Who is recognized as the founder of ecology?

The recognition of Ernst Haeckel as the founder of ecology stems from his introduction of the term "Ökologie" in 1866. In his work, he defined ecology as the study of the interactions between organisms and their environment, which laid the groundwork for the field as we understand it today. Haeckel's emphasis on the relationships and interdependencies among living organisms and between organisms and their environments marked a significant shift in biological sciences, moving beyond classification and evolution to focus on how life interacts with the ecosystem.

This foundational concept set the stage for future ecological research and discussions, highlighting the importance of understanding not just individual species but their roles within larger environmental contexts. Haeckel's contributions helped establish ecology as a distinct scientific discipline, differentiating it from other branches of biology. Thus, his foundational work and terminology are crucial to the development of ecology as we study it now.