# ecology

/iˈkɑɫədʒi/ (US) · /ɛkˈɒlədʒi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ecology
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. biological science

noun · CEFR B2 · Academic

the branch of biology that looks at how living things interact with their surroundings.

For teachers: the scientific study of the distribution and abundance of organisms and their interactions with the environment.

- She decided to study ecology because she wanted to help protect the local wetlands.
- Advanced research in ecology often requires a sophisticated understanding of how minor temperature shifts affect the reproductive cycles of native insects.

Usage: Often used as an uncountable noun when referring to the academic field.

### 2. a specific environment

noun · CEFR B2

the set of relationships between the living things in a particular area.

For teachers: the totality or pattern of relationships between organisms and their environment in a specific location.

- The oil spill caused terrible damage to the delicate ecology of the coastline.
- The introduction of invasive species can rapidly destabilise the local ecology, leading to the extinction of vulnerable native plants.

### 3. system of relationships

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic

the way different parts of a complex system, like a business or a city, work together.

For teachers: a complex system of interconnected parts, often used metaphorically to describe social or technical environments.

- The city's business ecology depends on both large companies and small shops.
- The digital ecology of the modern workplace has been transformed by the integration of cloud-based collaboration tools and remote access protocols.

## Examples

- The oil spill caused great damage to the local ecology.
- Scientists are studying the forest ecology to understand how the new highway might affect the local bird population.
- Restoring the wetland's natural ecology requires more than just reintroducing native plants; it demands a careful recalibration of the entire water cycle and nutrient flow.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.