Level: JHS, Basic 8 | Subject: Integrated Science | Strand: Humans and the Environment | Topic: Understanding the Environment
Curriculum reference: NaCCA Basic 8 Integrated Science, Humans and the Environment. These notes cover the standard scope of the topic.
1. What Is the Environment?
The environment is everything around us that affects living things. It has two parts.
| Part | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Biotic | Living things | Plants, animals, bacteria, fungi, humans |
| Abiotic | Non-living things | Sunlight, air, water, soil, temperature, rocks |
2. Habitat, Population, Community, Ecosystem
- Habitat: the place where an organism lives (a fish in a pond, a termite in an anthill).
- Population: all the organisms of one kind in a habitat.
- Community: all the populations living together in a habitat.
- Ecosystem: a community and its non-living surroundings working together. Examples: a forest, a pond, a farm, a school compound.
3. Environmental (Abiotic) Factors
| Factor | Effect on living things |
|---|---|
| Light | Plants need it for photosynthesis. It affects flowering and animal activity. |
| Temperature | Affects growth, enzyme action and where organisms can live. |
| Water | Needed by all living things. Affects plant distribution. |
| Soil | Supplies water and mineral salts and holds plants in place. |
| Air | Supplies oxygen for respiration and carbon dioxide for photosynthesis. |
| Wind | Spreads seeds and pollen but can damage plants and increase water loss. |
4. Interactions Between Living Things
- Feeding: producers, consumers and decomposers form food chains and webs.
- Competition: organisms struggle for the same food, space or light.
- Predation: one animal (predator) hunts another (prey).
- Mutualism: both partners benefit, such as nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the roots of beans.
- Commensalism: one benefits and the other is not harmed, such as an orchid growing on a tree.
- Parasitism: the parasite benefits and the host is harmed, such as tapeworms in humans or ticks on cattle.
5. Humans and the Environment
Humans use the environment for food, water, shelter, fuel and raw materials. Human activities can damage it.
| Activity | Harm |
|---|---|
| Deforestation and bush burning | Soil erosion, loss of habitats, less rainfall |
| Illegal mining (galamsey) | Polluted rivers, destroyed farmland, mercury poisoning |
| Overfishing and dynamite fishing | Fewer fish, damaged water habitats |
| Overgrazing and bad farming | Soil erosion, loss of soil fertility |
| Dumping waste | Pollution and disease |
6. Pollution
Pollution is the release of harmful substances into the environment.
- Air pollution: smoke from vehicles, burning rubbish, factories. It causes breathing problems and acid rain.
- Water pollution: sewage, chemicals, oil and mining waste. It harms fish and makes water unsafe.
- Land (soil) pollution: plastics, chemicals and refuse that damage soil.
- Noise pollution: loud music, machines and traffic that cause hearing loss and stress.
7. Conservation
Conservation is the careful use and protection of natural resources so that they last for future generations.
- Plant trees and protect forests and river banks.
- Create protected areas such as Kakum National Park and Mole National Park.
- Make and obey laws on hunting, fishing and mining.
- Use crop rotation, cover crops and terracing to save the soil.
- Use clean energy and reduce, reuse and recycle waste.
- Educate people and join school environment or science clubs.
Remember: Living and non-living things depend on one another. When people damage one part, other parts suffer.
Ready to practise?
Education Always (education.inspiringalways.com). Original notes written to follow the NaCCA Basic 8 Integrated Science curriculum.