The scientific study of how animals and plants interact with one another and with the physical and chemical factors of their environment is known by which term?

Introduction / Context:
Living organisms do not exist in isolation. Animals, plants, and microorganisms constantly interact with each other and with their surrounding environment, which includes air, water, soil, climate, and chemical factors. The branch of biology that systematically studies these interactions is extremely important for understanding biodiversity, conservation, pollution, and climate change. This question asks you to choose the correct scientific term that describes the study of organisms in relation to their environment.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question refers to the relation of animals and plants to their surroundings.
• We are looking for a biological term that captures these interactions.
• The options include words such as ecology, ethology, genealogy, iconology, and taxonomy.
• We assume familiarity with basic biological terminology.

Concept / Approach:
Ecology is defined as the branch of biology that deals with the relationships of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings. An ecosystem includes both the biotic components (living organisms) and the abiotic components (non living factors such as light, temperature, water, and soil). Ecologists study how energy flows through food chains and food webs, how populations grow and interact, and how human activities affect these systems. This is different from ethology, which focuses on animal behaviour, and from genealogy, which looks at family or ancestral lineages in humans and other species.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify key words in the question such as “relation of animals and plants to their surroundings.” Step 2: Recall the definition of ecology as the study of organisms and their interactions with the environment. Step 3: Differentiate ecology from other similar sounding terms, such as ethology (behaviour) and taxonomy (classification). Step 4: Compare the options and locate the one that precisely matches this definition. Step 5: Select ecology as the correct answer and rule out unrelated terms.

Verification / Alternative check:
One way to remember this is to think of common phrases such as “ecological balance,” “ecological footprint,” and “ecosystem.” All of these expressions refer to relationships between living organisms and their environment. In textbooks, ecology includes topics like population dynamics, community interactions, food chains, and biogeochemical cycles, all of which involve these relationships. This consistent use of the root word “eco” for environment reinforces that ecology is the correct term for the study described in the question.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Ethology, the study of animal behaviour: Ethology focuses on how animals behave, communicate, and respond to stimuli, not directly on their environment as a whole. Genealogy, the study of family lineages: Genealogy is mainly about tracing descent and family trees, especially in humans. Iconology, the study of symbols and images: Iconology is related to the interpretation of visual symbols in art and culture, not biology. Taxonomy, the science of classification of organisms: Taxonomy deals with naming and classifying organisms into groups like species and genera.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse ecology with ethology because both words relate to animals and may appear in similar chapters. However, ethology is narrower and concerns behavioural patterns, while ecology is broader and includes energy flow, nutrient cycles, and interactions between organisms and the environment. Another mistake is to pick taxonomy, because classification and environmental studies are often taught in close chapters. Remembering that “eco” refers to environment can help you confidently select ecology in such questions.

Final Answer:
Thus, the study of the relations of animals and plants to their surroundings is called Ecology, the study of organisms and their environment.