole population of
human species in a given ecosystem.

| 17
Elaborate

Watch the video.

Environments Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_XhwQmpzoE
This video asks you to look at the environment in a way that is probably very
different from, but much more useful than, the way most people think about it.
Make a synthesis on this video.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

| 18
Evaluate

Name: Date:
Program and Section: Score:

I. Multiple Choice

Direction: Encircle the letter that corresponds to the BEST answer.

1. The following are functions of the Social Man except:
A. Establishing social institutions
B. Forming social organizations
C. Formulating laws, principles, and policies
D. Utilizes resources from the environment

2. This is the environment where the organisms work to derive matter from the
physical environment for their sustenance and development.
A. Social environment
B. Cultural environment
C. Physical environment
D. Biological environment
3. The following are examples of physical elements except
A. water bodies
B. microorganisms
C. climate
D. soils
4. It also called a “solid sphere”
A. atmosphere
B. lithosphere
C. biosphere
D. ecosphere
5. These are man-made features of the environment
A. Physical environment
B. Cultural environment
C. Biological environment
D. Economic environment

II. Essay

Read an article on the internet or any reading material that pertains to the recent
environmental issues in any of the elements of the environment.

| 19
 Lesson Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you must have:
1. defined Environmental Science;
2. known the scope of Environmental Science; and
3. understood the importance of Environmental Science.

Environmental Science, “an interdisciplinary academic field which integrates

physical, biological and information sciences to the study of the environment, their
interrelationships among components of the natural world and the study of the
causes, associative risks, preventive measures and solution of environmental
problems.
Environmental science is regarded as a medium in developing environmentally
responsible behavior. Through environmental science, it is hoped that the society
can develop environmentally-literate citizens who are aware of and concerned
about the environment and its associated problems.

Environmental Science in the Philippines has started even before the 1970’s, but
it sad to note that our natural resources have continuously deteriorated over the
years.

Engage

What do you think would happen if all of the trees in the rainforest were cut down,
or if chemicals were spilled in a river, or if snow and rainfall increased drastically?

What subject could explain all these environmental issues and concerns?

Explore

Identify and list down the variety of environmental issues in your community.
What are the initiatives done by your local government unit to those identified
problems?

| 20
Explain

I. Definition of Environmental Science

Environmental Science is the field of science that studies the interactions of the
physical, chemical and biological components of the environment and also the
relationships and effects of these components with the organisms in the
environment. The field of environmental science can be divided into three main
goals, which are to learn how the natural world works, to understand how we as
humans interact with the environment, and also to determine how we affect the
environment. The third goal of determining how humans affect the environment
also includes finding ways to deal with these effects on the environment. Figure 1
shows some major problems, issues, and disciplines which provide input in solving
these difficulties in environmental science

Figure 1.Some major problems and issues and disciplines which provide input
in solving these problems in environmental science
https://www.biologydiscussion.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/clip_image0028.jpg

| 21
II. Scope of Environmental Science
Environmental science is also referred to as an interdisciplinary field because it
incorporates information and ideas from multiple disciplines. Within the natural
sciences, such fields as biology, chemistry and geology are included in
environmental science. When most people think of environmental science, they
think of these natural science aspects, but what makes environmental science
such a complex and broad field is that it also includes fields from the social
sciences and the humanities.
The social science fields that are incorporated into environmental science include
geography, economics and political science. Philosophy and ethics are the two
fields within the humanities that are also included in environmental science. By
combining aspects of the natural sciences, social sciences and the humanities, the
field of environmental science can cover more concepts and also examine
problems and topics from many different points of view.

III. Importance of Environmental Science

At this current time, the world around us is changing at a very rapid pace. Some
changes are beneficial, but many of the changes are causing damage to our
planet. The field of environmental science is valuable resources for learning more
about these changes and how they affect the world we live in. Environmental
Science enlightens us, about the importance of protection and conservation of our
indiscriminate release of pollution into the environment. At present a great number
of environmental issues, have grown in size and complexity day by day,
threatening the survival of mankind on earth. We study these issues and give
effective suggestions in the Environment Sciences. Environment Sciences have
become significant for the following reasons:
A. Environment Issues Being of International Importance
It has been well recognized that environmental issues like global
warming and ozone depletion, acid rain, marine pollution, and
biodiversity are not merely national issues but are global issues and
hence must be tackled with international efforts and cooperation.
B. Problems Cropped in the Wake of Development
Development, in its wake gave birth to Urbanization, Industrial Growth,
Transportation Systems, Agriculture and Housing. However, it has
become phased out in the developed world. The North, to cleanse their
own environment has fact fully, managed to move ‘dirty’ factories of
South. When the West developed, it did so perhaps in ignorance of the
environmental impact of its activities. Evidently, such a path is neither
practicable nor desirable, even if the developing world follows that.

| 22
C. Explosively Increase in Pollution
World census reflects that one in every seven persons in this planted
lives in India. Evidently, with 16 percent of the world's population and
only 2.4 percent of its land area, there is heavy pressure on the natural
resources including land. Agricultural experts have recognized soil
health problems like deficiency of micronutrients and organic matter, soil
salinity, and damage to soil structure.
D. Need for an Alternative Solution
It is essential, especially for developing countries to find alternative
paths to an alternative goal. We need a goal as the following:
 A goal, which ultimately is the true goal of developing an
environmentally sound and sustainable development.
 A goal common to all citizens of our earth.
 A goal distant from the developing world in the manner it is from
the over-consuming wasteful societies of the “developed” world.

E. Need to Save Humanity from Extinction

It is incumbent upon us to save humanity from extinction as a
consequent to our activities that are constricting the environment and
depleting the biosphere, in the name of development.

F. Need for Wise Planning of Development

Our survival and sustenance depend on wise planning. Resources
withdrawal, processing and use of the products all have to be
synchronized with the ecological cycles in any plan of development. Our
actions should be planned ecologically for the sustainability of the
environment.

G. Need for Public Awareness

It is essential to make the public aware of the formidable consequences
of Environmental Degradation if no corrective and reformative measures
undertaken would result in the extinction of life. We are facing various
environmental challenges. It is essential to get the country acquainted
with these challenges so that their acts may be eco-friendly. Some of
these challenges are the following:
 Growing Population
A population of over thousands of millions is growing at 2.11
percent every year. Over 17 million people are added each year.
It puts considerable pressure on its natural resources and
reduces the gains of development. Hence, the greatest challenge
before us is to limit population growth. Although population
control does automatically lead to development, yet the progress

| 23
 leads to a decrease in population growth rates. For this
development, women are essential players so that their true
voices can be heard and respected

 Poverty
Environmental degradation has adversely affected the poor who
depend upon the resources of their immediate surroundings.
Thus, the challenge of poverty and the challenge of
environmental degradation are two facets of the same challenge.
The population growth is essentially a function of poverty.
Because, to the very poor, every child is an earner and helper
and global concerns have little relevance for him.

 Agricultural Growth
The people must be acquainted with the methods to sustain and
increase agricultural growth without damaging the environment.
High yielding varieties have caused soil salinity and damage to
the physical structure of the soil.

 Need to Protect the Groundwater

It is essential of rationalizing the use of groundwater. Factors like
community wastes, industrial effluents and chemical fertilizers
and pesticides have polluted our surface water and affected the
quality of the groundwater. It is essential to restore the water
quality of our rivers and other water bodies as lakes are an
important challenge. We need to find our suitable strategies for
conservation of water, provision of safe drinking water, and
keeping water bodies clean.

 Development and Forests

Forest serves as catchments for the rivers. With the increasing
demand for water, plan to harness the mighty river through large
irrigation projects were made. Certainly, these would submerge
forests; displace local people, damage flora and fauna. As such,
the dams on the river Narmada, Bhagirathi and elsewhere have
become areas of political and scientific debate. Forests in India
have been shrinking for several centuries owing to pressures of
agriculture and other uses. Vast areas that were once green are
now standing as wastelands. These areas are to be brought back
under vegetative cover. The tribal communities inhabiting forests
respect the trees and birds and animal that give them
sustenance. We must recognize the role of these people in
restoring and conserving forests. The modern knowledge and

| 24
 skills of the forest should be integrated with the traditional
knowledge and experience of the local communities. The
strategies for the joint management of forests should be evolved
in a well -planned way.

 Reorientation of Institutions
The people should be roused to orient institutions, attitudes and
infrastructures, to suit conditions and needs today. The change
has to be brought in keeping in view India’s traditions for
resources use management and education. The change should
be brought in education, in attitudes, in administrative
procedures, and in institutions. Because it affects the way people
view technology resources and development.

 Reduction of Genetic Diversity

Proper measures to conserve genetic diversity need to be taken.
At present most wild genetic stocks have been disappearing from
nature. Wilding including the Asiatic Lion is facing the problem of
loss of genetic diversity. The protected areas network like
sanctuaries, national parks, biosphere reserves is isolating
populations. So, they are decreasing changes in one group
breeding with another. Remedial steps are to be taken to check
decreasing genetic diversity.

 Evil Consequences of Urbanization

Nearly 27 percent of Indians live in urban areas. Urbanization and
industrialization have given birth to a great number of
environmental problems that need urgent attention. Over 30
percent of urban Indians live in slums for example. Out of India’s
3,245 towns and cities, only 21 have partial or full sewerage and
treatment facilities. Hence, coping with rapid urbanization is a
major challenge.

 Air and Water Population

The majority of our industrial plants are using outdated population
technologies and makeshift facilities devoid of any provision of
treating their wastes. A great number of cities and industrial areas
have been identified as the worst in terms of air and water
pollution. Acts are enforced in the country, but their
implementation is not so easy. The reason is their implementation
needs great resources, technical expertise, political and social
will. Again the people are to be made aware of these rules. Their
support is indispensable to implement these rules.

| 25
Elaborate

Develop a survey to determine what opinions and knowledge exist within the
people of your community regarding your identified environmental issue. You will
then survey a representative sample of differing age groups within the community.
Survey results will then be put in table and graph form to be analyzed for any trends
among gender, age, etc.

Evaluate

Name: Date:
Program and Section: Score:

Essay

1. Identify at least three recent environmental issues and change in your

community.
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

2. What impact does this environmental change have on everything and everyone
else in the environment?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

3. What are the possible solutions to this problem?

______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

| 26
 Lesson Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you must have:
1. enumerated the nine (9) environmental principles; and
2. expounded the nine (9) environmental principles.

The Environmental Principles offer protection to our natural world. They act as
guidance for judges and decision-makers, giving laws shape and meaning. They are
used in a whole host of government and public authority decisions, including
planning applications, management of marine protected areas, and dealing with
contaminated land. This lesson highlights the 9 basic environmental principles. We
need to learn about our ecosystem because this is the only way we can protect
and take care of our planet and take action for our environmental problems .

Engage

Reflect on the statement, “Think Globally, Act Locally”, and answer the question:
“How are local and global issues connected, both in terms of causes and
solutions?” Give specific examples.

Explore

Read articles and watch video clippings from the Internet on the Boracay Island
environmental problems. Write a review paper on the guiding environmental
principles violated by the stakeholders on the said island tourist attraction.

Explain

Nine Environmental Principles

A. Nature knows best.

This principle is the most basic and, in fact, encompasses all the others. In
essence, people must not go against the natural process if they would like to
ensure a continuous and steady supply of resources. In nature, nutrients pass
from the environment to the organism and back to the environment. Any
disruption in the cycle can bring about imbalance. For example, the burning of

| 27
 farm wastes instead of allowing them to decompose naturally disrupts the
cycle.

B. All forms of life are important.

Each organism plays a fundamental role in nature. All living things must be
considered valuable in the maintenance of stability in an ecosystem. It is easy
to appreciate the beautiful butterflies, especially knowing their important role in
pollination. Giant beasts like whale, alligator and elephant are objects of
wonder and respect

C. Everything is connected to everything else.

In an ecosystem, all components interact with each other to ensure that the
system is continued. Any outside interference may result in an imbalance.
Deforestation in the mountains may affect the lowlands, resulting in floods,
drought, or erosion. What happens in one country may even affect other
countries.

D. Everything changes.
The only permanent thing is change. Change may be linear, cyclical, or
random. An example of linear change is the evolution of a species. Cyclical
changes are the eruption of a volcano, like Mt. Pinatubo bringing great
upheaval in many parts of Luzon.

E. Everything must go somewhere.

When a piece of paper is thrown away, it disappears from sight but it does not
cease to exist. It simply goes somewhere else. Wastes can either be pollutants
or resources. We need to change our "throw-away" society attitude in order to
develop better methods of waste management and recycling.

F. Ours is finite earth.

The earth's resources can be classified as either renewable or non-renewable.
Renewable resources, like water, air, plants, and animals, can easily be
replenished by natural cycles. Non-renewable resources, like minerals, oil and
coal cannot be replenished through natural cycles. Awareness of the earth's
limited resources should lead to a conscious effort to change one's attitude as
a consumer.

G. The amount of life nature can support is limited.

Carrying capacity is the maximum number of individuals of a given species
which can be supported by a particular habitat or ecosystem without damaging
it. For example, a typical Filipino bahay kubo can only support a limited number

| 28
 of family members; the presence of too many residents results in overcrowding.
Therefore, nature has its own processes or mechanisms to regulate the
population of a species within the capacity environment.

H. Human progress must consider its effect on nature.

Sustainable development meets the needs of the present without comprising
the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Development is
viewed as essential in improving the quality of human life, yet human activities
often change the environment and destroy or damage natural resources.
Sustainable development strives for human progress without threatening the
environment.

I. Nature is beautiful and we are stewards of God's creation.

This principle is inherent in most religious and tribal beliefs. Teachings of
Christianity, Buddhism, and Islam enjoin everyone to respect all life and order
of nature.

Elaborate

Illustrate the nine (9) environmental principles by making a poster in which

people in your community could easily understand it.

Evaluate

Name: Date:
Program and Section: Score:

Direction: Take a stand: “Should the Earth adjust to humans’ activities?” or “Should
humans adjust to Earth’s processes?”. With the use of your cellphone or your
computer, take a 2-minute video (maximum) of yourself while discussing your
position.

| 29
 Lesson Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you must have:
1. enlightened on what environmental education is all about; and
2. articulated the significance of environmental education in humans
life.

Environmental education (EE) is one of those things that many people think,
“That’s a great idea, but how do you fit it in?” Why do people think it is a good idea?
Why do people put it so low on the priority list of things to do? Let’s take a closer
look at what environmental education really is. Environmental education aims to
increase citizen environmental literacy, doing so by increasing awareness and
knowledge, providing an opportunity to explore values and practice skills relating
to environmental issues. As a result of environmental education, it is hoped that
people will take action to protect and improve the environment, including social,
ecological, and economic aspects.

Engage

Recall your previous lessons and answer the question:

“How can you apply your learnings today to other problems or other parts of your
life?”

Explore

Read the Republic Act 9512 of 2008 and summarize the salient points of the law.

Explain

I. Definition and Role of Environmental Education

Environmental education is defined as the process that provides the development
of environmental awareness in all sections of society. This is mainly managed by
raising individuals who are interested in environmental issues and making them
actively participate in environmental activities as well as take responsibility for the
protection of natural, historical and cultural values.

| 30
Environmental Education (EE) is multifaceted. It may mean different things to
different people. It could be defined as:
A. A dynamic force to develop a Filipino population with awareness and
concern for the environment;
B. The process of promoting effective teaching and learning, helping
people to acquire understanding, skills and values that will enable them
to participate as active and informed citizens in the development and
maintenance of an ecological, sustainable and socially just society;
C. Learning about nature through personal experiences;
D. Contextualizing environmental issues within the physical, biological,
social, economic, historical and cultural imperatives;
E. Enabling citizens to accept stewardship of the natural resources for
intergenerational use and enjoyment; and
F. Developing responsible personal behavior and wise management of the
environment on the community at regional and national levels.

Environmental education is fundamentally education in problem-solving from a

philosophical basis of holism sustainability, enhancement and stewardship
(Meadows, 1981). It is based on the principle of conservation for sustainable
development. In its simplest form, it means, if we care for the environment, it will
care for us. When we put the environment first, the development will last (Tolba,
1991). It also means learning how to employ new technologies, increase
productivity, avoid environmental disasters, alleviate poverty, utilize new
opportunities, and make wise decisions.
Environmental education has to be a national priority if Filipinos are to forge ahead
into the next century with a common vision. Children in school, community groups,
and the general public have to undergo environmental and moral reorientation to
be able to reduce or even solve the complex environmental problems brought
about by people’s activities. This orientation can be done through a well-designed
environmental education curriculum.
An environmentally literate citizenry, unified in its pursuit of social justice and equity
in the use of natural resources, is the long term vision of the Philippine government
(NEEAP, 1992). Government and non-governmental institutions must closely
collaborate in upgrading the present delivery of EE to all members of the society.

II. Environmental Education Objectives

Because of the breadth and depth of environmental concepts and their dispersion
throughout the curricula, categories of, rather than, specific EE objectives can be
set. These are the following:

| 31
 A. Awareness – to help learners acquire sensitivity to the total environment
and its attendant problems; develop an ability to perceive and
discriminate among stimuli; process, refine and extend these
perceptions, and use this ability in a variety of contexts;
B. Knowledge – to help learners acquire a basic understanding of how the
environment functions, how people interact with the environment, and
how issues and problems dealing with the environment arise and how
they can be solved.
C. Attitudes – to help learners develop a set of values and feelings of
concern for the environment, and to be motivated and committed to
participate actively in environmental protection and improvement.
D. Skills – to help learners acquire the skills to identify, investigate and
contribute to the resolution of environmental problems and issues; and
E. Participation – to provide learners with opportunities to be actively
involved, at all levels toward the resolution of environmental problems .

These objectives are hierarchical and can all be achieved by learners in any age
group. As they mature and gain more experience in problem-solving, learners are
expected to increase their participation in environmental programs.

Elaborate

Design an Information, Education and Communication (IEC) material on a

particular environmental problem in your community intended for: (1) young
individuals (aged 17 and below); (2) young adults (aged 18 – 30); and (3) adults
(aged 31 and above).

Evaluate

Name: Date:
Program and Section: Score:

Direction: Write a 2-page essay on how your present knowledge can be used to best
serve the Earth now and in the future.

| 32
 Lesson Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you must have:
1. identified men and women of the environment; and
2. recognized the contributions of these men and women in different
aspects of environmental studies.

Through the years exploitation and degradation of the world’s natural resources
have been a great challenge for both governments and ordinary people. Countless
men and women in history worked towards the protection and preservation of our
fragile resources be it in the land, water and air.

Engage

“Who is your environmental hero in your community?” and “Why?”

Explore

Watch the video at link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWebHaG4-IM. What

does it take to be an advocate of the environment? What strategies could be
initiated in order to advance and sustain environmental advocacies?

Explain

In this lesson, we will survey six environmentalists that made major contributions
in caring for our Mother Earth.
1. Aldo Leopold (1887-1948)
Aldo Leopold was a wildlife manager,
professor, writer, and conservationist,
helped to found the U.S. Wilderness
Society. Largely through his writings
especially in 1949 essay The Land Ethic
and his book A Sand County Almanac
he became one of the foremost leaders
of the conservation and environmental
movements. His energy and foresight

| 33
helped to lay the critical groundwork for the field of environmental ethics.
Leopold contended that the role of the human species should be to protect
nature, not to conquer it.
2. Edward O. Wilson (Champion
of Biodiversity)
Edward Wilson before entering
college decided he would specialize in
the study of ants and is now
recognized as one of the world’s
experts on ants. Starting with these
tiny organisms and throughout his
long career, he has widened his focus
to include the entire universe. He has
applied the results of his ant research
to the study and understanding of
other social organisms, including
humans. He proposed a hypothesis called biophilia or love of life in which
humans have a natural affinity for wildlife and wild places.
In the 1960s, Wilson and other scientists developed a theory of island
biogeography which examines how species diversity on islands is affected by
the sizes and locations of the islands. It has been applied to areas that
resemble islands, such as mountain forests surrounded by developed land. It
has also been important in the creation of wildlife preserves.
In 1992, in his book, The Diversity of Life, he put together the principles and
practical issues of biodiversity more completely than anyone to that time. He
is deeply involved in global conservation efforts and is promoting the
completion of a global survey of biodiversity. About the importance of
biodiversity, he writes: “Until we get serious about exploring biological diversity
– science and humanity at large will be flying blind inside the biosphere. How
can we fully understand the ecology of a pond or forest patch without
knowledge of the thousands of species? How can we save Earth’s life forms
from extinction if we don’t even know what most of them are?”

| 34
3. Sherwood Rowland and Mario
Molina Rowland and Molina are both
chemists who worked together at the
University of California-Irvine. In 1974,
they presented their calculations that
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) were
lowering the average concentration of
ozone (0ᶾ) in the stratosphere. They
arrived with four conclusions based on
their research findings: (1) CFCs when
introduced into the atmosphere became
persistent pollutants; (2) CFCs for over 11-20 years rise into the stratosphere
through convection, random drift, and the turbulent mixing of air in the lower
atmosphere; (3) CFC molecules in the stratosphere break down under the
influence of high-energy UV radiation. This releases highly reactive chlorine
atoms (Cl), as well as atoms of fluorine (F) and bromine (Br), all of which
accelerate the breakdown of O3 into O2 and O in a cyclic chain of chemical
reactions. As a result, ozone is destroyed faster than it forms in some parts of
the stratosphere; and (4) Each CFC molecule can last in the stratosphere for
65-385 years, depending on its type, During that time, each chlorine atom
released during the breakdown of CFC can convert hundreds of O 3 molecules
to O2.

The CFC industry led by DuPont was a powerful, well-funded adversary with a
lot of profits and jobs at stake. It attacked Rowland and Molina’s calculations
and conclusions. But the two researchers held their ground, expanded their
research, and explained their results to other scientists, elected officials, and
the media.
In 1987, the Montreal Protocol, an international treaty signed by several
countries to ban chlorofluorocarbons use was enforced. It validated the
landmark findings of both scientists.
In 1988, after 14 years of delaying tactics, DuPont officials acknowledged that
indeed CFCs were depleting the ozone layer, and they agreed to stop
producing them. They instead produced and sold higher-priced alternatives
that their chemists had developed.
In1995, Rowland and Molina were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for
their work on CFCs. During the awarding ceremony, the Royal Swedish
Committee of Sciences said that these two scientists contributed to “our
salvation from a global environmental problem that could have had catastrophic
consequences.”

| 35
 In 2019, with the ongoing healing of the protective ozone, the United Nation
environment agency has reported that as far as some regions of the planet
were concerned, the ozone layer will be completely healed by the 2030’s. This
shows how the scientific works of the two environmental chemists in
atmospheric concerns can be of tremendous help in saving the future of the
world.
4. Rachel Carson (1907-1964)
Rachel Carson began her professional career as a biologist working for the
Bureau of U.S. Fisheries. In that capacity, she carried out research in
oceanography and marine biology and wrote articles and books about the
oceans and the environment.
In 1958, the commonly used pesticide Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT)
was sprayed to control mosquitoes near the home and private bird sanctuary
of one of Carson’s friends. After the spraying, her friend witnessed the
agonizing deaths of several birds. She begged Carson to find someone to
investigate the effects of pesticides on birds and other wildlife. Carson decided
to look into the issue herself. She reviewed the scientific literature and became
convinced that pesticides could harm wildlife and humans, and gathered further
information about the harmful effects of the widespread use of pesticides.
In 1962, she published her findings in
popular form in Silent Spring, a book whose
title warned of the potential silencing of
“robins, catbirds, doves, jays, wrens, and
scores of other bird voices” because of their
exposure to synthetic pesticides. Many
scientists, politicians, and policymakers
read Silent Spring and embraced it.
Chemical manufacturers understandably
saw the book as a serious threat to their
booming pesticide business, and they
mounted a campaign to discredit Carson. A
parade of critical reviewers and industry
scientists claimed that her book was full of
inaccuracies, made selective use of research findings, and failed to give a
balanced account of the benefits of pesticides.
During these intense attacks, Carson was a single mother and the sole
caretaker of an aged parent. She was also suffering from terminal breast
cancer. Yet she strongly defended her research and countered her critics. In
1964 about 18 months after the publication of Silent Spring she died without
knowing that many historians would consider her work to be an important

| 36
 contribution to the modern environmental movement emerging in the United
States.
5. Sylvia Earle (Champion of the
Oceans)
Sylvia Earle is an oceanographer,
explorer, author and lecturer. For
decades, she has been a global
leader in publicizing the urgent
need to increase our
understanding of the global ocean
that helps support all life and to
protect much more of it from
harmful human activities. She
leads more than 100 ocean
research expeditions and has spent more than 7,000 hours underwater, either
diving or descending in research submarines to study ocean life.
Earle has also been the Chief Scientist of the U.S. National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and she has founded three companies
devoted to developing submarines and other devices for deep-sea exploration
and research.
These days, Earle is leading a campaign to ignite public support for a global
network of Marine Protected Areas(MPAs), which she dubs “hope spots.” Her
goal is to help save and restore the oceans, which she calls “the blue heart of
the planet.” She says, “There is still time, but not a lot, to turn things around.”
6. Greta Thunberg
Thunberg is a young Swedish environmental activist who worked to address
the problem of climate change, founding
(2018) a movement known as Fridays for
Future or School Strike for Climate. Greta
was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome
which is characterized by abnormalities in
social interactions but with normal
intelligence and language development.
People with Asperger syndrome tend to
focus deeply on one idea or interest, and
Thunberg’s cause became climate
change. She first learned about the issue
when she was 8 years old, and within a few
years, she changed her own habits,
becoming a vegan and refusing to travel by

| 37
 airplane since both livestock and airplanes emit a large amount of the gases
that contribute to global warming. Seeking to make a greater impact, Thunberg
attempted to spur lawmakers into addressing climate change. On Swedish
election 2018, she missed school to sit outside the country’s parliament with a
sign that stated: “Skolstrejk for Klimatet” (School Strike for Climate). Although
alone for the first day of the strike, she was joined each subsequent day by
more and more people, and her story garnered international attention. After the
election, Thunberg returned to school but continued to skip classes on Fridays
to strike, and these days were called Fridays for Future. Her action inspired
hundreds of thousands of students around the world to participate in their own
Fridays for Future. Strikes were held in such countries as Belgium, Canada,
the United States, the United Kingdom, Finland, Denmark, France, and
the Netherlands.

Elaborate

Who’s who in the Philippines? Make a portfolio of 10 men and 10 women

environmentalists in the country.

Evaluate

Name: Date:
Program and Section: Score:

Direction: Compose your own personal environmental creed that will guide you in your
journey in life and will make you as one of the men and women of the
environment.

| 38
References

Campbell, N. A., Urry, L. A., Cain, M. L., Wasserman, S. A., Minorsky, P.V., and
Reece, J.B. (2018) Biology A Global Approach 11th Edition. Pearson
Education Limited. New York. 1270-1293 pp

Cunningham, W.P. and Saigo, B.W.,1995. Environmental Science. W.M.C.

Brown Publishers, New York, USA.

Krebs C.J.,1985, Ecology,Harper Collins Publishers.

Moran, J.M. and Morgan M.D.,1991, Meteorology–The Atmosphere and the

Science of Weather, MacMillan Publishing Company, New York.

