Ecological problems
Our Earth is a beautiful home for living beings, common for all the humanity forever. The number of the planet’s population is increasing constantly. And people destroy nature, pollute the environment.
There are many ecological problems. Among them are air, water and soil pollution, deforestation and depletion of the ozone layer.
Air pollution is a community problem. Cars, trucks, buses and airplanes are the worst polluters. They send gases into the air.
Water pollution is caused by dumping wastes into lakes, rivers, and other bodies of water. Harmful waste waters may also get into the soil or drain off fields. Polluted water can spread many diseases.
Radiation also has become one of the main problems. There are many atomic power stations in the world. It is even a greater disaster for the world than any other.
The next problem is deforestation. Forests are disappearing because they are cut down or burnt.
Every ten minutes one kind of animals, plants or insect dies out forever. If nothing is done about it, one million species that are alive today may soon become extinct.
Ozone absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation which is produced by Sun.
Air pollutions
Many different chemical substances contribute to air pollution. These chemicals come from a variety of sources. Among the many types of air pollutants are nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxides, and organic compounds that can enter the atmosphere.
Air pollutants have sources that are both natural and human. The natural are Forest fires, volcanic eruptions, wind erosion, pollen dispersal and other. But now human activity cases more damage than natural process.
Every year, the health of countless people is ruined or endangered by air pollution. Many diseases could be caused by air pollution without their becoming apparent for a long time. Diseases such as bronchitis, lung cancer, and heart disease may all eventually appear in people exposed to air pollution.
Air pollutants such as ozone, nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide also have harmful effects on natural ecosystems. They can kill plants and trees by destroying their leaves, and can kill animals.
Air pollution has many disastrous effects that need to be curbed. In order to accomplish this, governments, scientists and environmentalists are using or testing a variety of methods aimed at reducing pollution
Acid rains
The term acid rain refers to what scientists call acid deposition.
Scientists first discovered an acid rain in 1852, when the English chemist Robert Agnus invented the term.
Acid rains, one of the most important environmental problems of all, cannot be seen. Acid rain moves easily.
The primary causes of acid rains are sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. Most sulfur dioxide comes from power plants that use coal as their fuel.
Automobiles produce about half of the world's nitrogen oxide. As the number of automobiles in use increases, so does the amount of acid rains.
Fires, volcanic eruptions, bacterial decomposition, and lightening also greatly increase the amount of nitrogen oxide on the planet.
Acid rain comes down to the earth in the form of rain, snow, hail, fog, frost, or dew. Acid rains have harmful effects both on people and on the natural ecosystems of the world.
There are many ways to reduce acid rain creation. Power stations can use coal with low sulfur content. Individuals can help by conserving energy or driving their cars less. Governments can pass laws restricting pollution levels. Whatever way it is done, acid rains will certainly have to be limited in the future.
Ozone layer
The ozone layer protects the Earth from the ultraviolet rays sent down by the sun.
UV increase is one of the most harmful consequences of ozone depletion because it can cause skin cancer.
In addition to cancer, some search shows that a decreased ozone layer will increase rates of malaria and other infectious diseases.
Ozone is present in the stratosphere.
Ozone is a bluish gas that is formed by three atoms of oxygen.
The main cause of this is the release of CFCs.
Solutions the CFC problem may be hard to solve because there are already great quantities of CFCs in the environment.
Global warming
Global warming is also called the greenhouse effect because the gases that are gathering above the earth make the planet comparable to a greenhouse.
Global warming has a variety of causes. One of the largest factors contributing to global warming is the general problem of overpopulation and its many effects.
The most common gas is carbon dioxide, accounting for about 50% of all greenhouse gases. Other gases, including methane, CFCs, nitrogen oxides, and ozone, also contribute to forming the greenhouse layer.
Scientists use computer models to study the effects of global warming.
The threat of global warming is among the most important of all modern environmental problems. The problems that cause global warming include overpopulation, deforestation, ozone depletion, garbage dumping, and many others.
Because many problems leading to global warming are caused or contributed to by overpopulation, people are beginning to work to reduce family sizes. Education is a key method of reducing the greenhouse effect.
Profession
A profession is a vocation founded upon specialized educational training, the purpose of which is to supply objective counsel and service to others. Classically, there were only three: divinity, medicine and law – the so-called “learned professions”.
With the rise of technology and occupational specialization in the 19th century, other bodies began to claim professional status.
Professions tend to be autonomous, which means they have a high degree of control of their own affairs.
Professions enjoy a high social status, regard and esteem conferred upon them by society.
All professions have power whith is used to control its own members and also its area of expertise and interests.
All professions involve technical, specialized and highly skilled work often referred to as “professional expertise”. Training for this work involves obtaining degrees and professional qualifications without which entry to the profession is barred.
Ecologist
The role of an ecologist is to ensure that available natural resources are being used efficiently and responsibly.
Ecologists carry out observational studies of the environment and research ways of protecting Earth's natural resources. Ecologists also work with industry leaders and government agencies to ensure environmental standards are upheld consistently and efficiently.
Ecologists are concerned with ecosystems as a whole and, within them, the abundance and distribution of organisms and the relationships between organisms and their environment.
Ecologists examine the relationships between the environment and actions that affect it, including rainfall, pollution, temperature shifts, and industrialization.
It is important that ecologists are aware of environmental policies as their work commonly has to comply with environmental legislation.
PROFESHIONAL SKILLS
To initiate a career as an ecologist, you should have a strong interest in protecting the natural environment from sources of harm.
Ecologist work both in the field and in the laboratory, collecting data from the natural environment.
You should be adept at analyzing and interpreting statistics.
An ecologist should be adaptable to a range of different working modes and environments.
Much of this job can be physically demanding and might require travel to sites and habitats. Many people who feel passionate about the environment might find ecology a satisfying field. Ecologists help in the protection of habitats and ecosystems, while others teach the public and private sector about environmental concerns.
Tools Used by an Ecologist
An ecologist's tools will vary depending on the location and purpose of the research.
Topographic maps give the ecologist a large-scale view of an area.
Soil typically consists of layers of material, called horizons, which differ in both texture and appearance. A soil profile is a cross section of these layers, and it measures the different characteristics of each layer.
Field Guide – There are books available for field identification of all types of plants and animals.
GPS is short for global positioning system, which is a network of satellites which can be used to locate vehicles and people.
Clothing – Appropriate attire is required for outings in the field.