An Introduction to Ecology

Ecology is the science of the interaction between all organisms on the planet with their environment. The environment consists of all living organisms (biotic components) and nonliving (abiotic components) physical things like light, water, temperature and nutrients that surround the organisms. The basic concept of ecology is that all organisms are interdependent and interact with each other as well as their environment.

The Ecological Hierarchy

The scope of ecological studies ranges from the very basic organism to the global ecosystem, which provides a scientific context for dealing with modern day environmental issues.

• The ecology of organisms deals with behavioral and psychological ways in which individuals interact with their environment.


• Population ecology focuses on factors that influence the size and makeup of groups of individuals within the same species in a specific geographic area.


• Community ecology looks at how different species interact with each other by examining the ways in which competition, disease and predatory behavior affect the community.


• Ecosystem ecology studies energy flow and chemical cycles in the entire community of species within a specific area.


• The global ecosystem or biosphere is the total of all ecosystems on the planet. It includes all life on earth plus the atmosphere and bodies of water.

The Role of Ecology

Ecology provides insight into how we can consume earth’s resources while supporting a healthy environment for future generations. The knowledge we acquire from studying the relationships between plants and animals in habitats of different sizes helps us to manage our natural resources, improve the environment and protect our health. Consider the long list of endangered species, destruction of various habitats, toxic waste and global warming as just a small portion of the major issues we face today.