Negi, B.S.,1991, Geography of Resources, Kedar Nath Ram Nath, Meerut.

Odum, E.P.,1996, Fundamentals of Ecology, Natraj Publishers, Dehradun.

Primack R.B. Concepts of biodiversity. (2008). Essentials of Conservation

Biology. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland MA: 260.

Rastogi, V.B.,1993, Environmental Biology and Biochemistry, Kedar Nath Ram

Nath,Meerut and Delhi.

Sharma, P.D.,1997, Ecology and Environment, Rastogi Publications, Meerut.

Singh, S.,1997, Physical-Geography, Prayag Pustak Bhavan, Allahabad.

Trivedi, P.R.,1999, Encyclopaedia of Ecology and Environment, 1-10, Indian

Instituteof Ecology and Environment, New Delhi.

Yadav, D. and Sharma, L.,2000, A Project Report, Biodiversity Characterisation

at Landscape Level Using Remote Sensing and GIS in Shimla District.
Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (MRS), Dehradun.
Web Pages
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_XhwQmpzoE
https://www.google.com/search?q=layers+of+the+environment&source
https://www.google.com/search?q=general+stryucture+of+trhe+earth&tbm
https://handygeography.wordpress.com/gcse/the-restless-earth-revision-
materials/structure-of-the-earth/#

| 39
 Photo Courtesy: https://www.google.com.ph/search?q=ecology+hd+nature+photo&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwjWjdONmqvrAhUC9pQKHblOCI8Q2-

Sarah Jane S. Jucal, MEd.

Analyn C. Sa-an, MSci.
 Human knowledge and understanding of the importance of relationship
and interaction between organisms and the environment play a vital
role in human well-being and prosperity. Ecology is the scientific study
of the interaction between organisms and their environment. Both biotic
and abiotic factors are significant in maintaining balance in the
environment. Biomes are the environments that have characteristics of
not changing too much over time. There are few biomes in the world
like Aquatic (rivers, streams, lakes, open sea zone, deep-sea zone,
neritic zone) and Terrestrial (tundra, taiga, grassland, tropical
rainforest, temperate rainforest, and desert).

The energy that comes to the earth comes from the sun which means
the sun is the source of energy for the ecosystem. The feeding
relationship in an ecosystem is the food chain and food web. To
maintain the ecosystem many biochemical cycles are going on like
water, carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus and limited nutrients. Most of
the energy resources in our environment are affected by interacting
populations of the same or different species, hence the growth of the
size of the population of living things have a greater impact on the future
state of a particular area or habitat.

In this module, you will learn the following lessons:

Lesson 1 – Basic Ecological Terminologies
Lesson 2- The Ecosystem and Its Components
Lesson 3 - Energy Flow in Ecosystem
Lesson 4 – Population and Community Ecology

Module Outcomes:
At the end of the module, you must have:
1. defined ecological terms and concepts;
2. explained the components of Ecosystems;
3. described and differentiated the major types of the ecosystem;
4. examined the relationship of different organisms in an ecosystem;
5. illustrated and discussed the flow of energy in an ecosystem; and
6. discussed population and community ecology.

| 41
Before you start with the lessons in this module, familiarize yourself with the terms listed
in Table 1.

Table 1. Terms you need to know in this module.

Any living organism that makes its own food by
Autotroph
converting simple inorganic molecules into complex
organic compounds like carbohydrates, fats, and proteins
An area of the planet that can be classified according to
Biome
the plants and animals that live in it.

An organism that only eats animal tissue. Most predators

Carnivore
and scavengers are exclusively carnivorous. Some
examples of carnivores include members of the feline
family, like lions, tigers, and house cats, and birds of
prey, like eagles, hawks, and owls
Community A group of two or more populations of organisms from
different species inhabiting the same location at the
same time

Consumers Animals of an ecological food chain that consume other

organisms.
Decomposer An organism that feeds on and breaks down dead or
decaying matter in the process of ecological
decomposition.

| 42
Detritivore An organism that consumes detritus, also known as
decomposing organic matter, to obtain nutrients. All
decomposers are detritivores, including fungi, worms,
and some bacteria.

Ecosystem A term describing all the living and nonliving things in a

certain location.

Food chain A simple, direct, and eating or trophic relationship among

a group of organisms, where one organism, like a plant,
is the food source for the next organism, like a cow,
which in turn is the food source for the next organism,
like a human, and so on.

Food web A complex trophic relationship among a group of

organisms, consisting of interactions among multiple food
chains. A food web describes how multiple producers
and consumers directly or indirectly interact in an
ecosystem.

Population A group of individuals of the same species inhabiting the

same area.
Producers Also known as autotrophs, make their own food. They
make up the first level of every food chain

| 43
 Lesson Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you must have:
1. defined ecological terms and concepts; and
2. explained the levels of organization from atoms to biosphere;

Ecology is a scientific field of study that explores the interactions between

organisms, like individuals, populations, or communities, and the abiotic
components in the environment, like chemicals, temperature, climate, and
landscapes. In studying these living and non-living components, some important
ecological terms and concepts should be explained and understood. The living and
non-living things are arranged from the simplest (atom) to most complex
(biosphere) in the levels of the organization.

Engage

Investigate the picture

Source:https://www.google.com/search?q=level
s+of+biological+organization&source

What do you know about this picture?

| 44
Explore

Think of 10 commonly used ecological terms that you can still remember from your
biology subject. List down and define them.

Explain

Ecology is a study of the relationships between living organisms, including

humans, and their physical environment; it seeks to understand the vital
connections between plants and animals and the world around them. In effect, it
is a study of connections in nature. To enhance their understanding of nature,
scientists classify matter into levels of organization from atoms to the biosphere.
Ecologists focus on organisms, populations, communities, ecosystems, and the
biosphere (Table 2)

Table 2. Levels of Organization

Parts of the earth's air, water, and soil

Biosphere
where life is found

A community of different species

interacting with one another and with
Ecosystem
their non-living environment of matter
and energy

Populations of different
species living in a particular
Community
place, and potentially
interacting with each other

A group of individuals of the

Population same species living in a
particular place

Organism An individual living being

The fundamental structural

Cell
and functional unit of life
Chemical combination of two
Molecule or more atoms of the same or
different elements
The smallest unit of a chemical
Atom element that exhibits its
chemical properties

| 45
Elaborate

In your local area, select a specific ecosystem then write the different levels of the
organization as to (example, ecosystem- terrestrial, community - lions and
elephants, population- lion, organism-lion).

Ecosystem Community Population Organism

Write a song with a tune of “Bahay Kubo” based on the organisms found in your
chosen ecosystem.

| 46
Evaluate

Name: Date:
Program and Section: Score:

I. Multiple Choice
Direction: Choose the letter of the correct answer and write it on the space provided
before each number.

___1.Any living organism that makes its own food by converting simple inorganic
molecules into complex organic compounds like carbohydrates, fats, and
proteins.
A. Autotrophs C. Decomposer
B. Consumers D. Detrivore

___2. The smallest unit of a chemical element that exhibits its chemical
properties.
A. Cell C. Molecule
B. Atom D. Organism

___3. A complex trophic relationship among a group of organisms, consisting of

interactions among multiple food chains.
A. Food web C. Both A and B
B. Food chain D. None of these

___4. An area of the planet that can be classified according to the plants and
animals that live in it.
A. Earth C. Biome
B. Atmosphere D. all of the above

___5. Also known as autotrophs, make their own food. They make up the first
level of every food chain.
A. Producer C. Decomposer
B. Consumer D. Detrivore

___6.It is a study of the relationships between living organisms, including

humans, and their physical environment.
A. Biology C. Ecology
B. Geoscience D. None of these

| 47
___7.What is the correct order of organization from least to most complex?
A. Population-community-biosphere
B. Atom-molecule-cell-organism
C. atom-cell-molecule-organism
D. cell-atom-molecule-organism

___8. A group of toads falls under which level of organization?

A. Population C. Community
B. Biome D. Biosphere

___9. A term describing all the living and non-living things in a certain location.
A. Community C. Organism
B. Population D. Ecosystem

___10. An individual living being.

A. Community C. Organism
B. Population D. Ecosystem

| 48
 Lesson Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you must have:
1. defined an ecosystem;
2. differentiated biotic and abiotic components of an ecosystem;
3. explained the different major types of an ecosystem;
4. described the nature of each ecosystem;
.

The ecosystem is made up of both biotic (living) and abiotic components. These
biotic and abiotic components interact to maintain equilibrium in an ecosystem.
There are different types of ecosystems and each has unique environmental
conditions characterized by a distinct climate, soil, topography and distribution of
plants and animals.

Engage

Have you ever been on a team, a sports team, perhaps? What is it like? Is it
different than trying to do something alone? How is it better? We are going to try
to understand how things in the environment work together, similar to how a team
works together to try to win a basketball or soccer game. We call this special
interaction among people and living and non-living things, teamwork

Explore

Lists down at least five living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) factors found in your
area.

Living (Biotic factor) Non-living (Abiotic factor)

| 49
Explain

I. Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a group or community composed of living and non-living things
that interacts with one another. They can be natural as well as artificial. Every
ecosystem has two components, namely, biotic components and abiotic
components. Biotic components refer to all living organisms in ecology while
abiotically refers to the non-living things. These biotic and abiotic interactions
maintain the equilibrium in the environment.

II. Components of Ecosystem

Biotic components are the living things that have a direct or indirect influence
on other organisms in an environment. For example plants, animals and
microorganisms and their waste materials.
Abiotic components of an ecosystem include all chemical and physical
elements i.e. non-living components. Abiotic components can vary from region
to region, from one ecosystem to another. They mainly take up the role of life
supporter. They determine and restrict the population growth, number, and
diversity of biotic factors in an ecosystem. Hence they are called limiting
factors.
A terrestrial ecosystem consists of abiotic factors like climate, type of soil or
rock, altitude, temperature, nutrients, and minerals, whereas abiotic
components in an aquatic ecosystem include dissolved gases, depth of water,
salinity, pH of water, light intensity, etc.
III. The Significance of Biotic and Abiotic Components
A. Biotic components can be classified into three categories:
 Producers: These include all the autotrophs. They use light
energy and synthesize food on their own, e.g. plants, green
algae, etc.
 Consumers: These include all the heterotrophs that directly or
indirectly depend on producers for their food. Consumers are
further categorized as herbivores, carnivores, omnivores and
parasites.
 Decomposers: These include saprophytes which act on dead
matter and decay them for their nutrition.
The relevance of biotic and abiotic components in an environment appears
when they start interacting with each other. For example, biotic elements like
plants provide food for other organisms. The soil is the abiotic element that
supports the growth of the plants by providing nutrients and other essential
elements. Biotic components depend on abiotic components for their survival
and help in the formation of abiotic factors like soil, nutrients, etc.

| 50
IV. Food Chains and Webs
A food chain is a chain that shows how organisms are linked to each other
through food. A food web (Figure 2.2) shows how two food chains are
connected. A single food web consists of many food chains. Every food chain
begins with producers and ends with top carnivores.

Figure 2.1. A food chain showing the relationship of different organisms.

Source:https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/802414858580466591/?nic_v2=1a2XfnW5s

A food web links all of the food chains in an ecosystem together, showing a
more holistic view of energy transfer in the ecosystem.

Figure 2.2. A food web showing the relationship of different organism

Source:https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/141863456998136368/?nic_v2=1a2XfnW5s

| 51
 The energy flow from one level to another level in a food chain gives the trophic
level of an ecosystem. The producers come at the first trophic level followed by
herbivores (primary consumers), then small carnivores (secondary consumers)
and large carnivores (tertiary consumers) occupy the fourth trophic level.
V. Trophic Levels

Each step in a food chain or food web is a trophic level. As you increase the
trophic level, the amount of energy decreases.

Figure 2.3. The trophic level and amount of energy as the level increases.
Source: https://www.askiitians.com/revision-notes/class-10-science/our-environment/

VI. Major Types of Ecosystem: Biomes and Aquatic Life Zones

Life exists on land systems called biomes and in freshwater ocean aquatic
zones. As viewed from outer space, the earth resembles land and vast
expanses of ocean. Biologists have classified the land (terrestrial) portion of
the biosphere into biomes. Each of these large regions –such as forests,
deserts, and grasslands- is characterized by a distinct climate and specific
species. The watery part of the biosphere is divided into aquatic life zones,
each containing numerous ecosystems. Examples included freshwater zones
(such as lakes and streams) and ocean or marine life zones (such as coral
reefs, coastal estuaries, and the deep ocean).

Biomes consist of broad regional groups of related manageable units called

ecosystems. A biome is one of several terrestrial environments, a habitat

| 52
 characterized throughout its extent by similar paths, animals, climate and
social types. The distribution of animals and plant forms is determined largely
by climate, topography and the soil. The same or very similar ecological niches
may be occupied by different species in geographically separated biomes.

VII. Major Types of Biomes

A. Deserts
Deserts generally occur in semi-tropical and temperate regions having
rainfall of less than about 20 cm a year. Its climate has the least
precipitations and is unpredictable from year to year. Precipitation is so
slow that in some desserts, evaporation from soil and plant surface
exceeds precipitation. There are two kinds of deserts:

 Cool Deserts – these are dominated by sagebrush, rabbitbrush

and smaller perennial plants
 Hot Deserts – these are dominated by creosote, cacti, acacias,
agave and yucca.

Desert soil is largely unprotected by vegetation. It is subject to severe

erosion from wind and occasional rain. It has a thin top layer of decaying
plant materials called humus.

Organisms of the desert have both structural and behavioral adaptations

to meet their three most critical needs for survival: food, water, and heat.
Plants with seasonal leaf production have water-storage tissues and
thick epidermal layers that help reduce water loss. Animals live in
burrows or rocky shelters to escape from the onslaught of the daytime
heat.

B. Grasslands

Grasslands are dominated by grasses and a rich array of deep-rooted

beautifully flowering non-grass species. They have a few trees because
of inadequate rainfall and frequent grass fire that kill woody seedlings.

C. Forests

Forests are regions where trees grow as a result of adequate

temperature and minimal precipitation of 75 centimeters or more.

| 53
D. Tropical Biomes

 Tropical Rainforest is a forest with high, fairly constant rainfall and

temperature that permit trees to grow throughout the year. Annual
rainfall may exceed 400 centimeters. This is a biome with the
highest species diversity. The number of species in a given area
may have almost 100 different species per hectare.
 Tropical seasonal forest is also known as the monsoon forest.
Seasonal rainfall is concentrated during part of the year after
which follows as an increasingly pronounced dry season. The
proportion of deciduous trees (trees that lose their lives for a
season) increases as the length of the dry season increases.
 Tropical savanna consists of grassland dotted with scattered
small trees and shrubs such as acacias. Some savannas are
entirely grassland; others contain many trees.
 Tropical Thornwood, shrubland and tropical shrub. The
proportion of trees depends on the competition between trees
and the grass for water. The soil is more fertile than most tropical
rainforests, but the rainfall is erratic.

E. Temperate Biomes

 Temperate deciduous forest occurs in a moderately humid area

where precipitation takes place throughout the year but winters
are cold restricting plant growth during summers. Most of the
trees lose their leaves in autumn. They lose little water by
transpiration in winter where their roots could not replace it from
the frozen soil.
 Temperate evergreen forest occurs where the condition favors
conifers or broadleaf evergreens over deciduous trees. It has
poor soil condition, frequent droughts, and forest fires
 Temperate rainforest occurs in cold climates near the sea with
abundant winter rainfall and summer clouds or fogs.
 Temperate woodland occurs where the climate is too dry to
support a forest yet provides sufficient moisture to support trees
as well as grasses. Dominant trees are conifers, evergreens,
flowering trees, and deciduous trees.
 Temperate shrublands is represented by Chaparral communities
that occur in all five regions of the world having a fairly dry climate
with little or no summer rain.
 Temperate grassland is also known variably as a prairie in North
America, steppe in Asia, pampas in South America, and veldt in

| 54
 South Africa. The grasslands are natural ranges for grazing
animals, but they must be treated with care or they degrade into
shrubland.
F. Taiga
Taiga came from the Russian word meaning “primeval forest’. It is also
called the boreal forest. It is dominated by conifers that can survive
extreme cold winter. The trees in the taiga are further apart than in the
forest and enough sunlight penetrates the forest floor to support an
extensive ground cover for the shrubs. Most taiga precipitations are
snow. The mammal’s grown hair or plumage makes them blend in a
surrounding with white background.
G. Tundra
The tundra is a treeless biome that occurs far north in the Arctic regions
where winters are too dry and cold to permit the growth of trees. It is a
biome of low-growing plants where the water reaches plant roots for only
a few months of the year because the soil is frozen for the rest of the
time. The permanently frozen layer is permafrost

Elaborate

In your local ecosystem, illustrate a simple food chain and food web and label the
trophic levels.

| 55
Evaluate

Name: Date:
Program and Section: Score:

I. Matching Type
A. Match each item with the correct statement below. Write only the letter
corresponding to your answer.

a. temperate grassland d. tropical rain forest

b. coniferous forest e. savanna
c. tundra

_____1. It has the greatest biological diversity of any land biome

_____2. It has trees with cones
_____3. It has a variety of grasses as its main plants
_____4. It has mosses, lichens, and low growing shrubs in the warm season
_____5. It has large grazing animals

B. Match each item with the correct statement below. Write only the letter
corresponding to your answer

a. temperate deciduous forest d. savanna

b. coniferous forest e. desert
c. temperate grassland

____ 6. It has grass, but few trees due to fires, drought, and grazing
____ 7. It has many trees that do not change much seasonally
____ 8. It has organisms with special adaptations to a hot, dry climate
____ 9. It has clumps of trees and seasonal rains
____10. It has many trees that lose all of their leaves to save

Supplementary Notes
The following are suggested video links for further learning:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bn41lXKyVWQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6WdEyt93vA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mle5gmEpYys
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yy191KVBNP0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNxgY4Ru3gs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUmHWrF8MnY

| 56
 Lesson Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you must have:
1. explained how energy flow in an ecosystem; and
2. illustrated and discussed the different cycles of matter;

An ecological balance is maintained through the energy flow in the ecosystem. The
energy that is found in food webs comes from the sun and transformed into chemical
energy through photosynthesis. In an ecosystem, matter cycling happens
when matter moves from one form to another or from one place to another.
These cycles are also called biogeochemical cycles because they include a variety
of biological, geological, and chemical processes. The four biogeochemical cycles
are water, carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycles. These
biogeochemical cycles transport and store important elements to be used by living
organisms.

Engage

What is the cycle? Do you ever wonder how energy is produced, utilized and
returned in an ecosystem?

Explore

Explain briefly the life cycle of plants. (This is an example of what we call cycle)
Illustrate a simple food chain. (This is how energy flows in an ecosystem)

Explain

I. Producers provide energy for other organisms in an ecosystem.

All organisms must have a source of energy to survive. However, not all
organisms obtain their energy by eating other organisms.

Producers are organisms that get their energy from non-living resources,
meaning they make their own food. Producers are also called autotrophs. In
the word autotroph, the suffix -troph comes from a Greek word meaning
“nourishment.” The prefix auto- means “self.”

| 57
II. Consumers are organisms that get their energy by eating other living or once-
living resources, such as plants and animals. Consumers are also called
heterotrophs. In the word heterotroph, the prefix hetero- means “different.”
Most producers need sunlight to make food. These producers depend directly
on the sun as their source of energy. For this reason, all the consumers
connected to these producers depend indirectly on the sun for their energy.

III. Cycles of Matter:

Matter is recycled within the ecosystem and it is done through Biogeochemical

Cycles. This is the way that water, carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycle
through the atmosphere.

A. Water Cycle

All living things depend on water. It is through the processes of

condensation, evaporation, and precipitation that water cycles pass
through in the atmosphere.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_cycle#/media/File:Watercyc lesummary.jpg

| 58
B. Carbon Cycle

All living things are made up of carbon, which makes it important. In

the carbon cycle, there are 4 major processes:
 Photosynthesis, respiration, and decomposition.
Photosynthesis is the process by which energy from the sun is
used to form bonds of chemical energy that hold organic matter
together.
 Erosion and volcanic activity
 Burial and Decomposition of dead organisms and their
conversion into coal and petroleum
 Human activities such as mining, cutting and burning forests,
and burning fossil fuels, releasing carbon into the atmosphere
as carbon dioxide.
The key processes in the carbon cycle are: Carbon dioxide from the
atmosphere is converted into plant material in the biosphere
by photosynthesis. While organisms in the biosphere obtain energy
by respiration and so release carbon dioxide that was originally trapped
by photosynthesis. Respiration happens when plants convert
the carbon in atmospheric carbon dioxide into carbon-containing organic
compounds, such as sugars, fats, and proteins.)

Figure 2.5. The Carbon cycle

Source :https://www.windows2universe.org/earth/Water/co2_
cycle.html

| 59
C. Nitrogen Cycle
In the nitrogen cycle, there are two processes that help gaseous
nitrogen come into our soil.
Nitrogen fixation: bacteria which turn nitrogen gas into ammonia. This
ammonia is then converted to nitrates and nitrites by other bacteria.
Denitrification: process where bacteria convert nitrates into nitrogen
gas.

Figure 2.6. The Nitrogen cycle

Source: https://www.fredericknewspost.com/news/environment/the-
nitrogen-cycle-and-trees/article_892f760f-f004-58b8-a223-684
b5c3d9fdc.html

| 60
 D. Phosphorus Cycle
Phosphorus helps form DNA and RNA
Phosphorus does NOT enter the atmosphere (like water, carbon,
oxygen and nitrogen)
Phosphorus exists as phosphate and is found in rocks, soil and ocean
sediments (sand)
Phosphate is used by producers and then moves up through the
food chain

Figure 2.7. The Phosphorus cycle

Source: https://qforquestions.com/sedimentary-cycle/phosphorus-cycle/

Elaborate

Choose one among Nitrogen, Carbon, Phosphorus cycle then create a collage or
a digital version (powerpoint, MSword, video) of cycle explaining each step.

| 61
Evaluate

Name: Date:
Program and Section: Score:

I. Multiple Choice

Direction: Choose the letter of the correct answer and write it on the space provided
before each number.
___1. What step of the water cycle is when plants gives off water vapor from
photosynthesis?
A. Evaporation C. Condensation
B. Transpiration D. Sublimation

___2. Oxidation of ammonium salts to nitrites and further oxidation of nitrites to

nitrates.
A. Ammonification C. Nitrification
B. Nitrogen fixation D. Decomposition

___3. Decomposition with the production of ammonia especially in the action of

bacteria.
A. Ammonification C. Nitrification
B. Nitrogen fixation D. Decomposition

___4. Which part of the carbon cycle occurs when plants convert sunlight and
C02 into oxygen and sugar?
A. Photosynthesis C. Respiration
B. Combustion D. all of the above

___5. Without phosphorus, living beings cannot grow, reproduce, or move. This
is because phosphorus___________________.
A. forms part of the structure of DNA and RNA.
B. is needed for energy transport in cells.
C. provides structure to cell membranes.
D. All of the above

___6. Which nutrient cycle does not have a troposphere in its processes?
A. Nitrogen C. Carbon
B. Phosphorus D. Water

| 62
 ___7. Which of the following is known as the “sedimentary” cycle because its
reservoir is sedimentary rocks?
A. Sulfur C. Nitrogen
B. Phosphorus D. Carbon

___8. The process by which a gas changes into a liquid?

A. Precipitation C. Evaporation
B. Condensation D. all of the above

___9. One of the main ways CO2 is removed from the atmosphere is ____.
A. Photosynthesis C. Respiration
B. Combustion D. Decomposition

___10. The process in which nitrogen is circulated and recycled is called?

A. Sulfur Cycle C. Nitrogen Cycle
B. Phosphorus Cycle D. Carbon Cycle

Supplementary Notes
The following are suggested video links for further learning:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFjI6y46QRk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccWUDlKC3dE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dYkByQ9Kmg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsCMYyQ0NWU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tm2LG5ScT1g

| 63
 Lesson Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you must have:
1. defined and differentiated population and community ecology;
2. identified the factors that affect the population growth;
3. described interactions between and within species in a
community; and
4. calculated the index of diversity based on species richness and
relative abundance.

Humans have always been one of the greatest factors in the degradation of energy
resources. The use of resources in the community is vastly affected by the growth
of the size of the population of living things. Studying the degree of this growth may
serve as a warning of what would happen in the future if living things especially
humans will continue to increase their population dramatically.

Engage

In your understanding, what is Population? What is Community?

Explore

Watch the video link and answer the guide questions.

Organism, Population, Community: What is the difference?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClLHcSXzRos
Guide Questions
1. What is the difference between Population and Community?
2. Give at least three examples of each concept

Explain

I. Population Ecology

The population in human demography is a set of humans in a given area. In

genetics, a population is a group of isolated interbreeding individuals. Population
ecology is a group of similar species living in a certain place at the same time.
Examples would be all the cats in the house, all the maya birds in the campus, all

| 64
the narra tree in a province, all the tilapia in the Philippines and all the bees in the
world.

II. Population Distribution, Density and Size

A. Population Distribution

Characterized by where organisms are found on earth and are

determined by biotic and or abiotic factors, it is also about where a
particular species of the organism does occur. The spatial relationships
of individual organisms to one another may take several different forms
and it is called dispersion.

Dispersion is the spatial distribution of individuals of a population and

comes in three general kinds of patterns (Figure 2.8):

 Clumped (aggregated) dispersion occurs when individuals

clumped together or clustered in groups. A clumped dispersion
may be seen in plants that drop their seeds straight to the
ground—such as oak trees—or animals that live in groups—
schools of fish or herds of cows. Clumped dispersions also
happen in patchy habitats, with only some patches that are
suitable to live in.
 Regular dispersion occurs when individuals are of the same
distance from one another. One example of regular dispersion
comes from plants that secrete toxins to inhibit the growth of
nearby individuals—a phenomenon called allelopathy. We can
also find regular dispersion in animal species where individuals
stake out and defend territories.
 Random dispersion occurs when the habitat of the organism is
relatively uniform so individuals are neither repelled nor attracted
to one another. In random dispersion, individuals are distributed
randomly, without a predictable pattern. An example of random
dispersion comes from dandelions and other plants that have
wind-dispersed seeds. The seeds spread widely and sprout
where they happen to fall, as long as the environment is
favorable—has enough soil, water, nutrients, and light.

| 65
Clumped dispersion Regular dispersion Random dispersion

Figure 2.8. Patterns of Distribution

Source: https://www.unbc.cal/sites/default/files/sections/cheelkin
/biol410lecture2publish.pdf

B. Population Density
Population Density is the number of individuals per unit area or unit
volume. It describes the degree of the crowdedness of a population in a
given area.
Population Size pertains to the number of individuals in a population.
Examples of these are the number of people in the Philippines, the
number of cats, acacia tree, and even the number of milkfish.
These are the four primary factors that determine population size:
 Natality is the addition of organisms to the population through
reproduction. Many organisms reproduce fast and some may not,
this is the reason why some organisms are more than the others.
Natality increase population density.
 Mortality is losing a member of the population due to death. It can
decrease population density.
 Immigration is the addition of organisms because of the
movement of an organism from one place to another. It has the
same effect as natality.
 Emigration is the loss of individuals that move out of the
population and has same effect as mortality.

