Ecology: its branches and the disciplines it belongs to

Ecology is usually found as an important term within biology, since it is the science in charge of the study of the existing relationships between living beings and their environment. Surprisingly, this concept is extremely broad and it may be difficult to understand its scope, so in today’s article we want to show the different disciplines of ecology. Let’s start!

First, what is ecology?

Looking at its scope of study, ecology can be concerned with the study of living organisms, comparing them with each other or relating them to the components of their habitat, one of its main objectives being the study of the variation, distribution and abundance of certain living organisms and their relationships of collaboration or competition between them or between the ecosystems.

Thus, ecology is an essential science for understanding the evolution and life of our planet, more than the environment itself. As if that were not enough, the development of ecology also has an impact on the conservation and well-being of human beings as a species.

Some of the main objectives of ecology are:

• To help us understand the processes of life, thanks to the interactions and adaptations of living beings in their environment.
• To explain how ecosystems develop over time.
• To study the movements of energy that occur in groups of living beings.
• To contextualize the elements of biodiversity.

Levels of study of ecology

Ecology as a discipline can be classified according to numerous typologies, since its study covers an exacerbated quantity of elements, that is why, according to the levels, we find the following science studies:

• At the organism level, looking at how individuals are affected by their abiotic as well as biotic environment and what kind of influence they have.
• At the population level, it deals with the presence or absence of certain species, their abundance or scarcity, and how the number of individuals of a species fluctuates. Populations can be studied by observing individual organisms and then applying their characteristics to populations, or by observing the characteristics of these populations directly.
• At the community level, it studies the composition or structure of communities and their functioning: how energy, nutrients, and other chemicals move through communities. Like the population level, communities can be studied by observing populations and applying their characteristics to the community level or by observing them directly.
• Ecosystem, level at which we find the interactions typical for a particular environment, encompassing the communities and populations in it, as well as the flows of matter and energy in it.
• Biosphere, referring to the full set of all known living things and the global relationships among them.

What are the branches of ecology?

Once the meaning, scope and objectives of this field of study are understood, it is high time to understand what the branches of ecology are, since each one focuses on specific studies. We would like to show the most important ones below.

• Microbial Ecology

Although they may seem insignificant because of their size, the small organisms that are part of nature also have their own field of study – microbial ecology, which is one of the branches focusing on the study of microorganisms. In the constant activities they must perform mainly in order to maintain life on the planet.

• Community Ecology

It is the discipline in charge of studying the interactions between biological communities and their habitats. It is also known as synecology and plays a great role in the biological field.

• Autoecology

A branch or discipline that at times can be confused with synecology, but focuses on the interactions between a single organism and its environment.

• Mathematical Ecology

Mathematical ecology aims to solve problems that may arise in the relationship between living beings and ecosystems by means of mathematical methods.

• Urban Ecology

This discipline of ecology is located specifically in cities, where inhabitants have constant interactions with urban areas. In this way, it tries to understand how the citizens of large cities live in these spaces characterized by a lot of movement.

• Industrial Ecology

In industrial areas we also find a branch of ecology that seeks to understand how the activities of this field intervene with ecosystems, either by altering them or by taking appropriate advantage of their resources; this discipline of ecology is known as industrial ecology.

• Recreation Ecology

For this branch, the object of study is the recreational activities that we carry out in the environment, that is to say, it consists of the study of the relationships that human beings have with nature, as long as there are recreational purposes. An example of an ecological recreational activity that is practiced worldwide is tourism, which, at the same time, is one of the main economic activities of some developed countries.

• Landscape Ecology

In the landscapes we find a fundamental part of nature. Nevertheless, it is important to clarify that they have a temporary aspect, since they depend on the fauna and flora of the area around us. In addition, they can be intervened by external elements. The study that encompasses landscapes and their interactions with other elements (whether or not of nature) is summarized by landscape ecology studies.

• Human Ecology

The branch that is in charge of understanding our behavior patterns with the surrounding areas. The main object of study concerning human beings is known as human ecology, a discipline in which not only biological but also social factors are involved.

• Population Ecology

While human ecology was in charge of studying society in order to understand  human behavior, population ecology is even more complex, since for this discipline it is necessary to think about the resources and conditions affecting human beings. As if that were not enough, the social factor is once again present, since even the social relationships we have with the people around us are involved.

• Limnology

A branch that focuses on aquatic ecosystems specifically studying the interactions of organisms of rivers, lagoons or lakes, in order to know their distribution and be able to study them correctly.

• Dendroecology

It may be surprising that useful information can be stored inside the trees. This is why dendroecology or dendrochronology helps experts to understand what factors can affect woody species.

Importance of ecology

According to the United Nations, the study of ecology is of great importance, since it enables us to learn about the world surrounding us and how it works. Ecology enriches our world and is crucial for human well-being and prosperity; it provides new insights into the interdependence between people and nature and balances biodiversity in a changing climate.