Ecology

Name:
Ecology
Detailed information:
The study of the interactions between plant and animal organisms and their environment; the latter is conceived to include everything that is not an intrinsic part of the organism and thus includes both living and nonliving components. Though primarily a branch of biology, ecology does involve chemistry in respect to plant and animal nutrients, metabolism, photosynthesis, etc., especially interferences that may occur in connection with these. Thus, insecticides, chemical-waste disposal, air and water pollution, oil spills, and radioactive contaminants have direct bearing on the ecology of a given area.See Environmental Chemistry.