C. Population Growth
Growth is an important feature of the population since the increase or
decrease of population size determines the interaction with other
populations in the community and its impact on the environment.

| 66
III. Carrying Capacity defined as the capacity of the environment or an ecosystem
to support and sustain a level of the population under an ideal set of conditions.
The carrying capacity of the Earth is calculated to be 8-15 billion, that when it is
surpassed, there will be consequences such as food shortage and shelter
shortage. To sustain a certain environment, organisms that should only be the one
that would live in that particular place.
IV. Limiting Factor are somewhat tied to carrying capacity. For instance, animals
increase rapidly and may temporarily exceed the carrying capacity of their habitat
so as a result, organisms may experience anxiety, hunger, sickness, poor
reproductive success, and damage to the habitat. For example, multiplying
grasshoppers can very quickly eat all the vegetation in a farm but with the
vegetation gone, food becomes the limiting factor and the grasshoppers may
starve or move to another area, thus the farm has a reduced carrying capacity
relative to the grasshoppers.
V. Community Ecology

There are several populations in an area. In a grassland, one would find

populations of grasshoppers, frogs, snakes, grasses, herbs and shrubs, and many
others. Together, all these populations would form an ecological or biotic
community. In other words, Community Ecology is the study of the organization
and functioning of communities, which are assemblages of interacting populations
of the species living within a particular area or habitat.
VI. Community Interactions
Interspecific interactions affect the survival and reproduction of the species that
engage in them. As shown in Table 3, these interactions can be grouped into three
broad categories: competition, exploitation, and positive interactions.

| 67
Table 3. Interspecific interaction
Interaction Description
Competition (-/-) Two or more species compete for a
resource that is in short supply.
Example: Rice and weeds
competing for light and nutrients
found in soil.

Exploitation (+/-) One species benefits by feeding

upon the other species, which is
harmed. Exploitation includes the
following:

Predation One species, the predator, kills and

eats the other, the prey. Example:
A snake (predator) eating a bird
(prey).

Herbivore An herbivore eats part of a plant or

alga. Example: A cow (herbivore)
eating grass.

Parasitism The parasite derives its

nourishment from a second
organism, its host, which is
harmed. Example: A leech is found
feeding on a frog's blood

Positive interactions (+/+ or 0/+) One species benefits while the

other species benefits or are not
harmed. Positive interactions
include the following:

Mutualism (+/+) Both species benefit from the

interaction. Example: A clownfish
live within the protective tentacles
of the sea anemone. In return, the
sea anemone receives cleaning
and protection.

Commensalism (+/0) One species benefits, while the

other is not affected. Example: The
cattle egrets eat the insects that is
stirred up by cattle when they are
grazing. The cattle are unaffected,
while the birds gain food.

| 68
VII. Species Diversity
Species Diversity of a community is the variety of different kinds of organisms that
make up the community. It has two components: the species richness and relative
abundance. Species richness is the number of different species in the community.
The relative abundance of the different species is the total number of individuals
of a species with relation to the total number of individuals of all species in a given
area or community.
Imagine two small forest communities, each with 100 individuals distributed among
four tree species (A, B, C, and D) as follows:
Community 1: 25A, 25B, 25C, 25D
Community 2: 80A, 5B, 5C, 10D
The species richness is the same for both communities because they both contain
four species of trees, but the relative abundance is very different.
Relative abundance= Total # of individuals of a species
Total # of individual of all species

In community 1, the relative abundance of species A is 0.25

Relative abundance=25/100=0.25
In community 2, the relative abundance of species A is 0.8
Relative abundance= 80/100= 0.8

Ecologists use many tools to compare the diversity of communities across time
and space. They often calculate indexes of diversity based on species richness
and relative abundance. One widely used index is Shannon diversity (H):
H = -(pA ln pA + pB ln pB + pC ln pC + c)
where A, B, C . . . are the species in the community, p is the relative abundance of
each species, and In is the natural logarithm; the ln of each value of p can be
determined using the “ln” key on a scientific calculator. A higher value of H
indicates a more diverse community. Let’s use this equation to calculate the
Shannon diversity index of the two communities
For community 1, p = 0.25 for each species, so H = -4(0.25 ln 0.25) = 1.39.
For community 2, H = -[0.8 ln 0.8 + 2(0.05 ln 0.05) + 0.1 ln 0.1] = 0.71.
These calculations confirm our intuitive description of community 1 as more
diverse.

| 69
Elaborate

Compute the index of diversity

1. Grassland 1 has 100 individuals distributed among four species: 20A, 25B,
25C, and 30D. Grassland 2 has 100 individuals distributed among three
species: 80A, 15B, and 5C. Calculate the Shannon diversity (H) for each
grassland. Which is more diverse?

| 70
Evaluate

Name: Date:
Program and Section: Score:

I. Multiple Choice

Direction: Choose the letter of the correct answer and write it on the space
provided before each number.
___1. The group of similar species living in a certain place at the same time.
A. Community C. Organism
B. Population D. Biosphere

___2. Both species benefit from the interaction.

A. Commensalism C. Mutualism
B. Predation D. Herbivore

___3. It occurs when individuals clumped together or clustered in groups.

A. Random distribution C. Regular distribution
B. Clumped distribution D. Irregular distribution

___4. It is the variety of different kinds of organisms that make up the community.
A. Species richness C. Relative abundance
B. Species diversity D. all of the above

___5. Addition of organisms to the population through reproduction

A. Mortality C. Natality
B. Immigration D. Emigration

___6.A leech is found feeding on a frog's blood. What type of interaction is this?
A. Mutualism C. Herbivore
B. Parasitism D. Predation

___7. It is the study of the organization and functioning of communities, which are
assemblages of interacting populations of the species living within a
particular area or habitat.
A. Community Ecology C. Community
B. Population Ecology D. Population

| 71
 ___8. It is the number of different species in the community.
C. Species richness C. Relative abundance
D. Species diversity D. all of the above

___9. The cow is eating grass. What type of interaction?

A. Mutualism C. Herbivore
B. Parasitism D. Predation

___10. Ants are an example of a community or population?

A. Community C. Organism
B. Population D. Biosphere

Supplementary Notes
The following are suggested video links for further learning:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4Ty2Oo7MnI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1aRSeT-mQE

| 72
References

Campbell, N. A., Urry, L. A., Cain, M. L., Wasserman, S. A., Minorsky, P.V., and
Reece, J.B. (2018) Biology A Global Approach 11th Edition. Pearson
Education Limited. New York. 1270-1293 pp

Guido, R. M. D., Garcia, R. E., Meneses, J. L., Quilang, A. B.,and Binag, N. D.

(2015). Fundamentals of Environmental Science. Books Atbp. Publishing
Corp. 179 pp

Lee, S.J. and Anes, M.L. (2010). Lecture Notes in Environmental Science. The
Economy of Nature and Ecology of Man. 2dn Ed. C& E. Publishing, Inc.
257 pp

Miller, G. T. Jr. and Spoolman, S.E. (2009) .Essentials of Ecology. Brooks/Cole.

Cengage Learning. USA.. 274 pp

Miller, G. T. Jr. (2006). Environmental Science, Working with the Earth. 11th Ed.
Brooks/Cole. Thomson Learning. USA.436

Tayo, G. T., Gascon, C. N., Maglambayan, V. B., Novicio, L. P. and Viril, V. M.

(2004) Fundamentals of Environmental Science.Trinitas Publishing Inc.
141 pp

Internet Sources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bn41lXKyVWQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4Ty2Oo7MnI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1aRSeT-mQE
www.khanacademy.org
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnAKICtJIA4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_AfNcjlOgU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sV-KQ91Fnck
https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/
https://www.slideshare.net/vinayashah5/tropical-seasonal-forests
https://www.google.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClLHcSXzRos
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_cycle#/media/File:Watercyclesummary.jpg
https://www.windows2universe.org/earth/Water/co2_cycle.html

| 73
https://qforquestions.com/sedimentary-cycle/phosphorus-cycle/
https://www.fredericknewspost.com/news/environment/the-nitrogen-cycle-and-
trees/article_892f760f-f004-58b8-a223-684b5c3d9fdc.html
https://www.askiitians.com/revision-notes/class-10-science/our-environment/
https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/141863456998136368/?nic_v2=1a2XfnW5s
https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/802414858580466591/?nic_v2=1a2XfnW5s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWA12z6Jzps
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6WdEyt93vA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mle5gmEpYys
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yy191KVBNP0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNxgY4Ru3gs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUmHWrF8MnY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFjI6y46QRk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccWUDlKC3dE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dYkByQ9Kmg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsCMYyQ0NWU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tm2LG5ScT1g

| 74
 https://www.google.com.ph/search?q=ecology+hd+natural+resources&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwiF0JHpmqvrAhXPxIsBHfQ5BJEQ2-

Rosemarie L. Villanueva, DEd.

Hilario S. Taberna Jr., Msci.
Liane D. Dolfiño, DEd.
gb

Natural resources, including forest, water, mineral, energy and

fertile land, are the basis for our life on Earth. However, the
rapid growth of the human population leads to the growing
consumption of these resources thus causing severe damage.
Our climate is changing; freshwater reserves, fish stocks, and
forests are shrinking; fertile land is being destroyed and
species are becoming extinct. To continue to thrive on this
planet, our lifestyles will need to become more sustainable, so
that we can protect our natural resource base and the fragile
ecosystems on our planet.

In this module you will learn the following lessons:

Lesson 1 – Natural Resources and Man
Lesson 2 – Natural Resources and Associated
Problems
Lesson 3 – Management and Conservation of Natural
Resources

Module Outcomes:
At the end of the module, you must have:
1. identified the different natural resources;
2. discussed the human impacts on natural resources;
3. listed and elaborated the problems associated with our natural resources;
4. discussed the different management and conservation approaches
related to natural resources; and
5. developed strategies in the management and conservation of natural
resources.

| 76
Before you start with the lessons in this module, familiarize yourself with the terms listed
in Table 1.

Table 1. Terms you need to know in this module.

Natural Resources Any material given to us by nature which can be transformed
in a way that it becomes more valuable and useful

Sustainability Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the

ability of future generations to meet their needs

Renewable Resources that can be renewed along with their exploitation

Resources and are always available for use

Non-renewable Resources that when used in an unlimited way, cannot be

Resources easily replaced and their exploitation at large scale will result
in their fast depletion

Cyclic Resources Resources that there is no final use as they can be used
continuously

Biotic Resources Resources derived from living organisms

Abiotic Resources Resources derived from the non-living world

Human Development Clear indicators of sustainable lifestyles in human life. It

Index includes: (1) Increased longevity; (2) An increase in
knowledge; and (3) An enhancement of income.

High-Quality Indicated by the following: (1) A stabilized population; (2) The

Ecosystem long term conservation of biodiversity; (3) The careful long-
term use of natural resources; and (4) The prevention of
degradation and pollution of the environment.

Mineral A naturally occurring substance of definite chemical

composition and identifiable physical properties.

Ore A mineral or combination of minerals from which a useful

substance, such as a metal, can be extracted and used to
manufacture a useful product.

Natural Resource The sustainable utilization of major natural resources, such

Management as land, water, air, minerals, forests, fisheries, and wild flora
and fauna.

| 77
 Lesson Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you must have:
1. identified the different natural resources; and
2. discussed the human impacts on natural resources.

"Natural resources determine the course of development and constitute the

challenge which may or may not be accepted by the human mind” W. Arthur Lewis.

Natural resources are useful raw materials that we get from the Earth. They occur
naturally, which means that humans cannot make natural resources. Instead, we
use and modify natural resources in ways that are beneficial to us. The materials
used in human-made objects are natural resources.
What does the earth, the environment ‘do’ for humans and other species? In very
general terms, the earth serves three functions for humans:

 First, it provides them with living space.

 Second, it serves as a stock of resources that humans use to meet
various needs.
 Third, it serves as a waste repository. We have to put our waste
somewhere. It is not just human waste but also solid waste and toxic
waste – there are air and water pollution, etc.
Now, most societies figure out that the better they separate these three functions,
the better their living conditions will be. You don’t live in the middle of the forest;
you’re cutting down for your houses. You don’t dump your waste in your back yard,
‘foul your nest,’ so to speak. And of course, the environment provides us with more
than material wealth. We will discuss the role of natural resources in all this.

| 78
Engage

You will perform the activity, “Natural Resources “.

Air inside the plastic Glass of Water

https://clientearth.org https//sitn.hms.harvard.edu

Handful of Soil Piece of Rock

Piece of Rock

https://theconservation.com https://reddit.com

What is the first thing you think when you see the objects above? List down your
intellectual guesses.

Explore

List down the different natural resources found in your community and record
their importance to you.

Furthermore, answer the following questions:

 What are the natural resources?
 How do people use natural resources?
 Could we survive without natural resources?
 Which resource do you think is the most important? Why?

| 79
Explain

I. Types of Natural Resources

Resources can be classified based on their origin as biotic and abiotic. Another
way of classification of resources is the amount of the resources available for the
consumption of man. Through this, resources can be classified into renewable and
non-renewable natural resources.
Biotic Resources – are derived from living organisms.
Abiotic Resources – are derived from the non-living world (e. g. land, water
and air).
Renewable Resources – are resources that can be renewed along with their
exploitation and are always available for use.
Non-renewable Resources – are resources that when used in an unlimited
way, cannot be easily replaced and their exploitation at large scale will result
in their fast depletion

As the human population is increasing at an enormous rate, we have reached 7.4

billion today. Naturally, this means that we are utilizing more and more natural
resources. If we go at this rate, we will soon reach a day when nature will not be
able to provide us with resources such as plants and trees, animals, mineral ores,
fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum and natural gas.

If the use of these resources is not monitored carefully, these will be no food for
our coming generations to eat, no energy for them to power their machines, and
no material for them to build a shelter with. This is why it is important to understand
which resources are exhaustible and which are not and to practice sustainable
development. This is nothing but the development needs to meet the needs of
the present generations.

II. Importance of Natural Resources

A. Nature helps maintain the environmental balance and satisfy our needs
to the fullest.

B. A wide range of industrial material and biological material from plants

and animals directly or indirectly is used in the production and
manufacturing of medicine.

C. Resources are known as capital converted to commodity inputs to the

infrastructural capital process.

| 80
 D. The “3R Concept” which means “Reduce”, “Reuse” and “Recycle” can
be applied in the conservation of our natural resources. An example is
a paper; our used papers can be reused by recycling it and turn into a
new paper product.

E. Resources are important for the development of any country. For

example, to generate energy, one needs fossil fuel; and for industrial
development, we require mineral resources.

F. Irrational consumption and overutilization of natural resources have led

to socio-economic and environmental problems.

G. Natural resources are available in fixed quantity and they are non-
renewable.

H. Natural resources are getting scarce with the increasing population, so

it is essential to conserve them. This empowers us as well as our future
generation to utilize natural resources to the full extent.

I. It takes millions of years for the formation of natural resources.

J. They play a vital role in the economic development of the country by

enriching agricultural trade, imports and exports, etc.

III. Human Impact in the Environment

The human population is growing rapidly. Population growth and other factors such
as emerging technologies of every nation have had a detrimental effect on the
environment. Humans threaten to make the earth inhabitable as the population
increases, more waste materials are being produced, thus, rapidly polluting the
soil, air and water. This makes human activity increasingly destroying the natural
habitats, risking biodiversity, and endangering future species.

IV. Causes of Depletion of Natural Resources

A. Overpopulation
The total global population is more than seven billion people. Still, there
is a consistent increase in the overall earth populace and this has been
a critical factor in accelerating the depletion of natural resources. An
increase in the populace expands the need for resources and conditions
necessary to sustain it. Also, it contributes to increased ecological
contamination. Research further indicates that developing countries are
using more and more resources to industrialize and support their ever-

| 81
 increasing population. Hence, the depletion of natural resources will
continue as long as the world population increases.

B. Poor Farming Practices

Humans are causing a lot of stress to land resources due to the over-
reliance on food production for daily nutritional requirements. Poor
irrigation practices, for example, are a key contributing factor to
salinization and alkalization of the soil that sustains plant growth. Poor
soil management practices and the use of heavy machinery and farming
equipment also destroy the soil structure making it unsuitable for plant
growth.

Some farming practices such as excessive use of pesticides, fungicides

and herbicides equally kill important soil micro-organisms that are
essential in replenishing nutrients in the soil.

C. Logging

The World Bank reported that the net loss of global forest between 1990
and 2016 was 1.3 million square kilometers. On the same note, tropical
deforestation is estimated to occur at a rate of one percent annually,
especially in Latin America regions. People are clearing forests primarily
for agricultural reasons due to the increase in the population pressure.

Humans are also cutting down trees to make space for residential
complexes and multiplexes. Through deforestation, the planet not only
loses tress but also thousands of animals and great plant biodiversity
due to the destruction of their natural habitats. Moreover, increased
logging activities lead to soil erosion that degrades natural soil minerals.

D. Overconsumption of Natural Resources

The 1760 industrial revolution saw large-scale mineral and oil
exploration and the practice have been gradually growing, leading to
more and more natural oil and mineral depletion. And together with the
advancements in technology, development, and research in the
contemporary era; exploitation of minerals has become easier and
humans are digging deeper to access different ore. The increased
exploitation of different minerals has led to some of them entering into a
production decline.

For example, minerals such as gasoline, copper and zinc production are
estimated to decline in the next 20 years. Plus, oil mining continues to

| 82
 rise due to the upsurge in the number of engines that use petroleum
thereby magnifying its depletion. The peak oil theory supports this fact
by putting forward that it will come a time when the globe will experience
uncertainties on alternative means of fuels owing to the over-harvesting
of petroleum.

E. Pollution

An increase in population and modern anthropogenic activities is a major

contributor to the disposal of pollutants into the natural environment and
as such, the value of natural environments is gradually exposed to
degradation. The soil, air, lakes, and seas are being contaminated with
sewage, radioactive, materials, and toxic chemicals among other
pollutants.

Uncontrolled release of carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide, sulfur oxide,

and carbon dioxide, for example, have resulted in the degradation of the
ozone layer and global warming – environmental changes with their
resultant depletive impacts on different natural habitats. Millions of
different animal and plant species have thus lost their natural habitats
and are on the verge of extinction.

F. Industrial and Technological Development

The present-day world is incessantly becoming industrialized as more

and more countries make major technological breakthroughs. But as
technological advancements continue, there is similarly a considerable
growth in industries that release toxins and chemical by-products which
are eventually deposited in lakes, soils and lands. As a result, the by-
products and toxic materials alter natural habits such as aquatic systems
and wildlife.

Examples of the impacts include acidic lakes, dead zones, and the death
of wildlife as well as aquatic life. Industrial and technological
advancements have also driven the demand for virgin materials for
research, development and production. More resources are hence being
used to satisfy the industrial demands, increasing the rate of natural
resource depletion.

Elaborate

Create a story or short poem about the Earth’s natural resources that you most
benefit.

| 83
Evaluate

Name: Date:
Program and Section: Score:

Direction: This activity will help you assess your knowledge of the definition and types of
natural resources provided by the Earth. Determine whether the following
statements are true or false. Underline or circle the answer.

1. Extreme radiation from the sun can be harnessed to generate electricity.

True | False

2. Renewable energy originates from natural sources such as coal, natural gas,
or nuclear power.

True | False

3. Fossil fuels like petroleum and coal are not classified as biotic resources.

True | False

4. Water is the most abundant resource on the planet.

True | False

5. Plants are biotic, non-renewable resources that provide food, materials for
shelter, and habitat for wildlife.

True | False

6. Conservation of natural resources is necessary considering some of these

would deplete if overused.

True | False

7. It is not impossible for humans to create natural resources.

True | False

| 84
8. Minerals, such as diamond, are naturally occurring inorganic materials with
definite chemical composition.

True | False

9. Coal is formed from prehistoric plant remains, composed largely of carbon and
burned to produce water.

True | False

10. Renewable energy sources do not deplete and are constantly replaced.

True | False

| 85
 Lesson Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you must have:
1. identified the problems associated with the use of our natural
resources; and
2. recognized the consequences of human actions on the use of
natural resources.

The Philippines is endowed with rich natural resources. It has fertile and arable
lands, is one of the world’s 17 mega-diverse countries, has some of the most
extensive water resources in the world, and is one of the world’s most highly
mineralized countries with 39 percent of the national land area having high mineral
potential. The natural resources are essential to our country’s development and to
our survival, but if the natural resources are consumed at a faster rate than their
natural regeneration, they can be depleted. Also, the transformation of natural
resources into valuable and useful goods results in the formation of waste products
that could pollute the environment unless the industry and the people carefully
manage its generated wastes.

Engage

List down the natural resources that can be found in your area and answer the
following question:
1. Are all the people in your area have equal access to it?
2. Are the people using those resources sustainably?
3. What are the problems that you encountered in the use of these
resources?

Natural Equal Access Sustainable Problems

Resource Use
Yes No Yes No

| 86
Explore

Watch the following videos and write a synthesis paper on the topics presented:
1. https://youtu.be/9aQbMrHbKWE
2. https://youtu.be/SW0dXB9KH8g
3. https://youtu.be/ZwfGHRs_IqM

Explain

I. Problems Associated with Natural Resources

A. The unequal consumption of natural resources: A major part of natural

resources is today consumed in the technologically advanced or
‘developed’ world, usually termed ‘the North’. The ‘developing nations’
of ‘the South’, including India and China, also overuse many resources
because of their greater human population. However, the consumption
of resources per capita (per individual) of the developed countries is up
to 50 times greater than in most developing countries. Advanced
countries produce over 75% of global industrial waste and greenhouse
gases. Lack of access to natural resources by most of the population is
a key cause of poverty, a driver of conflict, and an obstacle to national
development.

B. Planning Land Use: Land itself is a major resource, needed for food
production, animal husbandry, industry, and for our growing human
settlements. These forms of intensive land use are frequently extended
at the cost of ‘wildlands’, our remaining forests, grasslands, wetlands,
and deserts. Thus, it is essential to develop a rational land-use policy
that examines how much land must be made available for different
purposes and where it must be situated.

C. The need for sustainable lifestyles: Human standard of living and the
health of the ecosystem are indicators of sustainable use of resources
in any country or region. Ironically, both are not in concurrence with each
other. Increasing the level of one usually leads to the degradation of the
other. Development policies, therefore, should be formulated to strike a
balance between the two.

| 87
II. Different Kinds of Resources and Associated Problems
A. Forest Resources
Forest is an important renewable resource. Forest varies in composition
and diversity and can contribute substantially to the economic
development of any country. The Philippines has a total of 30 million
hectares of land area. Before Spanish colonialization, 90 percent of the
land area was made up of forestland. The Philippine forest is home to
different species of flora and fauna, has helped in carbon sequestration,
and is also a source of livelihood, food, fuel and/or shelter for Filipinos.
However, over time, forest land has decreased due to deforestation,
increased population, conversion to agricultural lands, and logging.

To date, the Philippines’ forestland is at 57.2 percent (15.8 million

hectares), while alienable and disposable land is at 47.3 percent.
However, not all forest lands have forested areas. Only 6.84 million
hectares are forested areas which are composed of open forest (67 %),
closed forest (28 %), and mangrove (5%). The current deforestation rate
is around 2.1 percent per year, representing a significant drop from the
1990’s rate, but still the second-highest rate in Southeast Asia (after
Myanmar). The main direct cause of forest degradation in the Philippines
is over-exploitation from logging, fueled by weak governance, the
capture of resources by elite groups, failure to collect rents from
licensees, short-sighted and unpredictable policies, rapid population
growth and increased conversion of forest land to agricultural,
residential and commercial uses. Additional threats come from mining
operations, collection of fuel wood, and poor management by the
government and tenured stakeholders. Deforestation effects include: the
extinction or near extinction of endemic species (e.g., Philippine
tamaraw or wild buffalo, Philippine eagle); loss of valuable topsoil;
landslides, and silted streams; and destruction of coastal mangroves.

B. Water Resources
Water is one of the most essential needs of human beings and is
necessary for almost all economic activities such as growing food,
manufacturing all kinds of products, and generating renewable energy,
among others. The Philippines has extensive water resources, including
31,000 hectares of rivers; 200,000 hectares of lakes; 19,000 hectares of
reservoirs; and more than 100,000 hectares of wetlands. There are 421
river basins, of which 20 are considered major river basins. Major rivers
are the Cagayan – the country’s longest river – the Agno, Pampanga,

| 88
Pasig and Bicol rivers in Luzon, and the Rio Grande de Mindanao. There
are 59 significant lakes; 16 lakes cover 400 hectares or more. The
largest lakes are the Laguna de Bay on Luzon and Lake Lanao on
Mindanao.
Philippine rivers and lakes are home to more than 316 fish species,
some of which are endemic (Philippine coastal waters are considered
the center of marine biodiversity in the world). Groundwater reservoirs
have a storage capacity of 251,100 million cubic meters and a
dependable supply of 180,000 million cubic meters per year. Total
renewable water resources equal to 479 cubic kilometers. The average
annual rainfall is 2348 millimeters.

The largest share of total water withdrawal is for agriculture, with

irrigation, livestock, and fisheries representing 82 percent of total water
use, while industry and domestic sectors share the rest. 96 percent of
total water withdrawals are from surface water with 4 percent from
groundwater. Groundwater use is reserved primarily for domestic
drinking purposes and is distributed as 63 percent for domestic use; 17
percent for industry; 13 percent for agriculture; 1 percent for power
generation; and 6 percent for other sectors. Many people fish for home
consumption or small-scale commercial activities. 3.4 percent of the
workforce was employed in the fishing industry in 2014. Ten major lakes
are used for aquaculture production.

Water supplies are generally sufficient for local needs but there are
water deficits in highly populated areas, particularly in regions with
limited supplies. Only 43 percent of the population has access to piped
water into private premises although the figure drops to 25 percent in
rural areas. And the water quality is worsening. The discharge of
municipal and industrial wastewater and agricultural runoff has caused
extensive pollution. Only 10 percent of municipal wastewater undergoes
secondary or tertiary treatment. Experts have concluded that 50 river
systems are biologically dead or dying due to pollution from human
trash, commercial agricultural chemicals, untreated raw sewage, animal
wastes, and industrial wastes. Fewer than 4 percent of urban
households have access to sewerage systems. In Metro Manila, nine
river sub-basins are used as dumpsites. One-third of the country’s river
systems remain as potential sources of drinking water. Up to 58 percent
of groundwater is contaminated due to the leaching of industrial,
agrochemical, and animal wastes and infiltration of subsurface
discharge from septic systems and polluted urban runoffs. Over-

| 89
 extraction of groundwater has led to a decline in levels, drying up of wells
and springs, and contamination of wells by saltwater intrusion in coastal
areas. Over-exploitation of forest resources and inappropriate land-use
practices have disrupted the hydrological condition of watersheds,
resulting in accelerated soil erosion, siltation of rivers and valuable
reservoirs, increased incidence and severity of flooding and decreasing
water supply. Groundwater, the source of most drinking water, is
projected to be inadequate to meet the demand in major cities by 2025.
Without new investment in water supply infrastructure, future projections
of water requirements suggest that water availability will be marginal or
unsatisfactory in eight of the 19 major river basins before 2025, and most
major urban centers will experience water deficits.

Climate change is projected to have a significant impact on the

Philippines. Water availability and management are likely to become
more challenging over time due to the severity of both droughts and
deluges are expected to heighten.

