Definition of the word ecological

The word "ecological" has its roots in the 19th century. It is derived from the Greek words "oikos," meaning "house" or "environment," and "logos," meaning "study" or "science." In 1869, the German botanist Heinrich Göppert coined the term "Ökologie" (Ecology) to describe the scientific study of the interactions between organisms and their environment. The term "ecological" emerged as a direct translation of Ökologie and was first used in the English language in the 1880s. It referred to the scientific study of the relationships between living things and their environment, including the cycles of energy and matter, as well as the adaptations and responses of organisms to their surroundings. Over time, the term "ecological" has expanded to encompass not only the scientific study of ecosystems but also the broader social, economic, and political implications of human interactions with the natural world.