Question

Who among the following coined the term "Ecology", marking a foundational moment in environmental science?

• A. Charles Darwin
• B. Alexander von Humboldt
• C. Ernst Haeckel
• D. Alfred Russel Wallace

Answer 1

Answer:

C. Ernst Haeckel

• Correct Answer: Option C - Ernst Haeckel

• Ernst Haeckel, a German zoologist, naturalist, and philosopher, coined the term "Ecology" in 1866. The word comes from the Greek words "oikos" (meaning "house" or "habitat") and "logos" (meaning "study"), thus ecology literally means "the study of homes/habitats."

• Haeckel first introduced this term in his work "Generelle Morphologie der Organismen" (General Morphology of Organisms). He defined ecology as the study of all the complex interrelationships referred to by Darwin as the conditions of the struggle for existence. This marked a foundational moment in environmental science by establishing a formal scientific discipline focused on studying how organisms interact with each other and their environment.