C. Mineral Resources
A mineral is a naturally occurring substance of definite chemical
composition and identifiable physical properties. An ore is a mineral or
combination of minerals from which a useful substance, such as a metal,
can be extracted and used to manufacture a useful product. Minerals
are formed for millions of years in the earth’s crust. Iron, aluminum, zinc,
manganese and copper are important raw materials for industrial use.
Important non-metal resources include coal, salt, clay, cement and
silica. The stone used for building material, such as granite, marble,
limestone, constitute another category of minerals. Minerals with special
properties that humans value for their aesthetic and ornamental value
are gems such as diamonds, emeralds and rubies. The luster of gold,
silver and platinum is used for ornaments. Minerals in the form of oil, gas
and coal were formed when ancient plants and animals were converted
into underground fossil fuels. Minerals and their ores need to be
extracted from the earth’s interior so that they can be used. This process
is known as mining. The harnessing of this resource contributes
significantly to the economic development of the country in terms of
employment generation, export earnings, taxes and fees paid to the
government and infrastructure development.
The Philippines is the fifth most mineralized country in the world. About
39 percent of the national land area has high mineral potential. Globally,
the country ranks third in gold reserves, fourth in copper and fifth in

| 90
nickel. In total, estimated levels of metallic mineral resources are 14.5
billion metric tons and 67.7 billion metric tons of nonmetallic resources.
Nickel is the largest metallic reserve; limestone and marble are the most
significant nonmetallic mineral resources. The country has proven crude
oil reserves of 138.5 billion barrels and 98.5 billion cubic meters of
natural gas. There were reports in 2015 of the discovery of a new oil field
near Cebu containing an estimated 104 million barrels and a report of a
large new natural gas deposit in Isabela.

In 2013, there were 113 large-scale mines employing 20 or more people.

300,000 people are employed in small-scale mining. In 2009 there were
over 1,000 small-scale metallic mines, and 2,359 nonmetallic mines in
operation. Small-scale mines produce about 80 percent of the country’s
gold supply. In addition to large reserves of gold and copper and nickel,
the country also has significant deposits of iron, chromite, manganese,
cobalt, lead, zinc, molybdenum, mercury and aluminum. And a large
palladium deposit was discovered offshore in 2014. The Philippines has
over 11 million hectares of potential sites for mineral resource
development, but only a small fraction of that area is under exploration
or development. Untapped mineral wealth is estimated at more than US
$1.4 trillion and could be more based on a 2006 estimate of as much as
US $1 trillion in untapped minerals on Mindanao alone.

Mineral lands are mostly in upland areas which are also rich biodiversity
areas and often within the ancestral domains of indigenous people. More
than half of active mining concessions and two-thirds of exploratory
concessions are in areas of high seismic risk. There are security risks
for some companies, especially those mining in the Mindanao area
(several activist groups have damaged mining sites and company
equipment). Mining often leads to deforestation and the destruction of
ecological systems, subsidence and sinking of communities, and
displacement of communities. The spilling of mine wastes/tailings
causes flooding, damages farmlands, and results in the biological death
of rivers. For example, in 1996 the Marcopper Mining Disaster on
Marinduque Island involved an old mine-pit used as a disposal pond for
mine waste which ruptured and discharged about 1.6 million cubic
meters of tailings along 27 kilometers of the Boac river system and the
coastal areas near its mouth. The disaster heavily damaged the river
system and destroyed low-lying farmlands in the area. Concerns over
negative environmental and social impacts have led to opposition to the
proposed Tampacan gold mining project in Mindanao.

| 91
D. Land Resources
Land and soil resource, particularly those devoted to agricultural uses,
are important resources of the country because it is directly related to
food production, which necessitates the understanding of its nature and
characteristics to optimally manage and conserve them.
The Philippines is an archipelago of 7,107 islands covering 300,000
square kilometers (30 million hectares) – 298,170 square kilometers of
land and 1,830 square kilometers of water. It has three major island
groups: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The Philippines is recognized as
one of the world’s 17 mega-diversity countries, with more than 50,000
species of flora and fauna (more than 65 percent of which are endemic).
It is also one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots, with a large number of
endangered and threatened species making it a global conservation
priority area.

The Philippines had an estimated population of 100,699,395 in 2015, of

which 44.4 percent is urban and 55.6 percent is rural. The country’s
labor force is around 41 million people or 61.3 percent of the total
population age 15 and over, of whom 30 percent are employed in
agriculture, 16 percent in industry, and 54 percent in services.

Of the total land area, arable land constitutes 18.7 percent, with 17.9
percent in permanent crops. In 2012, there were 16,300 square
kilometers of irrigated land. Approximately 45 percent of agricultural
lands are moderately or severely eroded; approximately 27.3 percent of
the country is vulnerable to drought, floods, and typhoons. Land
degradation exacerbates the effects of natural disasters, causing
massive landslides and flooding.

Land distribution is skewed. In the rural sector, there are an estimated

4.2 million small farms that average less than 1.5 hectares and 8,475
large private landholdings of up to 25,000 hectares. 89 percent of farm
holdings are less than 3 hectares. There are 10.2 million marginal
farmers and farm workers, 70 percent of whom are landless. The
number of informal settlements in rural areas is unknown. Since the
1930s, the State has instituted various land reforms, the most recent of
which is the 1988 Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law. While
considerable swaths of land have been redistributed, the most
contentious private agricultural lands, which are also the most
productive and fertile, remain with wealthy private landowners.

| 92
 Rural poverty and a high population growth rate have resulted in rapid
urbanization. Of an estimated urban population of 44.1 million people,
more than 9 million live in informal settlements (as of 2011). In Metro
Manila, the largest urban center, approximately 25 percent of the
population (584,000 households) lives on riverbanks, bridges, railroad
easements, cemeteries, garbage dumps, and idle lands.

Elaborate

Watch the following videos:

1. https://youtu.be/zeaE-8rlXGY
2. https://www.facebook.com/DENROfficial/videos/202794033993819/
?v=202794033993819
3. https://youtu.be/Hrmp5kz2nM8
4. https://youtu.be/3Ibkt0gWKho
5. https://youtu.be/Zf_owl4bIZM
6. https://youtu.be/_AdYPWfOLnQ
In a tabular form, identify the problems and enumerate the consequences
associated with the use of natural resources.

Natural Resource Problem Consequences

To understand the interrelationships between humans and the Earth system

(involves the extraction, refinement and distribution of the planet’s mineral wealth),
do a research on a mineral commodity that is mined in your locality, in the province
or the country. What products are made from this mineral? Do you use these
products? Describe the mining and refining of the mineral and the local impact
these processes have on each of Earth’s spheres (atmosphere, hydrosphere, solid
Earth, and biosphere). Are any of the effects negative? If so, what, if anything, is
being done to end or minimize the damage? In your opinion does the
environmental impact of extracting this mineral outweigh the benefits derived from
the products produced from this mineral?

| 93
Evaluate

Name: Date:
Program and Section: Score:

Multiple Choice

Direction: Encircle the letter that corresponds to the BEST answer.

1. Materials we take from the environment and use are called:

A. Minerals B. Natural Resources C. Energy D. Pollutants

2. ___________ and ____________ are the two major factors responsible for
environmental degradation in developing countries.
A. Anarchy and conflict
B. Population and social media
C. Greed for material goods and population explosion
D. Politics and social media

3. It is essential to come up with a rational land-use policy that examines how much
land must be made available for different purposes and where it must be
situated.
A. Location map B. Land-use planning
C. A stabilized population D. Location planning

4. It is a mineral or combination of minerals from which a useful substance, such

as a metal, can be extracted and used to manufacture a useful product. This
material is referred to as:
A. Ore B. Mining C. Alloy D. Soil E. Rock

5. Minerals are an important resource that comes from the earth. Which is NOT
an example of a mineral?
A. Salt B. Chromite C. Glass D. Iron E. Calcite

6. The two indicators of the sustainable use of resources are:

A. The poor quality of human life and the ecosystems on earth
B. Food security and the world’s food problem
C. Loss of genetic diversity and soil pollution
D. Over-utilization and pollution of groundwater
E. The quality of human life and the quality of ecosystems on earth

| 94
 Lesson Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you must have:
1. discussed the different management and conservation
approaches related to natural resources, and
2. developed strategies in management and conservation of
natural resources.

The earth has a limited supply of natural resources which includes all things that
help support life, such as water, soil, minerals, plants and animals. The use of
these resources keeps increasing as the population grows and the standard of
living rises which will result in depletion of natural resources. Conservationists
work to ensure that the environment can continue to keep human needs, like;
water, forest, minerals, plants and animals sustain the current and future
generations of humans as well as other forms of life on earth.

Engage

Environmental Spending Account

When you were born, you were granted an environmental account. Imagine further
that this environmental account contained all of the resources you would ever
have. Once the resources run out, you would be unable to gain more from any
other source. Imagine, finally that the number of resources in your account was
not accurately known. You couldn’t even compute how many resources you had
spent, let alone figure out how many were left.
How would you spend your environmental account?

| 95
Explore

Watch the video and answer the following questions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4l1gNtrBQMI

What is conservation? Why is it important?

In your home how do you conserve water?

Explain

I. Management and Conservation Approaches Related to Natural Resources

Natural resources can be managed or they can be over-exploited, depending on
several factors related to economics, human behavior, and specific management
practices. Proper resource management is dependent on the type of natural
resources involved as well as the agency and the guidelines under which it
operates.
Natural resource management refers to the sustainable utilization of major natural
resources, such as land, water, air, minerals, forests, fisheries, and wild flora and
fauna. Together, these resources provide the ecosystem services that provide
better quality to human life.
A. Forest Conservation and Management
Sustainable forestry is the use and management of forest ecosystems
in a way that meets the needs of the current generation without
compromising the ability of future generations to use the forests.
Ecologically sustainable forest management seeks to conserve forests
for the long-term commercial harvest of timber and non-timber forest
products. Sustainable forestry also intends to sustain biological diversity
by providing improved habitats for a variety of species, to prevent soil
erosion and improve soil conditions, and to preserve watersheds that
produce clean water. Effective sustainable forest management involves
cooperation among environmentalists, loggers, farmers, indigenous
people, and local and national governments. (Raven)
We can sustain forests by emphasizing the economic value of their
ecosystem services, protecting old-growth forests, harvesting trees no
faster than they are replenished and planting trees to re-established
forests.
Three widely used approaches to managing forests are maximum
sustainable yield, ecosystem-based management, and adaptive
management.

| 96
The maximum sustainable yield (MSY) approach involves harvesting the
maximum amount of trees without reducing future yields. Trees in a
forest or plantation grow fastest at an intermediate age. Then they slow
down and eventually reach a maximum size based on the carrying
capacity of their environment. The goal of maximum sustainable yield
management is to harvest trees of an intermediate size.
The goal of ecosystem-based management is to harvest a renewable
resource such as trees in ways that minimize the harmful impacts of
harvesting on an ecosystem and the ecological services it provides. This
can be a useful approach. However, it is often limited because of a lack
of knowledge about how ecosystems in different areas work.
Adaptive management involves using available knowledge to harvest
forests or other resources, evaluating the results, and modifying the
approach, or using a different approach as needed. This approach
recognizes that there will be failures because of inadequate ecological
knowledge and that we can learn from such failures.
 Improving Management of Forest Fires
Another approach is to thin forest areas vulnerable to the fire by
clearing away small fire-prone trees and underbrush under
careful environmental controls. It can include the use of
prescribed burns to remove flammable debris produced by this
process. This can help prevent the loss of economically valuable
timber and wildlife habitats. It can also reduce the rapidly rising
costs of fighting an increasing number of large forest fires.

 Reducing the Demand for Harvested Trees

One way to reduce demand for harvested trees is to produce tree-
free paper. Pulp from trees is typically used to make paper, but
paper manufacturers can also use fibers from non-tree sources.
For example, China uses rice straw and other agricultural
residues to make some of its paper.
The pressure to cut trees to make paper could be greatly reduced
by planting and harvesting a fast-growing plant known as kenaf.
Most of the small amount of tree-free paper produced in the
United States is made from the fibers of a rapidly growing woody
annual plant called kenaf. Kenaf and other non tree fibers such
as hemp yield more paper pulp per area of land than tree farms
do without using pesticides and herbicides. According to the
USDA, kenaf is “the best option for tree-free papermaking in the
United States” and could replace wood-based paper within 20–
30 years.

| 97
 Another way to reduce the demand for tree cutting is to reduce
the use of throwaway paper products made from trees. Instead,
we can choose reusable plates, cups, cloth napkins and
handkerchiefs, and cloth bags.
One way to reduce the severity of the firewood crisis in less-
developed countries is to establish small plantations of fast-
growing firewood trees and shrubs around farms and in
community woodlots. Providing villagers with affordable and
more fuel-efficient wood stoves and solar-powered ovens is
another way to reduce cutting down trees for firewood. Another
option is stoves that burn renewable biomass, such as sun-dried
roots of various gourds and squash plants, or methane produced
from crop and animal wastes. In addition to reducing
unsustainable deforestation, these options would greatly reduce
the large number of deaths caused by indoor air pollution from
open fires and poorly designed stoves. Another way to make
charcoal from the fibers is a waste product called bagasse, which
is leftover from sugar cane processing in countries like the
Philippines.

 Reducing Tropical Deforestation

At the international level, debt-for-nature swaps can make it
financially attractive for countries to protect their tropical forests
and use them more sustainably. Under the terms of such swaps,
participating countries agree to set aside and protect forest
reserves in return for foreign aid or debt relief. In a similar
strategy, called conservation concessions, governments or
private conservation organizations pay nations for agreeing to
preserve their natural resources such as forests. An example of
debt for nature swaps is the Adopt-a-Mountain Project of the ISAT
U Leon Campus Extension Office.
People who live in tropical forests, many of them poor farmers
trying to feed their families, also want to help sustain tropical
forests. Many of them are looking for ways to grow the food they
need without having to cut and burn trees, and several
organizations are assisting them like the Bantay Kalikasan of the
ABS-CBN Foundation.
Another important strategy is reforestation which is the replanting
of forests, especially on degraded and abandoned land.
Throughout the world, reforestation promotes biodiversity,
conserves topsoil, and reduces flooding. It also provides firewood
and helps slow climate change by removing CO2 from the
atmosphere. In Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Pista y Kagueban, or
Feast of the Forest is celebrated to raise awareness of the people

| 98
 about the importance of forest conservation. It is an annual tree
planting event held every third week of June.

B. Water Conservation and Management

Water conservation is the careful use and protection of water resources.
It involves both the quantity of water used and its quality. Conservation
is an important component of sustainable water use.
 Agricultural Use
Improved irrigation could reduce agricultural withdrawals by 20%
to 30%. Because agriculture is the biggest water user, this would
be a huge savings. Suggestions for agricultural conservation
include the following:

o Price agricultural water to encourage conservation

(subsidizing water encourage overuse).
o Use lined or covered canals that reduce seepage and
evaporation.
o Use computer monitoring and schedule release of water
for maximum efficiency.
o Integrate the use of surface water and groundwater to
more effectively use the total resource. That is, irrigate with
surplus surface water when it is abundant, and also use
surplus surface water to recharge groundwater aquifers,
using specially designed infiltration ponds or injection
wells. When surface water is in short supply, use more
groundwater.
o Irrigate when evaporation is minimal, such as at a night or
in the early morning.
o Use improved irrigation systems, such as sprinklers or drip
irrigation that apply water to crops more effectively.
o Improve land preparation for water application – that is,
improve the soil so that more water sinks in and less
runoff. Where applicable, use a mulch to help retain water
around plants.
o Encourage the development of crops that require less
water or are more salt-tolerant, so that less periodic
flooding of irrigated land is necessary to remove
accumulated salts in the soil.

| 99
 Public Supply and Domestic Use
Public supply water use is concentrated in urban areas and may
pose major local problems in areas where water is periodically or
often in short supply. The population of the Philippines continues
to grow, and many urban areas are experiencing or will
experience the impact of population growth on water supply.
Most water in homes is used in the bathroom and for washing
laundry and dishes. Domestic water use can be substantially
reduced at a relatively small cost by the following measures:

o Replace lawns with decorative gravel and native plants.

o Use more efficient bathroom fixtures, such as low-flow
toilets that use 1.6 gallons or less per flush rather than the
standard 5 gallons, and low-flow showerheads that still
deliver sufficient water.
o Flush only when necessary.
o Turn off the water when not needed for washing, brushing
teeth, shaving, and so on.
o Fix all leaks quickly like dripping pipes, faucets, toilets, or
garden hoses wastewater.
o Purchase dishwashers and laundry machines that
minimize water use.
o Take a long bath rather than a long shower.
o Don’t hose sidewalks and driveways; sweep them.
o Consider using gray water (from showers, bathtubs, sinks,
and washing machines) to water vegetation.
o Water lawns and plants in the early morning, late
afternoon, or at night to reduced evaporation.
o Plant drought-resistant vegetation that requires less water.
o Use drip irrigation and place water- holding mulch around
garden plants.
o Learn how to read the water meter to monitor for
unobserved leaks and record your conservation
successes.
o Use reclaimed water from wastewater treatment plants.

 Industry and Manufacturing Use

Water conservation by industry can be improved. For instance,
water use for steam generation of electricity could be reduced 25
to 30% by using cooling towers that require less or no water.
Manufacturing and industry could curb water use by increasing
in-plant treatment and recycling water and by developing new
equipment and processes that require less water.

| 100
 Sustainability and Water Management
“The main goal of water management is to provide a sustainable
supply of high-quality water. Sustainable water use means
humans use water resources carefully so that water is available
for future generations and existing nonhuman needs.” (Raven)

Because water is essential to sustain life and maintain ecological

systems necessary for human survival, it plays an important role
in ecosystem support, economic development, cultural values,
and community well-being.
 Sustainable Water Use
From a supply and management perspective, sustainable water
use can be defined as the use of water resources in a way that
allows society to develop and flourish in an indefinite future
without degrading the various components of the hydrologic cycle
or the ecological systems that depend on it. Some general criteria
for water-use sustainability are as follows.
o Develop enough water resources to maintain human
health and well-being.
o Provide sufficient water resources to guarantee the health
and maintenance of ecosystems.
o Ensure basic standards of water quality for the various
users of water resources.
o Ensure that people do not damage or reduce the long-term
renewability of water resources.
o Promote the use of water-efficient technology and
practice.
o Gradually eliminate water-pricing policies that subsidized
the inefficient use of water.

 Groundwater Sustainability
The concept of sustainability, by definition, implies a long-term
perspective. With groundwater resources, effective management
for sustainability requires an even longer time frame than for other
renewable resources. Surface waters, for example, may be
replaced over a relatively short time, whereas replacement of
groundwater may take place slowly over many years. The effects
of pumping groundwater faster than it is being replenished –
drying up of springs, weaker stream flow – may not be noticed
until years after pumping begins. The long-term approach to
sustainability concerning groundwater is not to take out more
than is going in; to keep monitoring input and adjusting the output
accordingly.

| 101
 Ways to prevent or slow groundwater depletion
Prevention
o Use water more efficiently
o Subsidize water conservation
o Limit number of wells
o Stop growing water-intensive crops in dry areas
Control
o Raise the price of water to discourage waste
o Tax water pumped from wells near-surface water
o Build rain gardens in urban areas
o Use permeable paving material on streets, sidewalks, and
driveways
 Water Management

Maintaining a water supply is a complex issue that will become

more difficult as the demand for water increases in the coming
years. Options for minimizing problems include finding alternative
water supplies and managing existing supplies better. It seems
apparent that water will become much more expensive in the
future; and if the price is right, many innovative programs are
possible.
The variable-water-source approach uses several interrelated
measures to meet present and future demand. Details of the plan
include importing water, developing new sources, using
reclaimed water, and instituting a permanent conservation
program. There will be an installation of a desalination plant near
the ocean and a wastewater treatment plant for industries.
Another possible emergency plan might involve the treatment of
wastewater. Its reuse regularly is expensive, but planning to
reuse treated wastewater during emergencies is a wise decision.
Finally, we should develop plans to use surface water when
available, and not be afraid to use groundwater as needed in dry
years. During wet years, natural recharge as well as artificial
recharge (pumping excess surface water into the ground) will
replenish the groundwater. This water-management plan
recognizes that excesses and deficiencies in water are natural
and can be planned for.

| 102
C. Mineral Conservation and Management
Mineral resources are finite and non-renewable. Continued extraction
of ore minerals for raw materials is downsizing its amount underneath.
Surficial mineral deposits are getting exhausted rapidly by open cast
mining and urge for deep-seated mineral extraction. The depleting
scenario of mineral resource concerns over its futuristic availability.
Therefore conservation of minerals needs to be enforced to use our
mineral resources in a planned and sustainable manner.

Much of our civilization’s technology depends on minerals, and certain

minerals may be unavailable or quite limited in the future. Therefore,
we should extend existing mineral supplies as far as possible through
substitution and conservation.

 Finding Mineral Substitute

The substitution of more abundant materials for scarce minerals
is an important goal of manufacturing. Economics partly drives
the search for substitutes; one effective way to cut production
costs is to substitute an inexpensive or abundant material for an
expensive or scarce one. In recent years, plastics, ceramic
composites, and high-strength glass fibers have been substituted
for scarcer materials in many industries.
Earlier in the 20th century, tin was a critical metal for can making
and packaging; since then, other materials have been substituted
for tin, including plastic, glass and aluminum. The amounts of
lead and steel used in telecommunications cables have
decreased dramatically during the past 35 years, and the amount
of plastics has had a corresponding increase. Besides, glass
fibers have replaced copper wiring in telephone cables.
Although substitution extends mineral supplies, it is not a cure-all
for dwindling resources. Certain minerals have no known
substitutes. For example, platinum catalyzes many chemical
reactions important in the industry. So far, no other substance
has been found with the catalyzing abilities of platinum.

 Mineral Conservation
Conservation, including both reuse and recycling, extends
mineral supplies. The reuse of items such as beverage bottles,
which are collected, washed and refilled, is one way to extend
mineral resources. In recycling, used items such as beverage
cans and scrap iron are collected, remelted, and reprocessed into
new products. In addition to promoting specific conservation
techniques such as reuse and recycling, public awareness and

| 103
 attitudes about resource conservation can be modified to
encourage low waste.
o Reuse. When the same product is used over and over
again, both mineral consumption and pollution are
reduced. The benefits of reuse are greater than those of
recycling. Recycling a glass bottle requires crushing it,
melting the glass, and forming a new bottle. Reusing a
glass bottle simply requires washing it, which typically
expends less energy than recycling.
Several countries have adopted beverage container deposit laws,
which require consumers to pay a deposit for each beverage
bottle or can that they purchase. The deposit is refunded when
the container is returned to the retailer or special redemption
centers. In addition to encouraging reuse and recycling, thereby
reducing mineral resource consumption, beverage container
deposits reduce litter and solid waste.

o Recycling. A large percentage of the products made from

minerals— such as cans, bottles, chemical products,
electronic devices and batteries—are typically discarded
after use. The minerals in some of these products—
batteries and electronic devices, for instance—are difficult
to recycle. Minerals in other products, such as paints
containing lead, zinc, or chromium, are lost through normal
use. However, the technology exists to recycle many other
mineral products.
Recycling has several advantages beyond extending mineral
resources. It saves unspoiled land from the disruption of mining,
reduces the amount of solid waste that must be disposed of, and
decreases energy consumption and pollution. Recycling an
aluminum beverage can saves the energy equivalent of about
180 ml of gasoline. Recycling aluminum reduces the emission of
aluminum fluoride, a toxic air pollutant produced during the
processing of aluminum ore.
The aluminum industry, local governments, and private groups
have established thousands of recycling centers across the
country. It may be that today’s sanitary landfills will become
tomorrow’s mines, as valuable minerals and other materials are
extracted from them.
 Changing Our Mineral Requirements

We can reduce mineral consumption by becoming a low-waste

society. We have developed a “throwaway” mentality wherein
damaged or unneeded articles are discarded. Industries looking

| 104
 for short-term economic profits encourage this attitude, even
though the long term economic and environmental costs of it are
high. We consume fewer resources if products are durable and
repairable.

The throwaway mentality is also evident in manufacturing

industries. Traditionally, industries consume raw materials and
produce goods and a large amount of waste that is simply
discarded. Increasingly, manufacturers are finding that the waste
products from one manufacturing process can become the raw
materials for another industry. By selling these “wastes,”
industries gain additional profits and lessen the amounts of
materials that must be discarded.

The chemical and petrochemical industries were among the first

businesses to minimize wastes by converting them into useful
products. For example, some chemical companies buy aluminum
wastes from other companies and convert the aluminum in the
wastes to aluminum sulfate, a chemical used to treat municipal
water supplies. Such waste minimization is known as sustainable
manufacturing. Sustainable manufacturing requires that
companies provide information about their waste products to
other industries.

 Dematerialization

As products evolve, they tend to become lighter in weight and

often smaller. Washing machines manufactured in the 1960s
were much heavier than comparable machines manufactured
today. The same is true of other household appliances,
automobiles and electronic items. This decrease in the weight of
products over time is known as the dematerialization. Ideally,
dematerialization is beneficial to the environment because it
reduces the quantity of waste during both production and
consumption.

Although dematerialization gives the appearance of reducing the

consumption of minerals and other materials, it sometimes has
the opposite effect. Smaller and lighter products may be of lower
quality. Because repairing broken lightweight items is difficult and
may cost more than the original products, retailers and
manufacturers encourage consumers to replace rather than
repair the items. Although the weight of materials being used to
make each item has decreased, the number of such items being
used in a given period may have increased.

| 105
 Land Conservation and Management
As the population increased and the amount of available land
decreased, it became necessary to consider land as a limited
resource. Increasingly, as we have come to understand the great
value of ecosystem services, the emphasis has shifted from
exploitation to preservation and restoration of the remaining
natural areas.
Conservation strategies that set aside ecosystems are the best
way to preserve an area’s biodiversity (as well as its soil).
Government agencies, private conservation groups, and private
citizens have begun to set aside natural areas for permanent
preservation. Such activities ensure that our children and
grandchildren will inherit a world with wild places and other
natural ecosystems.

Land management is the process of managing the use and

development (in both urban and rural settings) of land
resources. Land resources are used for a variety of purposes
which may include organic agriculture, reforestation,
water resource management, and eco-tourism projects.

