Ecology
Ecology
Ecology (pronounced: e-ko-lo-ji) is a branch of biology that studies the interactions among organisms and their biophysical environment, which includes both biotic and abiotic components. The term "ecology" comes from the Greek "oikos," meaning "house," and "logos," meaning "study of." Therefore, ecology can be defined as the "study of the home."
Ecologists seek to understand the vital connections between plants and animals and the world around them. The field of ecology can be divided into several sub-disciplines, such as population ecology, community ecology, ecosystem ecology, and landscape ecology.
Population Ecology
Population ecology is the study of populations (especially population abundance) and how they change over time. Crucial to this study are the demographic factors which impact population growth and decline. These include birth rates, death rates, and migration.
Community Ecology
Community ecology is the study of the interactions between species in communities on many spatial and temporal scales, including the distribution, structure, abundance, demography, and interactions between coexisting populations.
Ecosystem Ecology
Ecosystem ecology is the integrated study of living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) components of ecosystems and their interactions within an ecosystem framework. This science examines how ecosystems work and relates this to their components such as chemicals, bedrock, soil, plants, and animals.
Landscape Ecology
Landscape ecology is the science of studying and improving relationships between ecological processes in the environment and particular ecosystems. This is done within a variety of landscape scales, development spatial patterns, and organizational levels of research and policy.
Related Terms
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Ecology
- Wikipedia's article - Ecology
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