Ecophysiology
Ecophysiology
Ecophysiology (pronounced: e-co-phy-si-ol-o-gy) is a branch of biology that deals with the study of the physiological responses of organisms to their environment. It is a combination of two disciplines: ecology and physiology.
Etymology
The term "Ecophysiology" is derived from three Greek words: "oikos" meaning house, "physis" meaning nature, and "logia" meaning study. Therefore, it can be interpreted as the study of the nature of an organism's 'house' or environment.
Definition
Ecophysiology is the study of the interaction between an organism's physical functioning and its environment. It focuses on how environmental factors influence the physiological processes of an organism, and how these processes, in turn, determine the organism's distribution and abundance in the environment.
Related Terms
- Ecology: The branch of biology that deals with the relations of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings.
- Physiology: The branch of biology that deals with the normal functions of living organisms and their parts.
- Environment: The surroundings or conditions in which a person, animal, or plant lives or operates.
- Organism: An individual animal, plant, or single-celled life form.
- Distribution: The natural geographical range of an organism.
- Abundance: The number or amount of something, especially a species in an environment.
Importance
Ecophysiology is important because it helps us understand how organisms adapt to their environment and how changes in the environment can affect the survival and distribution of species. It also provides insights into how organisms can be managed and conserved in the face of environmental changes.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Ecophysiology
- Wikipedia's article - Ecophysiology
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