Although agriculture may cause or accelerate soil degradation,

good soil conservation practices promote sustainable soil use.
Conservation tillage, crop rotation, cover crop, contour plowing,
strip cropping, terracing, shelterbelts, and agro forestry help to
minimize erosion and mineral depletion of the soil.
o Conservation Tillage
Conventional methods of tillage, or working the land,
include spring plowing, in which the soil is cut and turns in
preparation for planting seeds, and harrowing, in which the
plowed soil is leveled, seeds are covered, and weeds are
removed. Conventional tillage prepares the land for crops,
but in removing all plant cover, it greatly increases the
likelihood of soil erosion. Conventionally tilled fields
contain less organic material and generally hold less water
than undisturbed soil.
An increasing number of farmers have adopted
conservation tillage, which causes little disturbances to the
soil. During planting, special machines cut a narrow furrow
in the soil for seeds. Several types of conservation tillage
fit different areas of the country and different crops. The
most extreme of these, no-tillage, does not involve any
tilling (that is, no plowing or disking) of the soil.

| 106
 In addition to reducing soil erosion, conservation tillage
increases the organic material in the soil, which, in turn,
improves the soil’s water-holding capacity. Decomposing
organic matter releases nutrient minerals more gradually
than when conventional tillage methods are employed.
Farmers who adopt no-tillage save on fuel cost, machinery
wear, and tear, and labor time when they do not plow their
land. However, the use of conservation tillage requires
new equipment, new techniques, and greater use of
herbicides to control weeds.
o Crop Rotation
Farmers who practice effective soil conservation
measures often use a combination of conservation tillage
and crop rotation. When the same crop is grown
continuously, pests for that crop tend to accumulate to
destructive levels, so crop rotation lessens insect damage
and disease. Many studies have shown that continuously
growing the same crop for many years depletes the soil of
certain essential nutrient minerals faster and makes the
soil more prone to erosion. Crop rotation is therefore
effective in maintaining soil fertility and in reducing soil
erosion.
o Contour Plowing, Strip Cropping, and Terracing
Hilly terrain must be cultivated with care because it is more
prone to soil erosion than flat land. Contour plowing, strip
cropping, cover crops, and terracing help control erosion
of farmland with variable topography.
In contour plowing, furrows run around hills rather than in
straight rows. Strip cropping is a special type of contour
plowing that produces alternating strips of different crops.
For example, alternating a row crop such as corn with a
closely sown crop such as wheat reduces soil erosion.
Even more effective control of soil erosion is achieved
when strip cropping is done in conjunction with
conservation tillage. Cover crops are grown between
seasons of other crops and help protect the soil during
seasons when it would otherwise be bare of plants.
Farming is undesirable on steep slopes, but if it must be
done, terracing produces level areas and thereby reduces
soil erosion. Nutrient minerals and soil are retained on the
horizontal platforms instead of being washed away. Soils
are preserved in a somewhat similar manner in low-lying

| 107
 areas that are diked to make rice paddies. The water forms
a shallow pool, retaining sediments and nutrient minerals.
o Preserving Soil Fertility
In sustainable soil management, the use of manufactured
fertilizers is avoided or limited. First, because of their high
solubility, commercial inorganic fertilizers are mobile and
often leach into groundwater or surface runoff, polluting
the water. Second, manufactured fertilizers do not improve
the water-holding capacity of the soil as organic fertilizers
do. Another advantage of organic fertilizers is that they
change the types of organisms that live in the soil,
sometimes suppressing microorganisms that cause
certain plant diseases. Commercial inorganic fertilizers are
a source of nitrogen-containing gases (nitrous and nitric
oxides) that are air pollutants and greenhouse gases.
Finally, the production of commercial inorganic fertilizers
requires a great deal of energy, which is largely obtained
from our declining reserves of fossil fuels.
o Soil Reclamation
Soil reclamation involves two steps: (1) stabilizing the land
to prevent further erosion and (2) restoring the soil to its
former fertility. To stabilize the land, the bare ground is
seeded with plants that eventually grow to cover the soil,
holding it in place. The plants start to improve the quality
of the soil almost immediately, as dead portions are
converted to humus. The humus holds nutrient minerals in
place and releases them a little at a time; humus also
improves the water-holding capacity of the soil.
One of the best ways to reduce the effects of wind on soil
erosion is to plant shelterbelts to lessen the impact of wind.
Restoration of soil fertility to its original level is a slow
process. During soil recovery, the use of the land must be
restricted. Disaster is likely if the land is put back to
agricultural use before the soil has completely recovered.
But the restriction of land use for years is sometimes
difficult to accomplish. Landowners often object to
government dictates about how to manage their lands, and
soil erosion in poorer regions of the world is often driven
by farmers trying to produce enough food to satisfy basic
needs.

| 108
 o Agroforestry
Agroforestry is a land-use practice in which trees and
crops are planted together to improve soil fertility in
degraded soils. For example, nitrogen-fixing acacias and
other trees might be intercropped with traditional crops
such as millet and sorghum. Other crops planted in agro
forestry include shade coffee, cocoa, jatropha (a biofuel
crop), and bananas.
The trees grow for many years and provide several
environmental benefits, such as reducing soil erosion,
regulating the release of rainwater into groundwater and
surface waters, and providing habitat for the natural
enemies of crop pests. Acacia trees fix nitrogen, thereby
improving soil fertility. When the leaves fall off the trees,
they gradually decompose, returning mineral nutrients to
the soil. The leaf layer also improves the soil’s ability to
hold moisture (less moisture evaporates from leaf-covered
soil). Over time, the degraded land slowly improves. The
result is higher crop yields. When the trees are so tall that
they shade out the crops, the forest provides the farmers
with food (such as fruits and nuts), firewood, lumber, and
other forestry products.

II. Governance of Natural Resources in the Philippines

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is responsible for
the formulation and implementation of policies, guidelines, and rules related to
environmental management, as well as the management and conservation of the
country’s natural resources. The DENR also implements rules and regulations
governing the exploration, development, extraction, disposition, and use of forests,
minerals, wildlife, and other natural resources.

Although the Philippines was once one of the richest biological regions on Earth,
50 years of severe natural resource degradation have taken a catastrophic toll. As
a result the country now has among the lowest forest cover per capita in the tropics,
and many mangrove and coral reef ecosystems have collapsed.

Over the past decade, the government has tried to reverse these trends,
introducing innovative institutional and legal reforms for sustainable natural
resource management—including a comprehensive decentralization program that
promotes resource management by local governments, indigenous groups, and
resource-dependent communities.

Also, in recent years many donors have supported efforts to improve natural
resource management by building the capacity of the Department of Environment
and Natural Resources (DENR), local governments, nongovernmental

| 109
organizations (NGOs), and local communities, and by supporting innovative
partnerships among them.
A. National Government Agencies
The DENR is the primary government agency responsible for
conservation, management, development, and proper use of the
Philippines’s environment and natural resources. But many other
government agencies have mandates and programs that touch on
natural resource issues. All these national agencies share their natural
resource management responsibilities with local government units
under the provisions of the Local Government Code.

 Forest Management Bureau. The FMB of the DENR provides

support for the effective protection, development, occupancy
management, and conservation of forest lands and watersheds.
It collaborates with international and local development
organizations in several forestry development programs.

 National Water Resources Board. The NWRB is the government

agency that manages and regulates all water resources and
services in the Philippines. It integrates and coordinates all water-
related activities that have social, environmental, and economic
impacts in the country.

 Mines and Geosciences Bureau. The MGB under the DENR is

responsible for the conservation, management, development,
and proper use of the country’s mineral resources including those
in reservations, watershed areas, and lands of the public domain.
The MGB has direct charge in the administration and disposition
of mineral lands and mineral resources and shall undertake
geological, mining, metallurgical, chemical, and other researches
as well as geological and mineral exploration surveys.
 Land Management Bureau. The Land Management Bureau of the
DENR provides direction through the development of long and
medium-term strategic plans for the land sector and monitoring
and evaluation tools to ensure achievement of goals, formulate
policies for the efficient and effective administration and
management of alienable and disposable public lands and
ensure compliance, and develop land and survey standards and
guidelines and ensure its compliance.
 Indigenous Peoples Rights Act

The Indigenous Peoples Rights Act established a regime to

protect indigenous tenurial claims and other rights, providing
some of the country’s most comprehensive tenurial instruments.

| 110
 It created the National Commission on Indigenous People to help
such groups obtain titles to and develop plans for the sustainable
development and protection of ancestral domains.

 Community-Based Forest Management Strategy

In 1995 the Philippines adopted a community-based approach as

its official strategy for forest management (through Executive
Order 263, with implementing rules and regulations promulgated
in DENR DAO 96-29). This regulatory framework integrated a
variety of previous initiatives for social and community
management of forests, uplands, and coastal areas and for
recognizing ancestral domains.

 Fisheries Code

The 1998 Fisheries Code assigned coordination and consultation

functions to the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fishery
and Aquatic Resources and mandated the establishment of local
councils for integrated resource management to foster
cooperation between local government units. Several of the
code’s features are relevant to local governance and resource
management in protected areas. First, it defined municipal waters
and established local governments’ jurisdiction over them.
Second, it assigned enforcement responsibilities to local
governments for wetland and marine resources, including
patrolling the areas and issuing regulatory ordinances. Finally, it
established fish sanctuaries and made local governments
responsible for issuing permits and collecting fees for fishery
activities and for registering municipal fishermen, fishponds, and
fishery industries.

 National Integrated Protected Areas System Act

This 1992 act established the legal basis for developing a national
system of “remarkable areas and biological important public
lands with habitats of rare and endangered species of plants and
animals, bio-geographic zones and related ecosystems, whether
terrestrial, wetland or marine, all of which shall be designated as
‘protected areas. The National Integrated Protected Areas
System (NIPAS) Act governs the national system of protected
areas, which includes 360 sites covering 3.8 million hectares.

| 111
B. Local Governments

Local governments have become more important since the Local

Government Code was passed in 1991. The code assigned local
governments various regulatory responsibilities, such as the
reclassification of agricultural lands, enforcement of environmental laws,
an inspection of food products and quarantine, and enforcement of
national building codes.

The Local Government Code extended the definition of municipal waters

and gave city and municipality governments’ considerable authority over
resource access and use in those waters. Devolved functions include
rights to grant fishery licenses and other privileges, enact management
ordinances (including measures such as closed seasons, fish
sanctuaries, and prohibitions on the use of destructive fishing equipment
and methods), and impose penalties for illegal fishing and other
environmentally destructive activities.

Natural Resource Management Functions under the Local Government

Code of 1991

 National Conservation, management, protection, development,

and proper use of natural resources and promotion of sustainable
development
 Management of: programs, projects, and activities funded by
government agencies and foreign sources and of items under
relevant executive orders and special laws, including the Agrarian
Reform Program
 Local
 Implementation and coordination of DENR policies, regulations,
programs, projects, and activities
 Enforcement of Forestry Laws related to community and social
forestry projects
 Management of communal forests with an area of fewer than
5,000 hectares, provided they are used for community forestry
projects
 Management, protection, and rehabilitation of small watersheds
that supply local water (as identified by the DENR), including
extension and research services related to water and soil use and
conservation projects
 Establishment, protection, and maintenance of tree parks, green
belts, and other tourist attractions in areas delineated by the
DENR (except those covered by the national protected areas
system) and collection of fees for their services and the use of
facilities established in them

| 112
  Regulation of flora outside protected areas and implementation
of Rehabilitation in Conservation Hotspots (RICH) and
Conservation of Rare and Endangered Species (CARE) activities
in areas identified by the DENR
 Implementation of land management agreements, cadastral
surveys, lot surveys, and isolated and special surveys
 Enforcement of small-scale mining laws
 Issuance of permits and adjudication of conflicts over fees for
collection of guano and extraction of sand, gravel, and other
quarry resources
 Management of small local hydroelectric projects
 Issuance of environmental compliance certificates for projects
and businesses
 Implementation of solid waste disposal and other environmental
management systems and services
 Adoption of adequate measures to protect the environment and
conserve land, mineral, marine, forest, and other resources in
their jurisdiction

NGOs and People’s Organizations

Upon coming to power in 1986, President Corazon Aquino called on the

Philippines to “institutionalize People Power” and “establish institutions
where they do not exist,” setting the stage for a dramatic expansion of
civil society organizations (NGOs and POs) in the country’s political life
and development policy.

As a result of these measures, the Philippines is home to a large and

active community of NGOs and People’s Organizations. Many NGOs
are engaged in field activities (in many cases as implementing agencies
of donor-assisted projects) and advocacy related to natural resource
management. NGOs range from sophisticated national organizations
with numerous field projects to small local organizations focused on one
municipality. Many international environmental NGOs are also active in
the Philippines.

Donors

The Philippines has attracted considerable international financing for

investments in environmental and natural resource management. This
support reflects the country’s strategic location, rich and diverse
ecosystems, and strong government commitment to sustainable
development

Major donors include the Asian Development Bank, Canadian

International Development Agency, Danish International Development
Agency, European Union, and German Agency for Technical

| 113
 Cooperation, Global Environment Facility, the government of Japan
(through the Japan International Cooperation Agency and Japan Bank
for International Cooperation), U.S. Agency for International
Development, the government of the Netherlands, various UN agencies,
and the World Bank.

Elaborate

Watch the video link and list down the different land resources conservation
management practices. Which of these practices is applied in your community?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc_Atfap-
EA&feature=share&fbclid=IwAR2vPyZXnSw-
YM5sJUT1LJ2rKQCQFOhPYz1tRg8_iMd54CaPHh2QujgQkEQ

| 114
Evaluate

Name: Date:
Program and Section: Score:

Multiple Choice

Direction: Encircle the letter that corresponds to the BEST answer.

1. It refers to the sustainable utilization of major natural resources, such as land,
water, air, minerals, forests, fisheries, and wild flora and fauna.
A. Conservation management B. Resource conservation
C. Biodiversity conservation D. Natural resource management

2. It is the replanting of forests, especially on degraded and abandoned land.

A. Reforestation B. Deforestation
C. Agroforestry D. Forest reserve

3. What do you call the water from showers, bathtubs, sinks, and washing
machines used to water vegetation?
A. Black water B. Gray water C. Refuse water D. Reclaimed water

4. Which approach is used by manufacturing industries to cut production costs

where an inexpensive or abundant material is substituted for an expensive or
scarce one?
A. Recycling B. Reuse C. Substitution D. Dematerialization

5. What is referred to as land use practice in which trees and crops are planted
together to improve soil fertility in degraded soils
A. Agroforestry B. Soil reclamation
C. Contour plowing D. Strip cropping

| 115
References

Agsalud, P.S.L., et al. Environmental Science. #16 Concha St. Tinajeros

Malabon City: Jimczyville Publications, 2013. 50pp.
Bharucha, E. (2003) Textbook for Environmental Studies: For Undergraduate
Courses of all Branches of Higher Education. University Grants
Commission, New Delhi, India. 248pp.
Environmental and Natural Resources Accounting (ENRA) Report No. 2 (1998)
Integrated Environmental Management for Sustainable Development,
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the
National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Manila. 233pp.
Environment and Natural Resources Accounts Division of the Macroeconomic
Accounts Service (2018) Developing the Water Accounts and Material
Flow Accounts of the Philippines: Progress Reports series of 2018, No. 1.
Philippine Statistics Authority, Quezon City. 97pp.
Environment and Natural Resources Accounts Division of the Macroeconomic
Accounts Service (2018) Asset Accounts for Land Cover: Tree-Covered
Area of the Philippines: Progress Reports series of 2018, No. 2. Philippine
Statistics Authority, Quezon City. 58pp.
Guido, R.M., et al. Fundamentals of Environmental Science. 707 Tiaga cor.
Kasipagan Sts. Barangka Drive, Mandaluyong City: Books Atbp.
Publishing Corp, 2015. 109pp.
Web Pages
USAID Country Profile: Philippines – Land Tenure and Property Rights. 44pp.
https://www.land-links.org/country-profile/philippines/
https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/causes-effects-solutions-depletion-
natural-resources.php
https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-are-natural-resources-definition-lesson-
quiz.html
https://people.eou.edu/socenv/readings/week-1/resource-process/
https://www.denr.gov.ph/
https://forestry.denr.gov.ph/index.php/9-fmb-articles/2-mandate
https://lmb.gov.ph/
https://mgb.gov.ph/

| 116
http://www.nwrb.gov.ph/
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/332143198_Conservation_of_Mineral_
Resources_for_Sustainable_Use
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263178753_Governance_of_Natural_R
esources_in_the_Philippines_Lessons_from_the_Past_Directions_for_the
_Future
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4l1gNtrBQMI
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc_Atfap-
EA&feature=share&fbclid=IwAR2vPyZXnSw-
YM5sJUT1LJ2rKQCQFOhPYz1tRg8_iMd54CaPHh2QujgQkEQ

| 117
 Photo Courtesy: Perritano, J. (2012). A monarch touches down in the ecosystem of this purple thistle flower [Digital Image].

Mae Angeline T. Tajolosa, Ph. D.

Melissa H. Arganoza, MSci.
 This module provides an introduction to biodiversity -- the variety of life on
Earth, from genes to ecosystems, and the ecological and evolutionary
processes that sustain it. Biodiversity in this module is introduced by
having students identify and talk about what they know about the various
habitats around them, including the amazing variety of life. Using online
resources, they identify the basic components necessary for biodiversity,
the critical and countless benefits of habitats, as well as the serious present
and future threats to their ongoing existence.

An important goal of this module is for students to understand that

biodiversity is necessary for life and that species preservation is important
to all of us. Every species is linked with a multitude of others in an
ecosystem. All organisms are part of food webs that include plants and
animals and other species. Minor disruptions in a particular ecosystem
tend to lead to changes that eventually restore the system. But large
disturbances brought by human actions can result in irreversible changes.
Maintaining diversity increases the likelihood that some varieties will have
characteristics suitable in survival under changed conditions.

In this module, you will learn the following lessons:

Lesson 1- Definition of Biodiversity

Lesson 2 - Levels of Biodiversity
Lesson 3 - Evolution and Genesis of Biodiversity
Lesson 4 –Value and Benefits of Biodiversity
Lesson 5 – Threats to Biodiversity
Lesson 6 – Protection and Conservation of Biodiversity

Module Outcomes:
At the end of the module, you must have:
1. defined what biodiversity is;
2. described the different levels of biodiversity;
3. discussed the evolution and the genesis of biodiversity;
4. enumerated the value and benefits of biodiversity;
5. explained the threats to biodiversity; and
6. explained the protection and conservation of biodiversity.

| 119
Before you start with the lessons in this module, familiarize yourself with the terms listed
in Table 1.

Table 1. Terms you need to know in this module.

Biodiversity Short for biological diversity—means the presence of diverse

biological forms as well as the ecosystem in which they live.
Biodiversity loss From the time when humans first occupied Earth and began
to hunt animals, gather food, and chop wood, they have had
an impact on biodiversity.
Conservation The management of human use of nature so that it may yield
the greatest sustainable benefit to current generations while
maintaining its potential to meet the needs and aspirations of
future generations.
Conservation of The management of human interactions with genes, species,
Biodiversity and ecosystems to provide the maximum benefit to the
present generation while maintaining their potential to meet
the needs and aspirations of future generations.
Endangered species Species that are in danger of extinction throughout all or a
significant portion of its range.
Evolution Any gradual change in the characteristics of a species over
several generations and relies on the process of natural
selection.
Ex-situ conservation A conservation method that entails the removal of germplasm
resources (seed, pollen, sperm, individual organisms, from
their original habitat or natural environment.
Extinction The evolutionary termination of a species caused by the
failure to reproduce and the death of all remaining members
of the species; the natural failure to adapt to environmental
change.
Genetic diversity The variety of genes within a particular population, species,
variety, or breed.
Habitat loss The outcome of a process of land-use change in which a
‘natural’; habitat-type is removed and replaced by another
habitat-type, such as converting natural areas to production
sites.

| 120
Hotspot An area on earth with an unusual concentration of species,
many of which are endemic to the area, and which is under
serious threat by people.
In situ conservation A conservation method that attempts to preserve the genetic
integrity of gene resources by conserving them within the
evolutionary dynamic ecosystems of the original habitat or
natural environment.
Invasive species Species are those that are introduced—intentionally or
unintentionally—to an ecosystem in which they do not
naturally appear and which threaten habitats, ecosystems, or
native species.
Mitigating measures Measures that allow an activity with a negative impact on
biodiversity, but reduce the impact on site by considering
changes to the scale, design, location, process, sequencing,
management and/or monitoring of the proposed activity.
Natural Selection The process whereby organisms better adapted to their
environment tends to survive and produce more offspring.
Overexploitation This occurs when harvesting of specimens of flora and fauna
species from the wild is out of balance with reproduction
patterns and, as a consequence, species may become
extinct.
Protected Areas An area of land and/or sea especially dedicated to the
protection and maintenance of biological diversity, and
natural and associated cultural resources, and managed
through legal or other effective means.
Species diversity The number and variety of species found in a given area in a
region.

Speciation The formation of new and distinct species in the course of

evolution
Sustainable Development that meets the needs and aspirations of the
development current generation without compromising the ability to meet
those of future generations.
Sustainable use The use of components of biological diversity in a way and at
a rate that does not lead to the long-term decline of biological
diversity.

| 121
Threatened species Species that are likely to become endangered within the
foreseeable future, throughout all or a significant portion of its
range.
Wild species Organisms captive or living in the wild that have not been
subject to breeding to alter them from their native state
Wildlife Living, non-domesticated animals. Some experts consider
plants also as part of wildlife.

| 122
 Lesson Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you must have:
1. defined the concept of biodiversity; and
2. known the origin of the term “Biodiversity”.

Engage

You will do this activity “Biodiversity is Amazing: My Nature Walk”!

Look for a site in your home where you think you could see a lot of things (living
and non-living). Take a walk and try to locate items with the following
characteristics. How many can you find? Place a check in front of each thing that
you find. Find something:
__1. yellow ___15. dry
__2. soft ___16. rough
__3. cold ___17. tall
__4. round ___18. wet
__5. hard ___19. heavy
__ 6 red ___20. smooth
__7. round ___21. that smells good
__8. that smells bad ___22. pointy
__9. tiny ___23.huge
__10.fuzzy ___24.brown
__11.black ___25.noisy
__12.rectangular ___26.with 6 legs
__13.with 4 legs ___27.with 8 legs
__14.with wings ___28.oval

In this activity, you are introduced to the concept of biodiversity- a concept that is
becoming increasingly important in our planet Earth. Biodiversity is all around us!
Just look to your side, above your head, or beneath your feet. We can find an
incredible variety of plants, animals, and microorganisms in different ecosystems
around the world.

| 123
Explore

Now that you know about your local biodiversity, you will think about it on a more
global scale. You will do this activity entitled “Global Biodiversity”.
A student-centered station laboratory will be set up so that you can begin to explore
biodiversity.
There will be four stations where you will be learning new information about
biodiversity.
Choose one biome as listed below.
Tropical Rainforest
Deciduous Forest
Grasslands
Taiga
Desert
Tundra
Coniferous Forest

Explore the biome that you choose. Describe and identify the ecosystem
populations which is more diverse. Once you have completed your observations,
you will then be asked to infer the outcomes of each ecosystem if certain species
were to be removed.
STATION 1: WATCH IT!
At this station, you will be watching a 3-minute video describing biodiversity. The
video will give you a detailed description of what biodiversity is. The video will show
you the importance and value of having healthy biodiversity in an ecosystem. You
will then answer questions related to the video and record their answers on their
laboratory station sheet.
Video clip link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iR2AyybowPc
STATION 2: RESEARCH IT!
The Research Station will allow you to look up why biodiversity is so important.
You will be given books to read for five minutes. You will be researching why
biodiversity helps contribute to the evolution of species, the sustainability of food
webs, and the importance to human society. With each concept, you will answer
the main question to help make the research more concrete.
Main question: Why is biodiversity important?
STATION 3: ASSESS IT!
The Assess It station is where you will go to prove mastery over the concepts they
learned in the station laboratory. The questions are set up in a standardized format
with multiple choice answers. Some questions include: which choice best

| 124
 describes biodiversity, which choice is NOT a benefit of biodiversity, what are
biodiversity loss and biodiversity conservation, and finally, which ecosystem has
the greatest amount of biodiversity?
STATION 4: WRITE IT UP!
At this station, you will be answering three questions:
1. Explain biodiversity?
2. How does biodiversity support an ecosystem?
3. Describe the difference in biodiversity between rainforest and tundra.

Explain

In the Convention on Biological Diversity signed by many member states at the

Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) in 1992, biodiversity is explained as
follows:
"Biological diversity" means the variability among living organisms from all
sources including terrestrial, marine, and other aquatic ecosystems and the
ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species,
between species, and of ecosystems.
Biodiversity is a measurement of the amount of variation of the species in a given
area. It is the number of different species of plants, animals, microorganisms the
genetic information they contain, and the ecosystem they form. It includes
organisms from Earth’s vastly different ecosystems, including deserts, rainforests,
coral reefs, grasslands, tundra, and polar ice caps. It is important because it
directly benefits humans and the ecosystem.
The word BIODIVERSITY originates from the Greek word bios which means life
and Latin word diversitas which means variety or difference. The whole word
BIODIVERSITY generally, therefore, means a variety of life

| 125
Elaborate

Conduct a survey about the variety of plants, animals, and trees that live right
outside your window. Fill up the worksheet below, “My Backyard Biodiversity”.
From the collected data, make suggestions on how you can have a positive impact
on your local ecosystem.

Source: https://www.coolaustralia.org/unit/biodiversity

| 126
Evaluate

Name: Date:
Program and Section: Score:

Multiple Choice

Direction: Encircle the letter of the BEST answer.

1. Biodiversity is a short term for ______________.

A. Biological diversity
B. Biological diversified
C. Biological diverse
D. All of the above

2. Biodiversity is the variety of ___________ within a population.

A. genetic
B. species
C. individual
D. characteristics

3. Which of the following does biodiversity NOT contribute to?

A. Food
B. Clothes
C. Petrol
D. Wireless Internet

4. Which among the organisms on earth has the greatest number identified or
named?
A. animals
B. plants
C. fungi
D. bacteria

5. Which among the organisms on earth has the least number identified or
named?
A. animals
B. plants
C. fungi
D. bacteria

| 127
6. What is biodiversity?
A. It is the variety of species, their genetic make-up, and the natural
communities in which they occur.
B. The number of plants throughout the world.
C. The number of different animals existing.
D. The study of life.

7. Why is biodiversity important for humans?

A. Biodiversity is the way we classify organisms.
B. Biodiversity will prevent global warming
C. Biodiversity is a potential source of new medicines
D. Biodiversity is the study of the variety of life on earth

8. Biodiversity is the variety of ________ in a given area

A. Organisms
B. Genes
C. Species
D. Communities

9. Biodiversity can affect the _______ of ecosystems and the _________ of

populations.
A. sustainability and stability
B. stability and sustainability
C. life and existence
D. existence and life

10. What might be the reaction of a botanist who discovered a new plant in
Mount Makiling? Why would they react that way?
A. They would be happy to find biodiversity because that leads to
ecosystem stability.
B. They would be upset because biodiversity leads to ecosystem instability.
C. They would worry about plants competing for limited sources like water.
D. They would be happy because that means water is nearby.

| 128
 Lesson Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you must have:
1. enumerated the different levels of biodiversity; and
2. distinguished the different levels of biodiversity.

Isn’t it interesting to just know that you share this world with millions of other species
that you didn’t even know of! In this lesson, you will look into the different levels of
biodiversity in greater depths. Also, some questions like “What’s the difference
between diversity in genes and species?” and “Why are some species better than
others at adapting to environmental changes” will be discussed in this lesson.

Engage

Conduct basic review about species classification and answer the following
questions:
1. What is an organism?
2. What are some examples of animals? Plants? Insects?
3. How are animals and plants alike? Different?
4. What are some ways that we classify different animals, plants, and other
organisms?
5. What kinds of features are commonly used to classify them?
6. What kinds of features do mammals have?

