Ilimin yanayin muhalli wani ƙaramin horo ne na ilimin ɗan adam wanda ke yin nazarin hadaddun alaƙa tsakanin mutane da Kuma muhallin da suke ciki. Wannan yana da siffofi da yawa, ko dai yana nazarin yanayin farauta / tara mutane dubun dubatar shekaru da suka wuce, binciken archaeological na farkon masu noma da tasirinsu a kan sare bishiyoyi ko zaizayar ƙasa, ko kuma yadda al'ummomin ɗan adam na zamani ke daidaitawa da sauyin yanayi da sauyin yanayi. sauran al'amurran muhalli na anthropogenic. Wannan ƙaramin fannin ilimin ɗan adam ya samo asali ne a cikin shekarata 1960s daga ilimin kimiyyar al'adu kamar yadda masana ilimin ɗan adam suka aro hanyoyin da kalmomi daga cigaba da haɓakawa a cikin ilimin halitta sannan aka yi amfani da su don fahimtar al'adun ɗan adam. Ilimin yanayin muhalli wani yanki ne mai girma na ilimin ɗan adam saboda ƙalubalen fahimta da magance ɗan adam ya haifar da matsalolin muhalli kamar sauyin yanayi, ɓarna nau'in, gurɓataccen filastik, kuma da lalata wuraren zama suna buƙatar fahimtar tsarin al'adu, siyasa, da tattalin arziƙi waɗanda suka haifar. wadannan matsalolin.