Organisms continually interact with one another, as well as with their surroundings.Ecology is the study of these interactions.The scientists who study these interactions are called ecologists.

Ecologists ask questions such as ;

What animals and plants line in this lake in forests ?

How do they interact with each other?

How do the surroundings effects the plants and animals living here??

What changes will this lake or forest undergo over time?

How will these changes affect the animals and plants living here?

Ecologists study both the living  environment and the non living or physical environment.

The living or biotic environment consists of all  the living things that an organism interacts with.

The non living or abiotic environment consists of physical factors such as light, water , and pH of the soil or water.

Many organisms develop special adaptations to their particular environment to help them survive better.Ecologists  also study these  adaptations.To study  ecology you first need to understand some key ecological terms habitat, populations , community and ecosystems.

What is Habitat?

The place where an organism lives is its Habitat.For example, consider a mangrove swamp in the Sungei Buloh Nature Reserve.Wading birds called redshanks live in the mud of the mangrove swamp, so the mangrove swamp is the habitat of the red shanks.

What is population?

A group of organisms of the same species living in a particular habitat make up a population.In the mangrove habitat, all the red shanks living in that particular  mangrove swamp make up a population.Another population is made up of all the mangrove trees living in that particular mangrove swamp make up a population mangrove swamp.

What is a community?

All the populations of organisms living and interacting with one another in a particular habitat make up a community.So the mangrove community is made up of mangrove trees and other plants, animals like red shanks , mud skippers and sand files and microorganisms living in the mud of that mangrove swamp.

What is an ecosystems ? 

A community and its physical or an abiotic environment together make up an ecosystems.The ecosystems of the mangrove swamp is made up of all the organisms in the mangrove community and all the physical factors that make up its abiotic environment.These factors include the salt concentration of thr sea water, its pH, the temperature the amount of oxygen dissolved in the mud , the amount of light falling on the trees and the amount of nutrients in the mud.

Key ideas

1.Ecology is the of study of interactions among organisms and between organisms and their environment.

2.The biotic  environment comprises living things which an organisms  interacts with.

3.The abiotic environment includes physical and chemical factors such as light, water , oxygen , temperature , salinity and pH of soil or water.

4.The place where an organism lives is its habitat.A group of organisms of the same species living in a particular habitat.A group of organisms of the same species living in a particular habitat make up a population.All the populations of organisms living and interacting with one another in a particular habitat make up a community.

About Ecology 

Leaf cutter ants are fungus farmers they grow a special type of fungus in gardens in their underground nests.First the ants cut leaves into small pieces and carry them back to the nest.The ants then lick, cut and chew up the leaves into pulp.Inside the nest, the plant pulp is spread out and covered with ant droppings which act as fertilizer.Finally, the ants grows the ants harvest and eat it.The ants depend on the fungus depends on the ants to grow it.You could say that the ants and the fungus have a relation ship.

 In nature, Organisms living in the same area often from relation ships with one another.They depend on one another to survive.Hence , a change in one organisms may affect other organisms it interacts with.