Explore

Classify and write the different animals and plants according to its kind (i.e.
monocot, dicot, vine, herb, shrub, trees; mammals, reptiles, amphibians, insects).

Question: What is the benefit of putting organisms into different groups?

| 129
Explain

I. Three Levels of Biodiversity

A. Species diversity
It refers to the variety of different types of species found in a particular
area. It is the biodiversity at the most basic level. It includes all the
species ranging from plants to different microorganisms.
No two individuals of the same species are exactly similar. For example,
humans show a lot of diversity among themselves.
B. Genetic diversity
It refers to the variations among the genetic resources of the organisms.
Every individual of a particular species differs from each other in their
genetic constitution. That is why every human looks different from each
other. Similarly, there are different varieties in the same species of dogs,
cats, chicken, and fish.
C .Ecological diversity
An ecosystem is a collection of living and non-living organisms and their
interaction with each other. Ecological biodiversity refers to the
variations in the plant and animal species living together and connected
by food chains and food webs.
It is the diversity observed among the different ecosystems in a region.
Diversity in different ecosystems like rivers, rainforests, and mangroves
include ecological diversity.

Elaborate

Watch the video and note down the different biodiversity resources of the country
and list down the important information you learned from video and share it with
the class.

Distribution of Biodiversity in the Philippines.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcC6CZNllOI

| 130
Evaluate

Name: Date:
Program and Section: Score:

Multiple Choice

Direction: Encircle the letter that corresponds to the BEST answer.

1. What is the difference between species diversity and genetic diversity?

A. Species diversity looks at the variety of ecosystems, while genetic
diversity looks at how genes vary within a species.
B. Species diversity looks at the number of different species in a place,
while genetic diversity looks at how genes vary within a species.
C. Species diversity looks at how genes vary within a species, while genetic
diversity looks at the number of different species in a place.
D. Species diversity looks at the number of different species in a place,
while genetic diversity looks at the variety of ecosystems.

2. Dr. Smith is studying algae. Would she consider ponds in her research on
ecological diversity? Why or why not?
A. It depends on the pond.
B. No, because ponds are not considered an aquatic ecosystem
C. Yes, because scientists studying ecological diversity only study
aquatic ecosystems
D. Yes, because aquatic and terrestrial are considered when studying
ecological diversity

3. If you were to take a count of the diversity of species in your town, what would
you be measuring?
A. Genetic diversity
B. Habitat diversity
C. Biodiversity
D. Species richness

4. If you were to measure the degree of difference between all of the birds that
share a species in a town, what would you be measuring?
A. Habitat diversity
B. Genetic diversity
C. Biodiversity
D. Species richness

| 131
5. A country with many different types of habitat is said to have a high degree of
what?
A. Biodiversity
B. Genetic biodiversity
C. Species richness
D. Habitat diversity

6. Why is genetic diversity important?

A. Allows for species to adapt to and thrive in different environments.
B. Global warming threatens monocultures
C. It enables species to create their habitat.
D. It’s not important.

7. Which of the following is not a level of biodiversity?

A. Species
B. Ecosystem
C. Population
D. Generic

8. What diversity refers to all the different genes contained within all members of
a population?
A. Species
B. Ecosystem
C. Genetic
D. Character

9. How does genetic diversity affect the survival of certain species?

A. Mutations that cause genetic diversity are always fatal and reduce
species survival.
B. Less genetically diverse populations have higher species survival rates
because mating is not limited.
C. Genetically diverse populations are at higher risk for extinction
because individuals are more susceptible to disease.
D. Genetic diversity allows some individuals to have traits that help them
survive in times of environmental change.

10. What diversity exemplifies rivers, lakes, ponds, and oceans?

A. Genetic
B. Species
C. Ecological
D. Biodiversity

| 132
 Lesson Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you must have:
1. emphasized the three steps leading to biological evolution by
natural selection;
2. described how geological processes and climate change affect
evolution; and
3. explained how speciation, extinction, and human activities affect
biodiversity.

The mechanisms responsible for biodiversity change are evolutionary processes

of speciation and extinction, along with ecological processes over shorter periods.
Extinction and speciation are well catalogued in the paleontological record as
instrumental to biodiversity fluctuations. Species interactions, environmental
change, and even cosmic disturbances (meteors, tidal interactions, and solar
processes) have played key roles in shaping past and present biodiversity.
Throughout life on this planet, average background extinction rates have been
punctuated by extinction episodes, the five most devastating of which are termed
mass extinctions.

Engage

Do you believe that humans descended from apes?

Source: American Museum of Natural History

| 133
Explore

The picture below shows the different species of finches found in Galapagos
Island. What do you think is the reason for their beak differences as they are all
descended from a common ancestral seed-eating ground finch?

Explain

I. Evolution and Biodiversity

How we end up with such an amazing array of species? The scientific answer
involves biological evolution (or simply evolution): the process whereby earth’s life
changes over time through changes in the genes of populations of organisms in
succeeding generation.
The process of biological evolution by natural selection involves changes in the
population’s genetic makeup through successive generations. The first step in this
process is the development of genetic variability or variety in the genetic makeup
of individuals in a population. This occurs through mutations: random changes in
the DNA molecules of a gene in any cell that can be inherited by offspring.
Sometimes, such a mutation can result in a new genetic trait, called a heritable
trait, which can be passed from one generation to the next. In this way, populations
develop differences among individuals.
The next step in biological evolution is natural selection, in which environmental
conditions favor some individuals over others. The theory of evolution by natural
selection is one of the most important scientific theories that explain how the

| 134
process of evolution takes place. According to this theory, environmental
conditions favor some individuals over others. The favored individuals possess
heritable traits that give them some advantage over other individuals in a given
population. Such a trait is called an adaptation, or adaptive trait –any heritable trait
that improves the ability of an individual organism to survive and reproduce at a
higher rate, that other individuals in a population can do, under prevailing
environmental conditions.
Over time, natural selection leads to changes in the genetic makeup of populations
of organisms. Also, at some point, it can lead to the development of new species
(speciation). This important scientific theory explains how life has changed over
the past 3.5 billion years and why life is so diverse today.
However, throughout its long history, the earth’s climate has changed drastically.
These climate changes have a major effect on biological evolution by determining
where different plants and animals can survive and thrive, and by changing the
locations of different types of ecosystems such as deserts, grasslands, and forests.
Some species have become extinct (cease to exist) because the climate has
changed too rapidly and difficult for them to adapt and survive. The new species
evolved to take over their ecological roles.
The shifting of tectonic plates also had important effects on the evolution and
distribution of life on the earth. Earthquakes due to tectonic plates affect biological
evolution by causing fissures on the earth’s crust that can separate and isolate
populations of species. Over long periods, this can lead to the formation of new
species as each isolated population changes genetically in response to new
environmental conditions. Volcanic eruptions that occur along the boundaries of
tectonic plates also affect biological evolution by destroying habitats and reducing,
isolating, or wiping out populations of species.
There is growing evidence that we are experiencing the beginning of new mass
extinction. There is also considerable evidence that much of the current increase
in extinction and the resulting loss of biodiversity is primarily due to human
activities as our ecological footprints spread over the planet.
Research indicates that the largest cause of the growing rate of species extinction
and ecosystem disruptions is the loss, fragmentation, and degradation of terrestrial
and aquatic habitats. These losses occur as we cultivate more land to grow crops,
clear more forest land for farming, ranching, and settlement and harvest many
oceans and freshwater species of fish faster than they can replenish their
populations.

| 135
 II. Science Focus

How did humans become such a powerful species?

Like many other species, humans have survived and thrived because we have
certain traits that allow us to adapt to and modify parts of the environment to
increase our survival chances.
Evolutionary biologists attribute our success to three adaptations: strong
opposable thumbs that allowed us to grip and use tools better than few other
animals; an ability to walk upright, which gave us agility and freed up our hands for
many uses; and a complex brain, which allowed us to develop many skills,
including the ability to use speech and to read and write to transmit complex ideas.
These adaptations have helped us to develop tools, weapons, protective devices,
and technologies that extend our limited senses of sight, hearing, and smell, and
make up for some of our physical deficiencies. Thus, in an eye-blink of the 3.5-
billion-year history of life on earth, we have developed powerful technologies and
taken over much of the earth’s net primary productivity for our use. At the same
time, we have degraded much of the planet’s life-support system as our ecological
footprints have grown.
However, adaptations that make a species successful during one period of time
may not be enough to ensure the species’ survival when environmental conditions
change. This is no less true for humans, and some environmental conditions are
now changing rapidly, due to our actions.
One of our adaptations—our powerful brain—may enable us to live more
sustainably by understanding and copying how nature has sustained itself for
billions of years, despite major changes in environmental conditions.

Elaborate

Watch and summarize the following videos.

https://www.khanacademy.org/science/high-school-biology/hs-
evolution/hs-evolution-and-natural-selection/v/introduction-to-evolution-
and-natural-selection.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtDFbbE3_jA
https://conservationbytes.com/2009/09/25/evolution-of-biodiversity-the-
hard-evidence/

| 136
Evaluate

Name: Date:
Program and Section: Score:

Multiple Choice

Direction: Encircle the letter that corresponds to the BEST answer.

1. Who of the following scientists first proposed the theory of natural selection?
A. Watson B. Darwin C. Crick D. Linnaeus

2. Which of the following best explains evolution?

A. Extinction B. Natural selection C. Global warming D. all of these

3. Which of the following refers to changes in organisms over long periods?

A. Extinction A. Speciation C. Evolution D. Selection

4. The hypothesis that all species are descended from common ancestors was
proposed by
A. James Hutton B. Jean-Baptiste Lamarck.
C. Thomas Malthus. D. Charles Darwin.

5. According to Darwin’s theory of natural selection, the individuals that tend to

survive are those that have
A. characteristics their parents acquired by use and disuse.
B. characteristics that plant and animal breeders value.
C. the greatest number of offspring.
D. variations best suited to environmental conditions.

6. Darwin explained the differences in beak shape among Galapagos finches as

being the result of
A. chance events
B. adaptations to eating different foods
C. differences that existed in the colonizing species
D. inheritance of acquired characteristics

7. Humans have been a very successful species on earth. They have very
diverse populations spread all over the planet. As a result
A. Humans have very limited ability to adapt to environment.
B. Humans have a potential to adapt to various environmental changes.
C. Young humans have lower survival rates as compared to other
species.
D. All humans are more disease resistant.

| 137
8. Which of the following statements regarding evolution is true?
A. Evolution anticipates future changes in the environment and allows
organisms to adapt accordingly.
B. There are a distinct origin and end goal.
C. There is no overall direction, simply a response to local conditions.
D. It is typically observable in a single generation

| 138
 Lesson Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you must have:
1. determined the values and benefits of biodiversity; and
2. appreciated the significance of biodiversity.

Biodiversity plays an important role in ecosystem functions that provide supporting,

provisioning, regulating, and cultural services. These services are essential for
human well-being. However, at present, few studies link changes in biodiversity
with changes in ecosystem functioning to changes in human well-being. Protecting
the Angat Dam that provides drinking water for Manila and its neighboring towns
is one case where safeguarding ecosystem services paid a dividend of several
billion pesos. Further work that demonstrates the links between biodiversity,
regulating and supporting services, and human well-being is needed to show this
vital but often unappreciated value of biodiversity.

The diversity of life enriches the quality of our lives in ways that are not easy to
quantify. Biodiversity is intrinsically valuable and is important for our emotional,
psychological, and spiritual well-being. Some consider that it is an important
human responsibility to be stewards for the rest of the world’s living organisms.
Diversity breeds diversity. Having a diverse array of living organisms allows other
organisms to take advantage of the resources provided.

Engage

Watch this video.

Why is biodiversity so important?

Link: https://www.ck12.org/biology/importance-of-biodiversity/lecture/Why-is-
biodiversity-so-important/?referrer=concept_details

After watching the video, you must list down the importance of biodiversity to
humankind and reconsider the following questions:
 Do you think the people in your community realize that biodiversity and
habitat loss is something that we should be concerned about?
 If you were to rate the awareness levels of your parents, your neighbors,
and your friends about biodiversity and habitat loss on a scale from “very
aware” to “pretty darn clueless,” what would your ratings be?
 What explains your ratings?

| 139
Explore

Identify and list down what you know about the various habitats around you,
including the amazing variety of life. Enumerate the benefits and values you
acquired from them.

Explain

I. The Value and Benefits of Biodiversity

Ecosystems and species provide an enormous range of goods and other services
-immediate as well as long term, material as well as spiritual and psychological -
which are vital to our well-being.

The values of the earth’s biological resources can broadly be classified into:

A. Direct Values

1. Consumptive Use Value

A straight forward example is the direct utilization of timber, food,
fuel, wood, and fodder by local communities.

2. Productive Use Value

This comprises of marketable goods. For example, the
biotechnologist uses bio-rich areas to ‘prospect’ and search for
potential genetic properties in plants or animals that can be used
to develop better varieties of crops that are used in farming and
plantation programs or to develop better livestock.

3. Social Values
The consumptive and productive value of biodiversity is closely
linked to social concerns in traditional communities. ‘Ecosystem
people value biodiversity as a part of their livelihood as well as
through cultural and religious sentiments. A great variety of crops
have been cultivated in traditional agricultural systems and this
permitted a wide range of products to be grown and marketed
throughout the year and acted as insurance against the failure of
one crop.

| 140
 4. Ethical and Moral Values
Ethical values related to biodiversity conservation are based on
the importance of protecting all forms of life. All forms of life have
the right to exist on earth.

5. Aesthetic Value
Knowledge and an appreciation of the presence of biodiversity for
its own sake is another reason to preserve it. Quite apart from
killing wildlife for food, it is important as a tourist attraction.
Biodiversity is a beautiful and wonderful aspect of nature.

B. Indirect Values
1. Non-consumptive uses and options for the future.
Examples
 Carbon fixing through photosynthesis, which provides the
support system for species.
 Pollination, gene flow, etc.
 Maintaining water cycles, recharging groundwater,
protecting watersheds.
 Buffering from climatic extreme conditions such as flood
and drought;
 Soil production and protection from erosion;
 Maintaining essential nutrient cycles, e.g. carbon,
nitrogen, and oxygen, and others.
 Absorbing and decomposing pollutants, organic wastes,
pesticides, air, and water pollutants;
 Regulating the climate at both macro and micro levels;
 Preserving recreational, aesthetic, socio-cultural,
scientific, educational, ethical, and historical values of
natural environments.

II. Categories of the Benefits of Biodiversity

A. Biological Resources
1. Food for humans and cultivated animals
2. Medicinal and pharmaceutical resources
3. Breeding stocks, population reservoirs
4. Future resources
5. Wood products
6. Ornamental plants and animals

| 141
 B. Ecosystem Services
1. Protection of water resources
2. Soils formation and protection
3. Nutrient storage and cycling
4. Pollution breakdown and absorption
5. Contribution to climate stability
6. Recovery from unpredictable events

C. Social Benefits
A. Research, education, and monitoring
B. Recreation & tourism
C. Cultural Values

Elaborate

Watch the following videos and answer the questions.

1. Why is biodiversity so important?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GK_vRtHJZu4
2. Values of Biodiversity.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsnSrg4NDlA.
Questions:
1. List the reasons why you think biodiversity is important.
2. Why endangered animals and habitats should be protected?
3. Why should ecosystems be kept healthy, with every member of the
ecosystem protected?

| 142
Evaluate

Name: Date:
Program and Section: Score:

Multiple Choice

Direction: Encircle the letter that corresponds to the BEST answer.

A. How many types of economical values are there for biodiversity?
A. One
B. Two
C. Three
D. Four

B. What is called for the value of nature’s products that are consumed directly?
A. Productive value
B. Indirect value
C. Non-consumptive value
D. Consumptive value

3.“Flowers offered to the god” is an example of ___________________

A. Non-consumptive values of biodiversity
B. Consumptive values of biodiversity
C. Social value of biodiversity
D. Ethical values of biodiversity
4. Which one of the following values of diversity we can classify for ‘The beauty
of a waterfall in the Tinuy-an Falls, Surigao del Sur?
A. Ethical values
B. Social values
C. Option values
D. Aesthetic values
5. Why biodiversity is of great scientific value?
A. Because many species of plants and animals are the subjects of our
research
B. Because biodiversity can be used only in space
C. Because biodiversity can only be useful for scientist
D. Because biodiversity provides only a few products that help for humans

| 143
6. Biodiversity provides Option values.
A. True
B. False
C. Maybe
D. Sometimes

7. The following are examples of ecosystem services of biodiversity EXCEPT

A. Recovery form unpredictable vents
B. Nutrient storage and cycling
C. Education and research
D. Soil formation and protection

8. Recreation, education, and tourism belong to what category of benefits of

biodiversity?
A. Biological resources
B. Social resources
C. Ecosystem services
D. Physical resources

9. Preserving recreational, aesthetic, socio-cultural, scientific, educational are

examples of what value of biodiversity?
A. Indirect value
B. Social value
C. Biological value
D. Direct value

10. The following are the examples of the biological categories of benefits of
biodiversity EXCEPT.
A. Food for humans and cultivated animals
B. Medicinal resources
C. Breeding stocks
D. Recreation

| 144
 Lesson Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you must have:
1. identified threats to biodiversity; and
2. explained the reasons that biodiversity is threatened by human
activity.

“Extinction is the most irreversible and tragic of all environmental calamities. With
each plant and animal species that disappears, a precious part of creation is
callously erased.” - Michael Soulé (2004).

The core threat to biodiversity on the planet, and therefore a threat to human
welfare, is the combination of human population growth and resource exploitation.
The human population requires resources to survive and grow, and those
resources are being removed unsustainably from the environment. It is estimated
that the current rate of species extinction is between 1,000 and 100,000 times
more rapid than the average rate during the last several billion years. The growth
of human populations, consumption levels, and mobility is the root of most of the
serious threats to biodiversity today. We will explore those efforts later in this
lesson. As you learn about the current threats to biodiversity, resist the temptation
to conclude that humans are simply foolish or short-sighted or greedy, and instead
consider the larger pressures and systems that lead toward biodiversity loss.

Engage

The subject of “Climate Change” will be introduced to you.

List down your ideas of what you know about this environmental problem, its
causes, and its effects.

Watch this video and list down the different threats to biodiversity.
Threats to Biodiversity:
Links: https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=rhRBqeuG1Jc;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVu8DVVQntg

| 145
Explore

View photos of some endangered species of the country and discuss the reasons
why these animals are threatened and why they should be protected.
Endangered Species in the Philippines

Visayan Warty Pig

Source: https://www.google.com/search?q=philipin
nes+threatened+species&tbm

Marine Sea Turtle

Source: https://www.tunza.eco-generation.org

| 146
 Philippine Freshwater Crocodile
Source: http://www.blog.nationalgraphic.org

Tarsier
Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph

Sea Cow
Source: https://www.google.com/search?q=
philipinnes+threatened+species&tbm

| 147
Explain

I. Threats to biodiversity

The degradation and depletion of biological diversity may largely be attributed to

unprecedented pressure that human beings exert on nature. The variety of threats
to biodiversity, which E.O. Wilson dubs, “CHIPPO”.

A. Climate Change
Global climatic changes have modified life and ecosystems on the planet.
As an outcome, crucial habitats have been destroyed and several species
have gone extinct with a huge majority on the verge of extinction. It,
therefore, means that if the global temperatures continue to change
drastically, especially due to anthropogenic activities that accelerate the
process, the threats to biodiversity will continue to expand as ecosystems
and species will not be able to adapt.

B. Habitat destruction
Evermore people need ever more space. Damaging human activity
continues to encroach on natural environments, thereby destroying the
habitats of countless species. As our numbers rise, cities and industrial
areas are growing and merging into each other, fragmenting the remaining
habitat and leaving isolated “islands” of natural populations of plants and
animals too small to survive.

C. Invasive species
Invasive species are the non-native species that invade normal and healthy
ecosystems and threaten the survival of the native species either by
attacking them or competing for the habitat’s resources. Accordingly, they
upset the native biota and ecosystems thereby causing extinctions and
massive threats to biodiversity.

4. Pollution
Pollution has continued to harm the biosphere by releasing and depositing
toxic chemicals into the atmospheric, terrestrial, and marine systems. With
the high levels of pollution every year, it is gradually disrupting the Earth’s
ecosystems as the chemicals released potentially influences species’
habits and ecosystems.

5. Population
Population growth is the increase in the number of people living in a
particular area. Since populations can grow exponentially, resource

| 148
 depletion can occur rapidly, leading to specific environmental concerns
such as global warming, deforestation, and decreasing biodiversity.

6. Overexploitation/overharvesting of natural resources

On the account of the ever-rising human population, there has been a
correlational increase in demand for manufactured products, essential
goods, and services. The high demands of these things have resulted in
overfishing, overhunting, over-harvesting, and excessive mineral resource
extraction which has highly contributed to biodiversity loss.

Elaborate

Record ten things that you can do to help reduce threats to biodiversity, providing
specific examples. The website (http://www.50waystohelp.com) similar websites,
or books with similar themes may provide ideas and examples.

| 149
Evaluate

Name: Date:
Program and Section: Score:

Word Matching
Direction: Write the letter before each number from the word in the right column to its
definition in the left column.

1. Extinction A. Regions that have a great diversity

of endemic species and at the same
2. Indigenous
time have been significantly
3. Endemic impacted by human activity
4. Alien Species B. Responsible for sea-level rise
C. Excessive use of natural resources
5. Endangered
D. Use of satellite imagery and aerial
6. Habitat Conversion photography to generate maps of
7. Protected Area existing forest or vegetation cover
8. Biodiversity Hotspot E. Species occurring naturally in more
than one `geographic location
9. Habitat assessment
F. No longer existing
10. Over-Exploitation G. Zone designated to safeguard
11. Global Warming species
H. Geographically restricted species
12. Environmental
I. Pollution
Degradation J. Plants and animals that are not
native to a particular area and may
have the ability to threaten
biodiversity
K. Loss of natural areas to
development and agriculture
L. At the risk of becoming extinct soon.

| 150
 Lesson Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you must have:
1. understood what biodiversity conservation is;
2. enumerated the different challenges of biodiversity conservation;
and
3. identified the different approaches to biodiversity protection and
conservation.

Earth is a beautiful planet which has given us many things which occur naturally.
Natural resources, rivers, valleys, oceans, different species of animals, and
beautiful varieties of plants and trees are among some of these. The natural world
relies on a diversity of organisms to keep its balance, healthy and thriving.
In today’s world, we are busy developing our surroundings and spoiling our
beautiful environment. Today, we have exploited most of the things that were
available abundantly in nature. Thus, there arises a need to conserve these natural
things. Among other things, there is a serious need for the conservation of
biodiversity.
Conservation of biodiversity is vital for maintaining the Earth’s environment and
sustaining life on the planet. To ensure we protect and nourish this biodiversity we
gather and disseminate essential knowledge that can empower people, industries,
and governments and help them live in harmony with nature. Hence, a lot of
emphases are being given on the conservation of biodiversity these days.

Engage

Share your ideas on the benefits you gained/experienced from biodiversity and the
importance of protecting it?" Watch the following videos and answer the questions.

Conserving Philippine Biodiversity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHHEhZIq9TM

Wildlife Conservation in the Philippines.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CJc8zj3q9M

Questions
1. How diverse are the Philippines?
2. What are the conservation measures initiated by the country?

| 151
Explore

Read internet articles and take notes on various arguments in favor of preserving
biodiversity.

Explain

I. Biodiversity Conservation
Three general reasons are given below to support adequate conservation of
biodiversity:
A. From a utilitarian point of view, elements of biodiversity as resources
are of great use to humans. As such biodiversity is of economic and
scientific benefit (e.g. new health cures).
B. Moreover, a choice for the conservation of biodiversity is an ethical one.
Human beings are part of the ecological system and should, therefore,
respect this system.
C. The value of biodiversity can be characterized in aesthetic, intrinsic,
and ethical ways.
II. Challenges of Biodiversity Conservation
A. Economical - including biodiversity into macroeconomic indicators of
countries, economical asset of biodiversity a) as real value (medic and
genetic engineering), b) profit for activity - eco-tourism, cost of
restoration of damaged biodiversity.
B. Management - the creation of partnership by involving governmental,
commercial organizations, navy and military, NGOs, local populations,
and the general public.
C. Legislation - including biodiversity aspects into all relevant laws, the
designation of legislation support of biodiversity conservation.
D. Scientific - formalization of decision-making procedure, looking for
biodiversity indicators, cadastre of biodiversity, development of
monitoring.

| 152
III. Approaches to Biodiversity Protection and Conservation

The following are the approaches to biodiversity management:

A. In-situ approaches include methods and tools that protect species,

genetic varieties, and habitats in the wild. Examples of these are the
national parks and other protected areas - or unprotected areas with
minimal human disturbance and protecting traditional forms of
extractivism and animal harvesting to maintain habitat and human
practices that have shaped species diversity and have - at least for some
manipulated species - contributed to genetic diversity.

B. Ex-situ approaches include methods that remove plants, animals, and

microbial species and genetic varieties from their environment. For
centuries, gardens, zoos, and menageries have been repositories for
valuable plants and animals. Botanical gardens, zoological parks, and
aquariums have a vital role as many plant and animal species face an
increasingly threatened and uncertain future in the wild. A new approach
is a gene bank and this includes the laboratory gene banks for the
conservation of sperm and the natural gene bank for the conservation
of endangered species.

C. Protection Measures
To secure biodiversity conservation, the following are the protection
measures:

 identification of endangered species

 designation of protected areas
 maintaining corridors
 environmental monitoring and research
 regulation of marine pollution
 restoration and mitigation
 regulation of fisheries
D. Socio-economic strategies
The strategy that provides a blueprint for the development of economic
resources in the region, capitalizing not only on the region’s natural
assets but also recognizing niche market development such as tourism
to support the continued sustainable growth of the region.

| 153
 E. Economic incentives
Economic biodiversity incentives should make biodiversity an asset
rather than a liability to concerned agents. They aim to increase returns
on activities that conserve or restore valuable biological habitats as well
as increasing the cost or lowering the return to activities that damage
habitat.
III. Types of economic incentives
A. Positive incentives: any monetary (direct payments, cost sharing, tax
advantages) or non-monetary (such as recognition and awards for
outstanding performance) inducement, which incites or motivates
governments, local people, and international organizations to conserve
biodiversity.
B. Disincentives: any mechanism that internalizes the cost of use and/or
damages to biological resources to discourage activities that deplete
biodiversity.
C. Indirect incentives: mechanisms that create or improve upon markets
and price signals for biological resources encouraging the conservation
and sustainable use of biodiversity.
D. Perverse incentives: incentives that induce behavior leading to the
reduction in biodiversity. Perverse incentives are the result of
government intervention failure.
Examples of socio-economic strategies
 Private reserves and private land leasing
 Managing impacts of tourism on biodiversity
 Ecotourism
 Easements
 Management agreements
E. Legal Aspects
Biodiversity is a matter of international concern. The character of
biodiversity demands that it is managed in an international context
including commitment and policy development. Local legislation should
thus emerge from internationally coordinated conventions.

Elaborate

Search the Internet or print materials to find examples of conservation programs.

