Question

Who coined the term 'Ecology' in 1869?

• A. E.P. Odum
• B. Arthur Tansley
• C. Roy Clapham
• D. Ernst Haeckel

Answer 1

Answer:

D. Ernst Haeckel

Ernst Haeckel and the Term 'Ecology'

• Ernst Haeckel (1834–1919) was a prominent German zoologist, naturalist, evolutionist, artist, and philosopher. He is widely recognized for coining the term 'Ecology' in 1869.
• The term 'Ecology' was derived from the Greek words:
  • 'oikos' meaning 'house' or 'habitat'
  • 'logia' meaning 'study of'.
  Essentially, ecology is the study of organisms' 'home' or their interactions with their environment.
• Haeckel's original definition for ecology was 'Ökologie', which he defined as the 'total relations of the animal to both its organic and inorganic environment'.
• He was a fervent proponent of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution in Germany and contributed significantly to the popularization of evolutionary theory.
• Haeckel also proposed the famous recapitulation theory, often summarized as 'ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny', suggesting that the developmental stages of an embryo (ontogeny) reflect the evolutionary history of its species (phylogeny).

Key Concepts and Related Facts for Competitive Exams:

• While Haeckel coined 'Ecology', Alexander von Humboldt (1769–1859), a Prussian polymath, is often considered one of the founders of modern geography and ecological thinking due to his extensive work on plant distribution and climate.
• The modern definition of ecology encompasses the study of the relationships between living organisms, including humans, and their physical environment; it includes the study of how these interactions affect the distribution and abundance of organisms.
• The major levels of organization in ecology are: Organism → Population → Community → Ecosystem → Biome → Biosphere.
• Ecology is a fundamental branch of biology, and its principles are crucial for understanding environmental issues and conservation efforts.