What is the definition of ecology?

The definition of ecology is best captured by the understanding that it encompasses the study of the interactions between living organisms and their environment. This definition highlights the dynamic relationship that exists between organisms—plants, animals, and microorganisms—and their surroundings, which include both biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) components.

Ecology examines how these interactions affect distribution, abundance, and the behaviors of organisms as well as how they contribute to ecosystem functions and services. This broad perspective is foundational to the field, as it integrates various ecological aspects, including behavioral, physiological, and evolutionary processes that shape the lives of organisms in their environments.

While analyzing physical and chemical components of an ecosystem, studying food chains and energy flow, and classifying organisms in their habitats are important sub-disciplines within ecology, they do not encompass the full breadth of interactions that ecology studies. Thus, the chosen definition accurately reflects the integral and holistic nature of the ecological discipline.