You will choose one program and write paragraphs explaining how the success of
this program would help address the economic, recreational, human health, human
rights, and spiritual/intrinsic value arguments in favor of biodiversity. For example,
how might the success of this conservation program help indigenous people?

| 154
Evaluate

Name: Date:
Program and Section: Score:

Essay

Write a two-paragraph essay about preserving biodiversity. The first paragraph

should explain which arguments they found the most compelling and why. The
second paragraph should explain which of the arguments they read about on the
Internet seems the most likely to convince people that biodiversity should be
preserved.

Supplementary Notes
The following are suggested video links for further learning:
What is Biodiversity?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqtdaIkxnQo.
https://www.slideshare.net/nayak.tusharkanti5/ppt-of-biodiversity
Philippine Biodiversity
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcC6CZNllOI
Biodiversity Convention
www.biodiv.org/convention/articles.asp
www.coastalguide.org/eco/index.html

| 155
References

"Biodiversity: Questions and Answers". Council of Europe Publishing,

December 2016.

Miller, K.R. (2010). Keeping Options Alive: The Scientific Basis for Conserving
Biological Diversity.

Miller, Jr. G.T and Scott Spoolman. 2014. Environmental Science. 14th ed.

Primack R.B. Concepts of biodiversity. (2008). Essentials of Conservation

Biology. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland MA: 260.

Smith, F. D. M, R. M. May, R. Pellew, T. H. Johnson and K. R. Walter. (2013).

How much do we know about the current extinction rate. Trends in
Ecology and Evolution, 8, 375 -378.

Wanjui, J. (2013). Biodiversity Conservation Needs and Method to Conserve the

Biological Diversity. Journal of Biodiversity and Endangered
Species.1:113. doi:10.4172/2332-2543.1000113

Why biodiversity management? Sturgess and Associates. (2002). Evaluation of

Economic Values of Wood and Water for the Thomson Catchment. Report
prepared for Melbourne Water. Reid, W.V. and

World Resources Institute, Washington DC. Biodiversity Unit, Department of the

Environment, Sport and Territories, "Biodiversity and its value", ISBN 0
642 19904 3, Commonwealth of Australia, 2013.

Web Pages
An Introduction to Biodiversity.
https://sustainability.asu.edu/biodiversityoutcomes/biodiversity-
introduction/.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iR2AyybowPc
https://www.coolaustralia.org/unit/biodiversity

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcC6CZNllOI

| 156
https://www.khanacademy.org/science/high-school-biology/hs-evolution/hs-
evolution-and-natural-selection/v/introduction-to-evolution-and-natural-
selection.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtDFbbE3_jA

https://conservationbytes.com/2009/09/25/evolution-of-biodiversity-the-hard-
evidence/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=rhRBqeuG1Jc;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVu8DVVQntg
https://www.google.com/search?q=philipinnes+threatened+species&tbm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHHEhZIq9TM
https://www.tunza.eco-generation.org

http://www.blog.nationalgraphic.org

http://www.sunstar.com.ph

https://www.google.com/search?q=philipinnes+threatened+species&tbm

| 157
 Photo Courtesy: https://sites.psu.edu/blanchardcivicissues/2017/02/02/global-warming/

Reah Ann A. Torres, Ph.D.

Alma Mae S. Torremoro, Ph.D.
 The environment that we live in and make use of is being stripped
off of its precious components day by day. There are many angles
from which the problem of environmental challenge can be
studied. Similarly, many different views come into play if we need
to find practical solutions to these challenges. There are
innumerable factors associated with the conservation of the
environment and also these challenges are interrelated. Different
factors affected the environment of the Earth as it is in constant
conflict with the latter. In this module, it includes the different
environmental problems such as pollution, greenhouse effect and
global warming, climate change, ozone depletion, acid rain,
overpopulation and infectious diseases as well as the different
mitigating measures and environmental management and laws.
In this module, you will learn the following lessons:

Lesson 1 – Environmental Pollution

Lesson 2 – Global Warming and Climate Change
Lesson 3 – Ozone Depletion
Lesson 4 - Overpopulation and Infectious Diseases
Lesson 5 – Environmental Management and Laws

Module Outcomes:
At the end of the module, you must have:
1. identified the different types of problems;
2. examined the different sources of pollution and other environmental
pollutants;
3. evaluated the extent of the effects of pollution on human and
environment;
4. assessed the causes and effects of various environmental problems; and
5. proposed measures on mitigating the effects of pollution and other
environmental problems.

| 159
Before you start with the lessons in this module, familiarize yourself with the terms listed
in Table 1.

Table 1. Terms you need to know in this module.

Cholera It is an infectious disease that causes severe watery
diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration and even death if
untreated.
Climate change It refers to the broader ranges that are happening to our
planet
Global warming It refers to the long-term warming of the planet
Greenhouse gases The gases that let sunlight enter the atmosphere but slow the
loss of heat from the Earth’s surface
Green Marketing It is the marketing of environmentally friendly products and
services.
Green strategy A strategy that fundamentally helps an enterprise in making
decisions that have a positive impact on the environment.
Meningitis It is the inflammation of the protective membranes covering
the brain and spinal cord.

Ozone depletion The gradual thinning of Earth’s ozone layer in the upper
atmosphere caused by the release of chemical compounds
containing gaseous chlorine or bromine from industry and
other human activities.
Ozone layer A layer in the earth’s atmosphere at an altitude of about 6.2
miles containing a high concentration of ozone (O3).

Pollutant It is defined as a substance whose presence, quantity,

physical or chemical reactions pose a risk to health or to the
environment.
Pollution The introduction of a substance that is deleterious to health
or to the environment.
Scabies A skin infestation caused by a mite known as the Sarcoptes
scabiel.
Smog The combination of smoke and fog that describes the
unsightly pall of brownish to black haze that hangs in the
horizon in polluted cities.
Typhus A disease caused by infection with one or more rickettsial
bacteria.

Waste Minimization A set of processes and practices intended to reduce the

amount of waste produced.

| 160
 Lesson Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you must have:
1. defined pollution;
2. identified the different types of pollution;
3. pointed out the different pollutants examine their sources and
their effects; and
4. discussed the concept of eutrophication.

Environmental pollution is defined as “the contamination of the physical and

biological components of the earth system to such an extent that normal
environmental processes are adversely affected” (Environmental Management,
2017)

Engage

A pollutant may be defined as a

substance whose presence, quantity,
physical or chemical reactions pose a
risk to health or to the environment.
Pollution may be defined as the
introduction of a substance that is
deleterious to health or to the
environment. Contamination is the
altering of the state or quality of an
organism or environment due to the
unnatural increase in the amounts of a
certain substance. A pollutant may be a Source: http://images.google.com
substance that is naturally occurring in
the environment but due to certain factors has increased in quantity thus posing a
threat to the ecological community.

| 161
 Reflect on the following pictures. Think of just one word that describes each
picture.

Source: http://images.google.com Source: http://images.google.com

__________________________ ___________________________

Source: http://images.google.com Source: http://images.google.com

_________________________ __________________________

Explore

Watch the video in this link

https://www.nationaleographic.com/news/2017/07/plastic

What problems can plastic cause in the ocean?

| 162
Explain

I. Air Pollution
In most parts of the world today, one cannot
breathe easily anymore. Since the Industrial
Revolution, the burgeoning industries and the
continuously evolving transportation facilities
have dumped increasing amounts of pollutive
substances into the air. In the 1980s,
developing countries in Asia, Latin America,
and Africa joined the race for industrialization,
which led to the burning of greater amounts of
fossil fuel. Fossil fuel is the collective term
given to coal, petroleum, oil, kerosene,
gasoline, and natural gas, which can be
burned to produce energy. This carbon-
derived fuel comes from dead plants and
Source: http://images.google.com animals, which had undergone decomposition
for millions of years, usually under the sea,
transforming them into the different combustible forms already mentioned.
The developed countries use more energy in comparison with less developed
countries. Energy usage varies in different regions of the world.

II. Smog
It is the urban signboard of pollution. Its name is derived from the combination of
smoke and fog that describes the unsightly pall of brownish to black haze that
hangs in the horizon in polluted cities. It is composed of a cocktail of pollutants that
threatens health. The technical term for the said term is photochemical smog
because it results from chemical reactions in the presence of sunlight. A primary
component of smog is tropospheric ozone which is highly toxic; nitric acid,
formaldehyde, and peroxyacyl nitrate (PAN) are the other major components. The
negative effects of smog include eye irritation, serious respiratory problems, and
memory loss.

III. Major Air Pollutants

The two major groups of air pollutants are the oxides of nitrogen and the oxides of
sulfur. Occurring as nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), nitric oxide (NO),
sulfur dioxide (SO2), and sulfur trioxide (SO3), they produce acid rain (HNO3 and
H2SO4) and tropospheric ozone.

A. The oxides of nitrogen, produced from burning fossil fuels in vehicles,

powerplants and factories, account for the brownish color of smog. They
aggravate asthma, and result in people’s predisposition to bronchitis and

| 163
 pneumonia, cause chest colds and coughing. NO2 is known to cause
heart, lung, kidney, and liver damage. It also harms plants.

B. Oxides of sulfur are emitted by furnaces and boilers in power plants,

petroleum refineries, smelters, paper mills, chemical plants, and
vehicles. At low concentrations, sulfur dioxide (SO2) is a colorless,
odorless gas that can aggravate respiratory problems such as
bronchitis, asthma, and emphysema. These can corrode metals, injure
plants, and impair visibility by as much as 80%. Oxides of sulfur are
ranked second to smoking in causing respiratory damage. Air pollution
is linked to heart and circulatory diseases. Medical researches prove
that daily increases in NO2 and CO are linked with increases in
cardiovascular diseases; NO2, SO2, and CO are significant risk factors
for death from acute stroke (Linn et al., 2000; Hong et al., 2002).

C. Ozone in the stratosphere is the protective blanket against the ultraviolet

rays of the sun. When found in the troposphere which is nearest the
surface of the Earth’s ozone, it becomes a harmful compound. When
oxygen is subjected to nitrogen oxides and other pollutants that are
emitted by vehicles and factories, they reach with each other in the
presence of sunlight in what is called photochemical reactions, which
then form ozone. Ozone causes irritations in the eyes and the respiratory
system starting from the nose, throat, and into the lungs, causing asthma
attacks, emphysema, lung inflammation, and general susceptibility to
lung infections. It is recognized as the most harmful pollutant to plants.

D. The greenhouse gases, CO2 and CO, which, together with methane
nitrous oxide, are being linked to global climate change, contribute to the
atmospheric pollution and may bring about adverse effects on human
health. The oxides of carbon are emitted by vehicles, power plants,
factories, and domestic fires. Carbon monoxide, a colorless, odorless
by-product of incomplete burning of fossil fuel, contributes to air pollution
and can be lethal to humans.

E. Floating in the air are suspended particles, air pollutants in the form of
solid particles or liquid droplets. Dust, soot, fly ash, smoke, vapors,
aerosols, trace metals, asbestos, fertilizers, and pesticides come from
industries, smelters, burning of fuels or wood, and soil cultivation.
Together with natural allergenic like spores and pollen, they may reside
in the air for long periods of time and cause respiratory symptoms,
disease and lung damage, and may even cause death particularly in the
very young and the elderly or those with respiratory or heart problems.
It is reported that exposure to particulate matter or associated air
pollutants may affect fetal development, causing infant mortality, birth
and functional defects.

| 164
 F. Air pollutants like benzene, arsenic, and asbestos which are released by
chemical plants, industries, and vehicles are highly toxic. They are linked
with cancers, birth defects, reproductive and respiratory malfunctions,
and other serious injuries. Lead, a component of gasoline and paint, is
produced in the burning of coal and lead-containing garbage, in smelters
and car battery plants. It may contaminate soils and dust. It is highly
toxic to humans, particularly to children where it may cause mental
retardation, convulsions and hallucinations, and disrupt kidney and
blood functions.

IV. Acid Rain

The burning of fossil fuel releases sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, traces of
mercury, and cadmium into the atmosphere. When mixed with the water vapor in
the atmosphere, these compounds turn
into sulfuric acid and nitric acid. The
acidity of a substance is indicated by its
pH level, H standing for hydrogen, a
standardized measure using the amount
of hydrogen ion (H+). More H+ means
more acidity. A neutral pH is represented
by distilled water at 7 (See Figure 1).
Values on top diminish and represent the
increasing acidity of substances. Values
below represent increasingly basic
substances. Rain is normally slightly
acidic, with a pH of 5.6 but acid rain at pH
2.0 or less makes it more acidic than
vinegar or lemon juice.
Acid rain, with pH starting below 5.6,
can be more acidic than vinegar
Acid rain then falls to the ground as rain,
Source: http://images.google.com
snow, fog, hail, or as dust or gas, and can
corrode concrete and metals, and stunt or kill plants and animals. Acid rain
destroys forests by leaching away soil nutrients that are important to plant growth
such as potassium, calcium, and aluminum. Forest soil, particularly in the tropics,
has a small amount of nutrients which are found mostly in the thin topsoil. Leaching
renders this precious little substrate depauperate which results in deforestation.
Soils that have acid-neutralizing compounds can survive acid rain for years but
thin soils in mountains and in already acidic areas cannot stand such abuse.
Similarly, lakes that are rich in acid-neutralizing minerals may be able to survive
acid rain at the start but continuous onslaught will kill fishes and other living
organisms to the point where the lake “dies” suddenly, turning clear and bluish,
and an indication that it has turned oligotrophic or nutrient-poor. Buildings,
monuments, and sculptures have been corroded by acid rain and millions of
dollars’ worth of restoration work has had to be done on priceless works of art. The
Stone in Parthenon, the Statue of Liberty, and the Taj Mahal are some of the most
popular ones corroded by acid and which previous restoration work had to be

| 165
done. In fact, all houses and buildings are affected by acid rain, thus necessitating
repairs, reconstructions, or repaintings.

V. Terrestrial Pollution
Fertilizers are food supplements to crops, making them grow faster, and giving
more harvest than what is naturally possible. NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, and
potassium), the three major components of fertilizers, are nutrients that plants
need which have to be mined from rocks or developed from bird and mammal
droppings and brought to agricultural fields in their commercial forms. Most
fertilizers get into the soil and contaminate the waterways in the area. The sudden
influx of nutrients that enrich the water is called eutrophication. Algae then bloom
in ponds forming an opaque mat on the surface that blocks sunlight for other
photosynthetic plants below thus killing them later. When these algae die, they rain
down in pond bottom and form a mass of organic matter that becomes food for
bacteria and other microorganisms. The bacteria have a heyday breaking down
the mountains of food and in the process, use up all the available oxygen in the
water. This makes the pond anoxic or devoid of oxygen thus killing off the fish and
all other oxygen-requiring organisms in it.

VI. Pesticides
Insecticides kill insect pests that feed on the crops and may cause diseases that
are transmittable to humans and animals. Fungicides kill fungi that parasitize crops
causing crop diseases, and eventually death. Rodenticides kill rats and mice.
Herbicides or weedicides kill weeds. Molluscicides kill snails that graze on rice and
other crops, as well as compete with fish in fishponds. Piscicides kill fish species
that are considered pests in fishponds where preferred species are being cultured.

The usefulness of pesticides in controlling pests is only one side of the coin for
they also cause harm to what humans classify as beneficial or nonpest organisms.
When an organism is contaminated by a pesticide, it passes the toxin to the
organism that feeds on it, and the feeder passes it to the next predator, up to the
food chain. Since smaller food organism is eaten in bulk to satisfy bigger predators,
the total amount of toxin ingested by the predators increases considerably as it
moves up the food chain in a process called bioaccumulation or biomagnification.
This means that the last predator, the one on top of the food chain, ingests the
most amount of toxin. In many cases, man is at the top of the food chain and,
therefore, receives the greatest amount.

VII. Salinization and Desertification

It is not well-known that over irrigated lands become waterlogged which kills plants
and animals due to the absence of oxygen in the soil which has been displaced by
water. Freshwater always carries a lot of mineral salts scoured from rocks, soils,
and organic matter that its route brings it in contact with. During irrigation, the water
is absorbed while some evaporates, leaving the salts to accumulate in the soil
which literally is soil salinization. The salts may break down the organic nutrients,

| 166
thus depleting the soil of an otherwise rich growing medium. In time, the soil would
lose its fertility and the vegetation would die off leaving a virtual desert.
Desertification is a global threat particularly to grasslands and forests that are
being converted to croplands.

VIII. Freshwater Pollution

Between 70% and 78% of the planet Earth is covered by water, making it virtually
a water planet. Of the total waters, 97% is contained in the oceans as saltwater.
Of the 3% freshwater, 75% is in the form of ice and is therefore unusable. Of the
remaining 25%, 14% is not available because it is located below 1,000 meters and
is often saline. The remaining 11% is the cyclic portion available for human use. In
this light, the present state of pollution of much of the freshwater sources of the
world is most alarming.

Freshwater is subject to different categories of pollutants that could at the very

least degrade the quality of water, or cause illnesses or deaths. Pollution is a major
factor in the water shortage problem. From human and animal wastes that
contaminate water come bacteria, viruses, and human and animal parasites.
Inorganic chemicals like lead and mercury and organic chemicals like pesticides,
solvents, oil, gasoline, and detergents, and many other compounds are toxic to
humans and animals. Sediment, composed of soil or the finer silt, comes from
erosion, mining and constructions. Radioactive substances in water can cause
genetic mutations and cancer. High levels of nitrates in the water are highly toxic
to humans and can kill children. Nutrient enrichment of freshwater bodies leads to
eutrophication that starts an algal bloom and ends in the decimation of aquatic
organisms.

IX. Marine Pollution

Pollution in freshwater bodies is pollution that finally gets into the sea. Pollution in
the marine environment sets off the eutrophication cycle that may, however, not
immediately result in the decimation of marine organisms due to the vastness of
the sea, but certainly brings about harmful environmental changes. Red tide
causes fish kills and human intoxication and death. Eutrophication is the most
recent cause of disturbance in coral reefs where because of more nutrients that
the algae proliferate, it overgrows corals in what is called a coral-algal dominance
shift. The danger lies in the possible die-off of hard corals, which build the reefs.
Reefs are the massive living complexes that build land and prevent soil erosion
aside from providing a great variety of habitats to marine organisms.

| 167
X. Siltation or Heavy Sedimentation
It results from natural landslides, overlogging, and irresponsible constructions that
clog and suffocate the small eight-armed individual coral animals called polyps that
filter food from the water. Even marine filter feeders like shrimps, clams and crabs
are not able to filter off suspended particles if there is too much silt, and may
experience clogging of the gills. Dredging spoils likewise carry toxic metals, oils,
and other pollutants that may cause not only smothering but reproductive problems
and mutations.

XI. Thermal Pollution

Factories and industries use machines that have to be cooled by water and release
the heated wastewater into rivers or estuaries. This is a source of stress to aquatic
animals and plants, particularly to young forms such as eggs, larvae, or fries that
are quite sensitive and may die from an elevation of water temperature by as low
as 1°C.

Cooling water, particularly from power stations, is discharged into the sea and
creates a plume of hot water that changes the ambient temperature of the receiving
water. This kills marine organisms, which are sensitive to sudden temperature
changes, particularly the young forms such as eggs and larvae. Tropical marine
animals are generally harmed by increases from 1-3°C. Most mollusks, sponges,
and crustaceans die at 37°C while the turtle grass, Thalassia, is killed at 35-40°C.
Temperature of discharges may reach 40-45°C.

XII. Toxic Heavy Metals

Toxic heavy metals like arsenic, mercury, lead, cadmium, copper, iron, and zinc
get into the sea from different sources. Certain levels of metal compounds naturally
occur in seawater from natural processes like erosion and volcanism. Some of
these are in traces of useful nutrients but some are not useful. Organisms vary in
possessing mechanisms to regulate metals and also vary in their tolerances of
these. Thousands of tons of Mercury are produced each year and a considerable
part of these get to the air and waterways through the waste matter. Marine
organisms, particularly clams, are known to accumulate heavy metals.

XIII. Oil Spills

Crude oil or refined petroleum may contain several-thousand different compounds
that are toxic individually or in combination and whose effects on organisms vary
according to age and the time of year. A hydrocarbon is a complex molecule
composed of from one to 26 carbon atoms to which hydrogen atoms are attached
and which together form chains of different shapes. Because of its complexity,
crude oil can be broken down into many derivatives. It is refined by boiling
processes that yield different fractions with different uses such as light gasoline for
vehicles, naptha as fuel in the petrochemical industry, bunker fuel in ships and
power stations, and tar.

| 168
Oil spills are greatly damaging to the marine environment because they contain a
variety of other chemicals that are toxic to many marine plants and animals. Heavy
mortalities result from the oil spill. Sub lethal effects include physiological,
behavioral, and long term developmental defects. Immediate death may result
through smothering, as seen in barnacles, fish, crabs, shrimps, bivalves. Sea birds
are harmed by the physical effects of oil on their plumage. With oil, the plumage
loses its water repellent property, buoyancy, and thermal insulation capability and
can become waterlogged making the bird vulnerable to sinking and drowning. Loss
of insulation leads to hypothermia and death. When the bird preens in an attempt
to remove the oil, the swallowed oil causes intestinal disorders and renal or liver
failure. It depresses egg laying and/or hatching, and may kill embryos in already
laid eggs.

A major source of the oil slick is the oil tankers that transport crude oil from source
countries to refineries in other countries. Upon delivery, the tankers must fill their
empty ballasts with seawater for stability but are not allowed to discharge oil-
containing wastewater at the loading terminal so they discharge at sea, causing oil
slicks.

XIV. Toxic and Radioactive Wastes

Toxic industrial wastes and radioactive wastes are dumped into the sea. The sea
is naturally radioactive from potassium-40, tritium (H3), and decay products of
uranium and thorium but human inputs have enormously increased the risks from
radioactive hazards. Algae like Porphyra, Ulva, and Enteromorpha and clams
accumulate radioactive wastes. Bottom-dwelling fishes are likewise exposed to
radioactivity. It is expected that some genetic and morbidity disturbances affect
these organisms.

XV. Plastics
They are found in all garbage dumps and pose particular problems at sea. Pellets
and fragments of polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene have been found
in beaches worldwide, even far from industries that produce them, which show that
they have circulated through the seas. These must have been accidentally spilled
or deliberately dumped. These cause not only an eyesore but a real hazard to
seabirds that accidentally ingest them. There is information that some seabirds
have so gotten used to seeing plastics that they think these are food and feed
these to their young.

XVI. PCBs
PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) are organic molecules of two benzene rings to
which chlorine molecules are attached. These are by-products in the production of
electrical equipment, paints, plastics, and adhesives. These are absorbed in the

| 169
 body and not easily excreted being fat-soluble and persistent. PCBs have been
linked to the deaths of seabirds and seals in the Baltic Sea.

Another toxicant, tributyltin (TBT), is found in antifouling paint used on ship hull to
prevent the settlement of fouling organisms like barnacles and teredo worms. In
the early 1980s, it was discovered that TBT was found to cause female snails, like
mud snails to develop secondary male characteristics, a condition called imposex.
Needless to say, imposex reduces reproductive potential in the population.
Oysters, on the other hand, develop thicker and deformed shells. TBT has been
banned and since the pesticide is not very persistent in the environment, the
affected species have been recovering.

Elaborate

Make a short video clip showing all the different environmental problems in your
area. Then make a proposal on how you can mitigate those problems. Be creative
in making your video clip which is not more than 5 minutes.

| 170
Evaluate

Name: Date:
Program and Section: Score:

Direction: In each number, fill in the blank with the word or phrase that correctly answers
the description.
_____________1. The introduction into an ecosystem of a substance that causes ill
effects on the organisms and the ecosystem.
_____________2. Air pollutants in the form of solid particles or liquid droplets such as
dust, ash, soot, vapors.
_____________3. The accumulation in the soil of mineral salts from irrigation water
which renders the soil infertile.
_____________4. Fine sand from landslides or heavy sedimentation that may clog the
gills of filter and suspension feeders.
_____________5. A pollutant from gasoline, paints, and batteries that retards growth
and may cause death in marine organisms.
_____________6. The marine pollutant that smothers marine organisms such as
barnacles and shrimps, destroys the heat insulation of bird plumage
and causes physiological, behavioral and developmental defects.
_____________7. Organic molecule of two benzene rings to which chlorine molecules
are attached, and which are linked to deaths of seabirds and seals in
the Baltic Sea.
____________ 8-10. For 3 points, discuss the concept of eutrophication.

| 171
 Lesson Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you must have:
1. discussed greenhouse effect;
2. identified the different greenhouse gases and their sources; and
3. pointed out the consequences of global warming and climate
change.

The rising average temperature of Earth’s climate system, called global warming,
is driving changes in rainfall patterns, extreme weather, arrival of seasons, and
more. Collectively, global warming and its effects are known as climate change.

Engage

In recent years, scientists noticed that the average temperature of the Earth was
increasing. They looked for causes of the said change. It is clear that the Earth has
had alterations in its average temperature many times in the geologic past before
humans were present. So, scientists initially tried to determine if warming was a
natural phenomenon or the result of human activity.

Explore

Internet access the following:

The Heat Over Global Warming http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/304
God and Global Warming http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/343/index.html

Is human activity bringing about alarming global warming scenarios and related
catastrophes? Or is such thinking a myth brought about by flawed or incomplete
science? Finding the answers to these questions has turned global warming into
a highly politicized and contentious issue.

| 172
Explain

Several gases such as carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons, methane, and nitrous

oxide are known as greenhouse gases because they let sunlight enter the
atmosphere but slow the loss of heat from the Earth’s surface. Evidence of past
climate change can be traced as far as 160,000 years. It indicates a close
correlation between the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and
global temperatures.

I. Causes of Global Warming and Climate Change

Several gases in the atmosphere are transparent to ultraviolet and visible light but
absorb infrared radiation. These gases allow sunlight to penetrate the atmosphere
and be absorbed by the Earth’s surface. This sunlight energy is reradiated as
infrared radiation (heat), which is absorbed by the greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere. Because the effect is similar to what happens in a greenhouse (the
glass allows light to enter but retards the loss of heat), these gases are called
greenhouse gases, and the warming from their increase is called the greenhouse
effect. The most important greenhouse gases are CO2, chlorofluorocarbons
(primarily CCl3F and CCl2F2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O).

Carbon dioxide
(CO2) is the
most abundant
of the
greenhouse
gases. It occurs
as a natural
consequence of
respiration.
However, much
larger quantities
are put into the
atmosphere as
a waste product
of energy
production.
Greenhouse Effect. The greenhouse effect naturally warms the Coal, oil,
Earth’s surface. Without it, Earth would be 33°C cooler than it is natural gas,
today – uninhabitable for life as we know it. and biomass
Source: http://images.google.com are all burned to
provide heat and electricity for industrial processes, home heating, and cooking.
Another factor contributing to the increase in the concentration of CO 2 in the
atmosphere is deforestation. Trees and other vegetation remove CO2 from the air
and use it for photosynthesis. Since trees live for a long time, they effectively tie
up carbon in their structure. Cutting down trees to convert forested land to other

| 173
uses releases this carbon, and a reduction in the amount of forest lessens its ability
to remove CO2 from the atmosphere. The combination of these factors (fossil-fuel
burning and
deforestation) has
resulted in an increase
in the concentration of
CO2 in the atmosphere.
Measurement of CO2
levels at the Mauna Loa
Observatory in Hawaii
shows that the CO2
level increased from
about 315 parts per
million (ppm) in 1958 to
about 380 ppm in 2005.
Since changes in CO2
levels in the
atmosphere are due to
Change in Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Since the human activity, we can
establishment of a CO2 monitoring station at Mauna Loa make changes that will
Observatory in Hawaii, a steady increase in CO2 levels stabilize or reduce
has been observed atmospheric CO2.

