Mother Earth, of course, our common home! We share this unique planet we live on and the environment around us that helps us do so.

Did you know Earth is the only planet in the solar system that supports life? Yes, scientists are looking out for more planets of this kind, but so far, Earth is the only planet that has two factors that make it possible for life to survive, namely, water and energy. Air, water, land and living things are the four realms of the earth. Each of these exists in perfect harmony with each other and is also directly affected by each other. Let’s look at the composition and roles that each of these realms plays on Earth and understand our unique planet in detail. But before we do that we need to know what the term ‘environment’ means.

Environment is everything that is around us – the air, water, land, soil, living things. Air, land and water are known as the a biotic components or the non living components of the environment and plants, animals and we humans are the biotic or the living components of the environment. Yes, we are a part of the environment and not separate, but how much do we know about the other parts? Come let’s learn about other realms and parts and see how we all connect with each other.

Airplanes also travel through the air.

We find water everywhere around us, in seas, oceans, lakes, rivers, even under the ground, in wells!

We must take care of our land as all the plants and trees grow on it, we get our metals and minerals from it and we also build our homes on it. When we spoil the land, we spoil the air and the water around it too.

We need land to build our houses on and grow our food on.

Shaheen’s quote:

“Think of the largest number you know and add as many zeroes as you can! Now see if it is anywhere close to the actual number: we have more than 30 million species of living things on this planet! By species, I mean one kind of animal or bird. More than six billion of our kind, the human being, lives on this planet! There are more than 30, 000,000 special kinds of living things!”

All living things follow a cycle of life, that of birth, growth and death. In the same manner, air, water, land and all living things follow a natural cycle. All living things depend on each other and the rest of the environment. So, it is like a chain. If any of these links in the chain is disturbed, the balance of the whole system is affected.

Living things need space to live in. They build their homes on land. Living organisms depend on the other systems of the environment for their energy and nutrients. Human beings need oxygen to breathe and plants need carbon dioxide.

Shaheen’s quote: Air of course! And it is impossible for any living thing to survive without water. So there you are! It’s a circle! The study of this relationship between living things or the biotic elements and the non living things like the air, water and land, is called the science of ecology.