Difference between Ecology and Ecosystem, Definition, Components

Definition

Scientific study of relationships between organisms and environment, coined by Ernst Haeckel in 1866.

Functional unit comprising living organisms and non living components interacting in a defined area.

Scope

Broad field covering all Ecosystems and environmental interactions at multiple levels.

Limited to a specific community and its surrounding physical conditions.

Nature

Theoretical and analytical branch of biological science.

Practical, observable natural system existing physically in nature.

Components 

Focuses on organisms, organism-organism and organism-environment interactions.

Categorised into Abiotic and Biotic Components which further classifies biotic components into Producer Consumer and Decomposer classes.

Energy Concept

Examines how organisms respond to environmental energy availability.

Demonstrates actual energy flow through producers, consumers and decomposers through the food chain and web.

Nutritional Categories

Classifies organisms as symbionts, parasites, predators and saprophytes.

Shows feeding relationships through the nature of nutrition dependence like autotrophs, heterotrophs, saprotrophs and parasites.

Levels

Levels of ecology include organism, population, community, ecosystem, biome and biosphere, forming hierarchical environmental organization from individuals to planet.

Levels of ecosystem are structured through trophic levels: producers, consumers and decomposers linked by energy flow and nutrient cycling.

Biotic Role

Analyses biodiversity, abundance and species distribution patterns.

Contains producers, macro-consumers and micro-consumers functioning together.

Abiotic Role

Studies impact of temperature, rainfall, humidity and soil on organisms.

Integrates abiotic factors like atmospheric gases, minerals and climatic conditions.

Classification

No fixed structural classification; divided into autEcology and synEcology.

Categorised into marine, freshwater, forest, desert, grassland and artificial systems

Interaction Focus

Explains friendly and hostile interspecies relationships.

Describes nutrient cycling and ecological balance within a community.

Origin of Term

Derived from Greek “Oikos” meaning home and “logos” meaning study.

Derived from the Greek “Oikos” and the Greek systema, meaning “organized whole”.