“Forests are the lungs of nation, a nation that destroys its forests destroys itself”
World Ecology Day is observed on 1st November to remind the vital relationship between living beings and their environment. Ecology is the study of the relationship of living creatures with the environment surround them. Aim of celebrating the day is to maintain a harmonious relationship and value of interconnectedness between biotic and abiotic components in the complex web of ecosystem and planet’s environment.
Every living creature on this planet is connected. The invisible network of this connection is complicated but super-delicate. Even if one string gets destroyed, the whole network gets affected. We call this intangible yet astoundingly glorious network of living and non-living beings, Ecology. We need to learn about the varied populations living on the planet, their communities, habitats, biome and the biosphere.
The world we live in is a beautiful place, full of wonders that leave us in awe of nature’s grandeur. However, with beauty, it comes responsibility. Ecological concerns have become a critical issue in the 21st century as we grapple with climate change, pollution, deforestation and other factors that threaten our planet’s delicate balance. It is imperative that we take cognizance of the impact of our actions on the environment.
One of the most important concepts associated with the ecosystem is the niche which is the role of a species in its ecosystem. It includes all the ways that the species interacts with the biotic and abiotic factors of the environment like the food they eat and how they obtain it.
Nearly all of the organisms on Earth obtain their energy from the sun and the sun composes the primary source of food chains. Since energy is neither created nor destroyed, the energy includes those found in the food also. When non-renewable resources are used, we get less-useful energy which when gone back to environment contribute to the climate change.
Organisms are individual living things with tremendous diversity having the same basic needs: energy and matter. These are obtained from the environment and thus, organisms are not closed systems but influenced by the ecosystem.
In nature, a variety of biotic and abiotic factors act simultaneously to influence the ability of organisms to establish, survive, grow and reproduce in any place and time. Different species respond to their environment in different ways and this causes them to have different fundamental niche. A given species’ actual presence on a particular site depends upon: its ability to disperse onto that site; its competitive ability to establish, survive and reproduce. Populations can also decline due to a variety of factors, changes in the environment, human activities, sometimes to the point of extinction.
Species that have similar responses to their environment are typically found together in assemblages called communities. Within a community, differential use of resources partitioning allows multiple species to coexist. Each community is unique in some properties, but those occurring in similar environments tend to be structurally and functionally similar to one another.
Ecosystems are in a constant state of flux, both rapid and slow and over both short and longtime scales. Humans have drastically altered Earth’s ecosystems. At present, we are particularly concerned with preservation of biological diversity, the effects of global climate change and the ability of ecosystems to sustain important life support ecosystem services.
Biotic elements of the ecosystem are: plants make their food through the photosynthesis and give energy for other beings. All the biotic and abiotic elements work together to make survival on earth possible.
The abiotic components that are a part of the diverse ecosystem of the earth are: Light, the radiance source of energy from where plants make their food and then, they fulfill the diet of other organisms. Rainfall, the consequence of the water cycle quenches the thirst of organisms and support lives. Temperature, the important factor of life that can bloom the living beings. Atmosphere, the heavens on Earth, that makes the organisms breathe, shielding us from harmful radiations, trapping heat to warm the planet. Soil is the skin of earth and every form of life starts from soil and get back to the soil again.
Ecology is a science whose name dates to 1869 coined by the German scientist Ernst Haeckel. This discipline considers organisms at the individual, population, community, ecosystem and biosphere levels. This field has achieved the great relevance when disappearance of species occurred. Ecology also involves humans in its centre point since human activity is the core issue.
Irrefutably, humanity’s greatest challenge is reducing its ecological footprint, which is the measure of the human impact on nature. If we use our natural resources consistently, we will be able to guarantee the well-being and growth of our society.
India ranks low in ecological safety, coming in 176th out of 180 countries as on the 2024 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) due to poor performances like air quality and ecosystem vitality even though the country has made strides in forest cover.
Manipur is in a precarious state of ecological safety, grappling with critical issues. On a June 2025 article in Down To Earth magazine described the situation as a serious threat of ecological collapse due to threats like deforestation, habitat loss, pollution, climate change, erratic rainfall, frequent floods and droughts, biodiversity threats and overexploitation. All these woes are due to human caused ecological imbalances.
Ecological imbalance occurs when natural or human-caused disturbances disrupt an ecosystem. It shouldn’t be only a day in a year; it should ensure that our actions are always respectful of the environment and our footprints as light as possible. With a little change and commitment, we can contribute a lot for a healthier ecosystem for all living beings.
Dr. N. Munal Meitei Environmentalist, presently working as DFO/Chandel
