Ecology of the Potomac River Watershed

According to the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, the definition of ecology is…

“The scientific study of the processes influencing the distribution and abundance of organisms, the interactions among organisms, and the interactions between organisms and the transformation and flux of energy and matter.”

With the environment in a constant state of change this is studied closely. Alexander van Humboldt is considered the father of ecology and his teachings are still studied today. He said,

“The most dangerous worldview is the worldview of those have not viewed the world.”

This quote could have a lot of meanings. One interpretation can mean that people often view themselves as owning a land space instead of living with the land space. This view tells us that we view the world as a singular species of existence instead of the complexities of all organisms within a land space. Is this what he meant by this quote? Only Alexander Van Humboldt knows the answer to this question.

Another important person important to ecology and conservation biology is Aldo Leopold who fathered the idea of environmental ethics. He was a hunter and outdoor enthusiast who wrote a number of books including one of the most famous in the environmental field, A Sand County Almanac.

“We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.” –Aldo Leopold