Definition: The branch of science concerned with the interrelationship of organisms and their ENVIRONMENT, especially as manifested by natural cycles and rhythms, community development and structure, interactions between different kinds of organisms, geographic distributions, and population alterations. (Webster's, 3d ed)
the discipline (education, history, etc) only; use ECOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL PHENOMENA or specifics treed under it for characteristics and processes of ecological and environmental systems; DF: ECOL
See AlsoEcosystem; Environmental Health ExamplesEcotoxicology; Hydrobiology