HISTORICAL AND RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF THE PROBLEM OF APPEARANCE AND DEVELOPMENT OF ECOLOGY AS AN INDEPENDENT BRANCH OF SCHOLARLY AND EDUCATIONAL KNOWLEDGE

Historical and retrospective analysis of the problem of appearance and development of ecology as an independent branch of scholarly and educational knowledge is made in the article. It is stated, that three stages are defined in the history of modern ecology development: biological – at this stage ecology, that appeared in the interior of biology, existed as one of independent branches of the science; noospheric – ecology knowledge gets new meaning and it is considered as the complex, integrative science, aimed at harmonization of “human–society–nature” system under the conditions when human dominates; integrative – on this stage ecology is divided into three basic science blocks about environment – global ecology, human ecology and environmental protection. Each of the blocks has its own study subjects and general biological basis – theoretical or fundamental ecology. Detailed analysis of above mentioned stages proved, that this kind of division has conditionality, because there are no exact time frames between stages, this division represents overall trend of ecology development. It is studied, that in ХIXth century ecology was not a separate science, it was considered as the part of general biology. It was defined, that among basic aims of ecology education is formation of confidence as to nature protection activities necessity among students; assistance in development of understanding, that the positive solution of the environment protection problem is determined by social and political as well as social and economic abilities of society; the development of ecology education bases particularly at Higher Military Educational Institutions etc. Co-relation between ecology and environment protection is analyzed. It is stated, that ecology studies three groups of environment factors, which influence living systems: abiotic, biotic, and anthropogenic, while environmental protection considers only third group of factors – the human impact on the nature. The basic milestones of ecology development as the science from the first half of the XIXth century to the present time are identified. It was stated, that modern environmental education of students is based on the account and implementation of the Concept of Environmental Education of Ukraine, National Doctrine of Education of Ukraine, Education and Higher Education Acts of Ukraine and other legal documents.