ecological

ecology

(e-kol'o-je) [Gr. oikos, house + -logy]

The science of the relationship of organisms to their environment, including the interactions among organisms. ecologicecological (e?ko-loj'ik, i-kal), adjective See: food chain

ecology of human performance

Abbreviation: EHP

A conceptual framework for occupational therapy practice aimed at improving task performance by considering the person's skills and experiences, the context of the situation in which a task is performed, and the nature of the task. Interventions include altering the context of task performance to make it more supportive or a better match for the person's skills and remediating a person's skill deficits, among others.

ecological

emanating from or pertaining to ecology.

---

ecological biome

see biome.

ecological climax

the state of balance in an ecosystem when its inhabitants have established their permanent relationships with each other.

ecological fallacy

bias following misinterpretation that ecological factors affect all individuals equally.

ecological imbalance

the naturally occurring changes in the environment, e.g. bushfires, floods, volcanic fallout, which leave it unbalanced with respect to the type and quality of the feed they provide.

ecological interface

the border between two ecosystems.

ecological mosaic

a pattern of interspersed ecosystems.

ecological niche

1. the position occupied by an organism in relation to other organisms and to the environment.

2. a particular part of an ecological environment in which a particular plant or animal species prospers. It is the set of terms, in relation to food and water supply and relationship with predators and disease and with competitors, by which the organism achieves its full biological potential.