Methane comes primarily from biological sources, although some enter the
atmosphere from fossil-fuel sources. Several kinds of bacteria that are particularly
abundant in wetlands and rice paddies release methane into the atmosphere.
Methane releasing bacteria are also found in large numbers in the guts of termites
and various kinds of ruminant animals such as cattle. Control of methane sources
is unlikely since the primary sources involve agricultural practices that would be
very difficult to change.

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are also a minor component of the greenhouse gas

picture and are entirely the result of human activity. CFCs were widely used as
refrigerant gases in refrigerators and air conditioners, as cleaning solvents, as
propellants in aerosol containers, and as expanders in foam products.

Although they are present in the atmosphere in minute quantities, they are
extremely efficient as greenhouse gases (about 15, 0000 times more efficient at
retarding heat loss than is carbon dioxide). Because CFCs are a major cause of
ozone destruction, the production of CFCs has been sharply reduced and will be
eliminated in the future. Atmospheric concentrations have begun to decline.

II. Potential Consequences of Global Warming and Climate Change

It is important to recognize that although a small increase in the average

temperature of the Earth may seem trivial, such an increase could set in motion
changes that could significantly alter the climate of major regions of the world.

| 174
Computer models suggest that rising temperatures will lead to a cascade of
consequences that affect the hydrologic cycle, sea level, human health, the
survival and distribution of organisms, and the use of natural resources by people.
Furthermore, some natural ecosystems or human settlements will be able to
withstand or adapt to the changes, while others will not.

Poorer nations are generally more vulnerable to the consequences of global

warming. These nations tend to be more dependent on climate-sensitive sectors,
such as subsistence agriculture, and lack the economic resources to buffer
themselves against the changes that global warming may bring.
A. Disruption of the Hydrologic Cycle. Among the most fundamental effects
of climate change is the disruption of the hydrologic cycle. Rising
temperatures are expected to result in increased evaporation, which will
cause some areas to become drier, while the increased moisture in the
air will result in greater rainfall in other areas. This is expected to cause
droughts in some areas and flooding in others. In those areas where
evaporation increases more than precipitation, the soil will become drier,
lake levels will drop, and rivers will carry less water. Lower river flows
and lake levels could impair navigation, hydroelectric power generation,
and water quality and reduce the supplies of water available for
agricultural, residential, and industrial uses.

B. Rising Sea Level. A warmer Earth would result in rising sea levels for
two different reasons. When water increases in temperature, it expands
and takes up more space. In addition, a warming of the Earth would
result in the melting of glaciers, which would add more water to the
oceans. Rising sea level erodes beaches and coastal wetlands inundate
low-lying areas and increase the vulnerability of coastal areas to flooding
from storm surges and intense rainfall. By 2100, sea level is expected
to rise by 15 to 90 centimeters. A 50-cm sea-level rise will result in
substantial loss of coastal land in North America, especially along the
southern Atlantic and Gulf coasts, which are subsiding and are
particularly vulnerable.

C. Health Effects. Climate change will impact human health in a variety of

ways.

 Heat Affects Health. The most direct effect of climate change

would be the impacts of hotter temperatures. Extremely hot
temperatures increase the number of people who die (of various
causes) on a given day. For example, people with heart problems
are vulnerable because the cardiovascular system must work
harder to keep the body cool during hot weather. Heat exhaustion
and some respiratory problems increase.

| 175
 Heat Affects Air Pollution. Climate change will also aggravate air
quality problems. Higher air temperature increases the
concentration of ozone at ground level, which leads to injury of
lung tissue and intensifies the effects of airborne pollen and
spores that cause respiratory disease, asthma, and allergic
disorders. Because children and the elderly are the most
vulnerable, they are likely to suffer disproportionately with both
warmer temperatures and poorer air quality.

 Tropical Diseases Could Migrate to Former Temperate Regions.

Throughout the world, the prevalence of particular diseases
depends largely on the local climate. Several serious diseases
appear only in warm areas. As the Earth becomes warmer, some
of these tropical diseases may be able to spread to parts of the
world where they do not currently occur. Diseases that are spread
by mosquitoes and other insects could become more prevalent if
warmer temperatures enabled those insects to become
established farther north. Such “vector-borne” diseases include
malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever, and encephalitis. Some
scientists believe that algal blooms could occur more frequently as
temperatures rise, particularly in areas with polluted waters, in
which case outbreaks of diseases such as cholera that tend to
accompany algal blooms could become more frequent.

 Changes to Ecosystems. Some of the most dramatic projections

regarding global warming involve natural systems. Geographic
distribution of organisms could be significantly altered by climate
change. As the climate gets warm, organisms that were formerly
restricted to warmer regions will become more common toward
the poles. The tundra biomes of the world will be greatly affected
because of the thawing of the permafrost, which will allow the
northward migration of boreal species. Similarly, mountainous
areas will have less snow and earlier melting of the snow that does
accumulate during the winter.

Coral reefs are especially challenged because they are affected

both by an increase in water temperature and by an increase in
the acidity of the ocean. When CO2 dissolves in water, it forms an
acid. An increase in acidity would cause the skeleton of corals and
the shells of many other organisms to tend to dissolve. This would
make it more difficult for these organisms to precipitate calcium
salts from the ocean to construct their skeletons and shells.

Low-lying islands and shorelines will be impacted by rising sea

levels. Mangrove forests and marshes will be inundated and
subjected to violent weather and storm surges.

| 176
  Challenges to Agriculture and the Food Supply. Climate strongly
affects crop yields.
Fuel Type Based on Default Value
Mobile combustion Units kgCO2/liter kgCH4/liter kgN2O/liter
Gasoline Liters 2.30 0.001090 0.000105
Diesel Liters 2.71 0.000140 0.000143
Sources: Volume2, Table 3.2.1 and 3.2.2 (Mobile combustion) International Energy Agency
Energy Statistics Manual

Yields will fall in regions where drought and heat stress will
increase. In regions that will receive increased rainfall and
warming temperatures yields should increase. However, episodes
of severe weather will cause crop damage that will affect yields. A
warmer climate would reduce flexibility in crop distribution and
increase irrigation demands. Expansion of the ranges of pests
could also increase vulnerability and result in greater use of
pesticides. Despite these effects, total global food production is
not expected to be altered substantially by climate change, but
negative regional impacts are likely. Agricultural systems in the
developed countries are highly adaptable and can probably cope
with the expected range of climate changes without dramatic
reductions in yields. It is the poorest countries, where many
already are subject to hunger, that are the most likely to suffer
significant decreases in agricultural productivity

Elaborate

CALCULATING ENTITY-LEVEL GHG EMISSIONS

Please use the emission factors provided. Answers should be in kgCO2e and in 4
decimal places.

I. Compute for GHG emissions due to mobile fuel combustion

Activity Data

Type of Fuel Proxy Data Given Data

Total Volume Units Total Volume Units
Gasoline 2, 000 Liters 1, 500 Liters
Diesel 5, 000 Liters 3, 000 Liters

A. Compute for the CO2 emissions using the appropriate emission factors.

Sample computation
Activity Data x CO2 Emission Factor – GHG Emission
20 liters of gas 2.30 kgCO2/liter -- 46. 00 kgCO2

| 177
 Liters of gas CO2 emission factor of gas GHG emissions
X

_______________ X _________________________ = ________________

Liters of diesel X CO2 emission factor of diesel = GHG emissions

_______________ X ______________________ = __________________

B. Compute for the CH4 and N2O emission using the appropriate emission factors.

Sample Computation
Activity Data X Emission Factor X GWP – GHG Emission
Example 20 liters of gas X 0.001090 kgCH4/liter X 21 - 0.4578kgCO2e
20 liters of gas X 0.000106 kgN2O/liter X 310 - 0.6572 kgCO2e

Greenhouse gas Methane (CH4) Nitrous Oxide (N2O)

Global Warming 21 310
Potential (GWP)

Use the following tables for computation:

CH4 emissions
Fuel type Volume (L) Emission factor GHG Emission kgCH4
(kgCH4/liter)

N2O emissions
Fuel type Volume (L) Emission factor GHG Emission kgN2O
(kgN2O/liter)

Compute for the Carbon Dioxide Equivalent (CO2e)

A B C D E F G H
(D x21) (F x 310) (C + E + G)

Fuel Volume kgCO2 kgCH4 kgCH4 in kgN2O kgN2O in Total in

type (L) kgCO2e kgCO2e kgCO2e

| 178
II. Compute for the GHG emissions due to PURCHASED ELECTRICITY
Given: Location facility: Tuguegarao City
Annual Electricity Used: 520, 000 kWh (Proxy data)
320, 000 kWh (Own data)

Electricity Grid Luzon and Visayas Mindanao

Emission factor (kgCO2/kWh) 0.519 0.700

Sample Computation
Formula: Activity data x Emission factor - GHG emission
100 kWh x .700kgCO2 kWh - 70. 0 kgCO2e

| 179
Evaluate

Name: Date:
Program and Section: Score:

I. Multiple Choice

Direction: Read each item carefully then encircle the letter of your corresponding answer.

1. Earth’s temperatures are stable because were surrounded by___________

which allows the right amount of sunlight in to warm the Earth.
a. a cloud layer b. an atmosphere c. gravity d. water

2. The solar energy that warms the Earth includes visible light, infrared and
_______ coming from the sun.
a. Gamma rays b. ultraviolet radiation c. microwaves d. sunspots

3. The solar radiation that bounces off the Earth back toward the atmosphere is
mostly _______.
a. Gamma radiation b. x-ray radiation
c. nuclear radiation d. infrared radiation

4. Too many greenhouse gases in the atmosphere may block heat from
escaping into space and trap too much heat next to the Earth’s surface
causing___________.
a. another ice age b. global warming
c. earthquakes d. volcanic eruption

5. How does the greenhouse effect work?

a. Greenhouse gases reflect the sun’s energy, causing it to warm the
Earth.
b. Greenhouse gases absorb the sun’s energy, slowing or preventing
heat from escaping into space.
c. Greenhouse gases directly warm oceans and cause dramatic weather.
d. Oceans absorb greenhouse gases, which cause the Earth’s
temperature to rise.

6. What is the most potent greenhouse gas?

a. Fluorinated gases b. Carbon dioxide c. Nitrous oxide d. Methane

7. Which of these greenhouse gases is most abundant in the atmosphere?

a. Carbon dioxide b. Methane
c. Nitrous oxide d. water vapor

| 180
 8. If Earth had no greenhouse gases, the planet would be________.
a. too hot to support life
b. cooler but still able to support life
c. too cold to support life
d. it depends on the species of aerosol in the GHG-free atmosphere.

9. Climate change will lead to which of these conditions?

a. Improved food yield in developing countries
b. Decreased food yield in developed countries
c. Less famine around the world
d. Decline in coral reefs

10. Which are possible solutions for climate change?

a. Hybrid technology
b. Creating carbon emission cap
c. More wind power
d. All of the above

II. Describe the Greenhouse Effect and how it affects the temperature and radiation
emitted at the surface, in the atmosphere, and at the top of the atmosphere.

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

| 181
 Lesson Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you must have:
1. discussed the formation of ozone molecule and its destruction by
a catalytic atom or molecule; and
2. identified the compound/s that cause ozone depletion.

Ozone depletion is a major environmental problem because it increases the

amount of UV radiation that reaches the Earth’s surface, which increases the rate
of skin cancer, eye cataracts, and genetic and immune system damage.

Engage

Ozone is both beneficial and harmful to us. Near the ground, ozone-forming as a
result of chemical reactions involving traffic pollution and sunlight may cause a
number of respiratory problems. However, high up in the atmosphere in a region
known as the stratosphere, ozone filters out incoming radiation from the sun in the
cell-damaging UV part of the spectrum. Without this ozone layer, life on earth
would not have evolved in the way it has.

Explore

Access the video below through the internet and answer the questions below.
The Ozone Hole: Closing the Gap

Link: https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/features/videos/the-ozone-hole

1. What could be the reason behind the recovery of the ozone layer?
2. Can the ozone layer heal itself?

| 182
Explain

Ozone is a molecule made of three atoms of oxygen that are bonded together (O3).
In the 1970s, various sectors of the scientific community became concerned about
the possibility that the ozone layers in the earth’s upper atmosphere (stratosphere)
were being reduced. In 1985, it was discovered that a significant thinning of the
ozone layer over the Antarctic occurred during the
Southern Hemisphere spring (September-
November). This area became known as the “ozone
hole.” Some regions of the ozone layer showed 95%
depletion. Ozone depletion also was found to be
occurring farther north than previously.
Measurements in Arctic regions suggest a thinning of
Source: http://images.google.com
the ozone layer is also happening.

I.WHY STRATOSPHERIC OZONE IS IMPORTANT

The ozone in the outer layers of the atmosphere, approximately 15 to 35 kilometers
from the Earth’s surface, shields the earth from the harmful effects of UV light
radiation. Ozone absorbs UV light and is split into an oxygen molecule and an
oxygen atom: O3 Ultraviolet light O2 + O. Oxygen molecules are also split by UV light
to form oxygen atoms: O2 Ultraviolet light 2O. Recombination of oxygen atoms and
oxygen molecules allows ozone to be formed again and to be available to absorb
more UV light: O2 + O O3. This series of reactions results in the absorption of
99% of the UV light energy that comes from the sun and prevents it from reaching
the Earth’s surface. Less ozone in the upper atmosphere results in more UV light
reaching the Earth’s surface. The damaging UV rays, known as UV-C, found in the
200-290 nanometer bands. Organisms cannot tolerate UV rays. This is shown well
with the use of UV light to disinfect microbiological laboratories. Single-celled
organisms like the simplest algae and bacteria die from exposure to UV rays.
Multicelled organisms have certain defense mechanisms like protective
pigmentation on the skin surface, but this protection is very limited. In humans,
skin cancer, cataracts, snow blindness, and possible degradation of the immune
system may result from exposure to UV radiation. Of 200 plants screened for
reaction to UV rays, 140 reacted with decreased photosynthesis, decreased yield,
smaller leaf area and inefficient water use.

II.OZONE DESTRUCTION
Chlorofluorocarbons are strongly implicated in the ozone reduction in the upper
atmosphere. CFCs and similar compounds can release chlorine atoms, which can
lead to the destruction of ozone. Chlorine reacts with ozone in the following way to
reduce the quantity of ozone present:

Cl + O3 ClO + O2
ClO + O Cl + O2

| 183
These reactions both destroy ozone and reduce the likelihood that it will be formed
because atomic oxygen (O) is removed as well. It is also important to note that it
can take 10 to 20 years for CFC molecules to get into the stratosphere, and then
they can react with the ozone for up to 120 years. Another culprit, halon, the
chemical in fire extinguishers, contains bromine, which is a hundred times more
ozone destructive than chlorine. Carbon tetrachloride and methyl chloroform used
in refrigerants and industries are two other ozone depleters. To mitigate the
problem, a recommendation is to use greener CFCs, which are compounds that
contain hydrogen thus they degrade easily. Non-CFC propellants and non-aerosol
products are safer alternatives. The use of new technologies, recovery of
discarded refrigerants, and capturing CFC emissions and prevention of
evaporation of cleaning solvents may help save the situation.

In 1987, with the severity of the ozone destruction problem, 24 countries signed
the Montreal
Protocol on
Substances that
Deplete the Ozone
Layer agreeing to
cut back on CFC
production to less
than 50% by 1998.
Controls on the
production of halon
were included in
the treaty. In 1990,
75 countries
signed the London
Amendments,
Source: http://images.google.com further
strengthening the agreement, calling for the elimination of CFCs worldwide in a
decade, and setting up an international fund of $200 billion to enable less
developed countries to join the effort (Buchholz, 1998).

The hydro-chlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) were developed to replace CFCs. These

gases can still damage ozone if they reach the stratosphere, but they are less likely
to since their extra hydrogen atom allows them to be destroyed in the lower layers
of the atmosphere. These gases are also controlled under the Montreal Protocol
and were phased out after 2004. The gases that replaced both the CFCs and
HCFCs are hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which do not contain any chlorine atoms
and neither have ozone-depleting effect. Unfortunately, many of them are powerful
greenhouse gases and could contribute to global warming if emitted in large
quantities.

| 184
Elaborate

Watch the video.

Environments Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_XhwQmpzoE
This video asks you to look at the environment in a way that is probably very
different from, but much more useful than, the way most people think about it.
Make a synthesis on this video.

Evaluate

Name: Date:
Program and Section: Score:

Answer the following questions briefly.

1. What are the reactive halogen gases that destroy stratospheric ozone?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

2. How do emissions of halogen source gases lead to stratospheric ozone

depletion?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

3. What emissions from human activities lead to ozone depletion?

______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

4. Has the Montreal protocol been successful in reducing ozone-depleting

substances in the atmosphere?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

| 185
 Lesson Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you must have:
1. discussed that overpopulation affect the spread of infectious
diseases; and
2. identified emerging infectious diseases due to population density.

The density of the population does not of itself determine the ease with which
infection spreads through a population. Problems tend to arise primarily when
populations become so dense as to cause overcrowding.

Engage

More people mean that there is a need for more food and other resources, and
per capita, there will be less living space, less land, less water, more garbage,
more energy expenditure, more pollution, more disturbance, and destruction of
the environment. At least one theory predicts that the environment will crash in
this century.

Explore

Identify the challenges and solutions in the case study below (Diarrheal disease)
Oral rehydration therapy (ORT) is an
inexpensive, life-saving treatment for
dehydration. Whenever access to clean
water and sanitation is limited, diarrheal
diseases like cholera threaten lives,
especially those of babies and young
children. ORT, which is essentially a
mixture of salt, water, and sugar, has
earned the label "a simple solution"
because it is made from
basic, inexpensive ingredients, and can
Teaching oral rehydration therapy, be easily learned.
Bangladesh, 1980s
Source: http://images.google.com

| 186
Explain

The world population today continues to increase and is expected to exceed 10

billion in 2050. The rate of increase is nearing 100 million per year with 95% of the
increase occurring in the developing countries. This is set against the unchanging
area of the earth and its fast depleting resources. The fastest-growing populations
are those in the poorest countries of the world where many are uneducated, cannot
read and write, where the women are financially dependent on their husbands and
the children are required to work (Enger & Smith, 2000).

The scenario of unchecked population growth implies more problems for the
environment. The decreasing fuel resources will continue to be reduced as
industrialized countries maintain their consumption levels and newly industrialized
countries try to catch up. Even if their population growth rates are low, countries
like the U.S. make a greater impact on the environment. One American affects the
environment to a greater degree than 20 Indians. Food security will be a problem
in the Third World where more forests and mountain slopes will be converted to
croplands, promoting erosion, nutrient depletion, and desertification. There will be
greater incursion into marine, freshwater, and estuarine areas for food and water
sources. As more garbage is produced more air, water, and terrestrial pollution will
result. For communities, inadequate shelter and overcrowding are major factors in
the transmission of diseases with epidemic potential such as acute
respiratory infections, meningitis, typhus, cholera, scabies, etc. Outbreaks
of disease are more frequent and more severe when the population density is high
(WHO, 2020).

Overcrowding is often associated with decreases in quality of living conditions and

sanitation, and hence the rate of agent transmission is typically very high in such
areas. Thus, overcrowded cities or densely populated areas of cities can
potentially serve as breeding grounds for infectious agents, which
may facilitate their evolution, particularly in the case of viruses and bacteria. Rapid
cycling between humans and other hosts, such as rats or mice, birds or bats can
result in the emergence of new strains capable of causing serious disease.

Elaborate

Make a reaction paper on the article, “What 11 Billion People Mean for Disease
Outbreaks” at https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-11-billion-people-
mean-disease-outbreaks/

The reaction paper should include:

Part 1: Summary of the Work, and

Part 2: Your Reaction to the Work

| 187
Evaluate

Name: Date:
Program and Section: Score:

Explain briefly
1. How does overpopulation affect the spread of infectious diseases?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

2. List at least 5 emerging infectious diseases due to population density.

________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

| 188
 Lesson Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you must have:
1. identified the approaches and strategies of the government and
corporations on environmental protection; and
2. enumerated and explained the major Philippine Environmental
Laws.

Environmental management is an integrated effort to preserve environmental

functions that cover planning policy, exploitation, development, maintenance,
reparation, supervision and control of the environment.

Engage

Ethical principles guide natural resources management schemes that have been
used since the rise of environmentalism in developed countries in 1960.

Cite products in the supermarkets that you think are pieces of evidence that local
companies have become aware of environmental issues like conservation and
protection.

Explore

Watch and read the video clip and article on this link:
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/28companies

Identify these top companies that practice waste minimization and how did they
go about it?

Explain

I. Strategies of Governments
A. Regulatory or “command and control” approach – governments take a
direct approach by setting environmental standards or targets that will
achieve the kinds of solutions to environmental problems. The
environmental standards are set and enforced by legislation. Penalties
for violators or those not honoring the standards are also imposed
through legislation.

| 189
 B. Economic Incentives Approach – this allows businesses to develop their
unique methods of solving the perceived problem, with the focus mostly
on cleaning up the pollution after the damage has occurred (Buchholz,
1998). Incentives for reducing wastes may produce better results.

Economic Incentive Instruments (EIIs) are another form of ensuring

compliance by citizens and corporations. EIIs consist of charges or fines,
“green” taxes, Deposit-refund schemes, Information Programs,
Tradable Emission Permits, and Subsidies. These are called market-
based instruments because it is the business condition and not the
government that determines the costs.

A. Property Rights Approach- The following are examples of how

governments solve environmental problems using this approach. First,
a government may confer land titles to individuals when a kind of
resource is being inefficiently used in an area that is open to the public.
Second, the government can and does resort to state ownership in order
to conserve the resource if it is able to monitor the use of resources that
it owns. Third, communal management is another option. Here, a group
of people shares in the ownership. The idea is to put a limit on an
individual’s abuse of resources when his rights are shared by others.

II. Corporate Management Strategies. We have looked at how governments

approach environmental protection. It is the business corporations; however, that
has the biggest impact on the environment. In a way, businesses have employed
management strategies that reflect the prevailing morals of the times. Several of
these more common corporate management strategies are:

A. Waste Minimization – Businesses have recognized increasingly that

dumping of too many wastes is an inefficient way to operate. Public
concern about dumpsites forces most businesses to reduce the waste
they produce. It is part of the corporate responsibility of every business
establishment to initiate measures to minimize waste.

B. Product Life-Cycle Analysis –Before a good is produced, it passes

through several steps in its life-cycle. The approach by some businesses
is to reduce the environmental impact in each of the steps and then look
at the total picture of the life cycle. For example, in the different stages
of manufacturing, distribution, use, and disposal of a product,
businesses began to assess the resources used, the energy consumed,
the wastes produced, and the emissions released in each of the stages
(Buchholz, 1998).

C. Design for Disassembly – In order to facilitate recycling, some

companies have started to redesign their products to make it easier for
them to be disassembled once they reach the end of their usefulness.

| 190
 Companies like BMW, Whirlpool, Digital Equipment, 3M, and General
Electric have tried designing their products such that once they are taken
apart, the component parts can be reused to make other products.

D. Green Marketing – Through the years, as businesses became sensitive

to the demand for environment-friendly products, voluntarily, they came
up with biodegradable and recyclable products such as more fuel-
efficient cars and appliances. Recyclable parts or packaging may attract
buyers more especially those who have started to care for the problems
of society like the overflow of garbage.

E. Greening of Strategy – The rising concern for the environment, however,

has made the conduct of environmental assessment necessary.
Environmental assessment is done in order for a business to be more
aware of the issues arising out of the natural environment. The
availability of natural resources and the impact of obtaining these
resources go into the environmental assessment process. For non-
renewable resources, a company may have to plan how to conserve the
resource and search for substitutes when the resource starts to be
exhausted. Strategies on how to responsibly extract the resource, how
to find suppliers that engage in responsible extraction practices, and
how to dispose wastes are the issues that have to be decided by the
management.

F. Greening of Communications – Once a company is thrust into a

damaging environmental controversy, a head-on response from the
company is crucial in order to defuse public anger or distrust. Among the
ways, companies communicate the environmental impact of their
operations to the public are through the creation of citizen action panels,
community activities, emergency planning networks, or accounting
systems. Other companies try the pro-active approach by publishing
annual environmental reports.

III.PHILIPPINE ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS

The national environmental policy of

the Philippines is to balance
development and environmental
protection (PEP, 1977). Like other
countries, The Philippines’
environmental laws support Global
Agenda 21 (or the Rio Declaration on
Environment and Development), the
program of action adopted by the UN
Conference on Environment and
Development (UNCED) in Rio de Source: http://images.google.com

| 191
 Janeiro in 1992. Principle 3 of the Rio Declaration states that “The right to
development must be fulfilled so as to equitably meet developmental and
environmental needs of present and future generations” (Beder, 1993). This
statement is the core of sustainable development.

A multi-sectoral body called the Philippine Council for Sustainable Development

was born in 1992. Its objective is to lead the formulation of the Philippine Agenda
21, the national agenda for sustainable development.

The Philippines has 8 major laws dealing with air, water, and toxic and solid
wastes. They are as follows:

1. Marine Pollution Decree of 1976 (P.D. 979)

2. Philippine Environment Code of 1977 (P.D. 1152)
3. Philippine Environmental Policy of 1977 (P.D. 1151)
4. Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of
1990 (R.A. 6969)
5. National Water and Air Pollution Control Commission of 1992 (R.A.
3931)
6. National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 1992 (R.A. 7586)
7. Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999 (R.A. 8749)
8. Philippine Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 (R.A.
9003)

Elaborate

Conduct a Retail Eco-friendly Audit: This allows students to examine how their
daily habits affect our world.
Make a list of the top 5 products you are using each day. Once the list has been
finalized, research on the companies’ sustainable manufacturing practices they
follow and environmental causes they support.

| 192
Evaluate

Name: Date:
Program and Section: Score:

Direction: Answer the following questions briefly.

1. What are the three major kinds of strategies used in resource management? If
you were to assess the way the Philippine government manages its natural
resources, can you identify what kind or kinds of strategies are most often
used?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

2. Cite examples of companies and industries that use at least one of the six
corporate management strategies.
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

3. Familiarize yourself with one of the eight major environmental laws of the
Philippines. How appropriate is it to the present-day concerns of society?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

4. How does the Philippine Environmental Policy reflect any of the three kinds of
ethics- social, state, corporate, or economic ethics?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

| 193
References

Enger, E. and Bradley Smith (2010). Environmental Science A Study of

Interrelationships. 12th ed. McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. U.S.A.
Tayo, G.T. et al. (2004). Fundamentals of Environmental Science. Trinitas
Publishing, Inc.

Web Pages

https://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/emergencies/qa/emergencies

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-11-billion-people-mean-disease-
outbreaks/

https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/features/videos/the-ozone-hole

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/28companies

http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/304

http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/343/index.html

https://www.nationaleographic.com/news/2017/07/plastic

| 194