ABSTRACT
Ecology is a purely scientific discipline which aims to understand the relationships between organisms and their wider environment. There are two distinct components to the ‘environment’: the physical environment and biotic environment, which comprises any influences on an organism that are exerted by other organisms, including competition, predation, parasitism and cooperation. Physiological ecology explores the physiology of an individual and considers the consequences on function and behavior. Ecology can be considered on a wide scale, moving from an individual molecule to the entire global ecosystem. The huge diversity of organisms, and the wealth of variety in their morphologies, physiologies and behavior are all the result of many millions of years of evolution. Environmental conditions will define the birth rate, growth rate and level of mortality of a species.
