Ecology

Ecology is the science which studies the inter-relationships between biotic and a biotic components of a natural ecosystem on one hand among biotic components on the other. Thus ecology is the study of interrelationships and various processes between all organisms and their environment as well as among the organisms themselves.   

Ernst Haeckel coined the term ‘Oekology’ (Greek: oikos – house or dwelling as habitat, logos—study of). The concept of ecology evolved from Darwin’s concept of evolution of species through natural selection involving interaction between biological species and habitat.

Ecology is studied into two branches. First, autecology is the study of ecological relationship of single species in a given ecosystem. Second, synecology is the study of group of species living together as communities in relation to their habitats of a given ecosystem. It can be mentioned here that a group of individual organisms of the same species in a given area is called a population. While a group of population of different species in a given area is called a community. Based on this we have population ecology and community ecology.

The basic concepts and the focus areas of ecology are as follows:

(1)   Ecosystem as the fundamental unit of ecological study.

(2)   All living organisms and physical environment are mutually reactive i.e. they act and react on each other and among themselves.

(3)   There is unidirectional circulation of energy, while the matter is circulated cyclically, through biogeochemical cycle in such a way that the total mass remains constant.

(4)   The homeostatic mechanisms or self-regulatory mechanisms play an important role in keeping natural ecosystems stable.

(5)   If the changes brought about by the external factors exceed the resilience of ecosystem then the ecosystem becomes unstable creating environmental problems.

(6)   Ecology studies the evolution of species through natural selection and adaptation as well as mutation and reproductive isolation.

(7)   There is successional development of ecosystems in a given habitat.

(8)   The distribution of biodiversity plays an important role in stability and evolution of species.