IPA: /ˌiːkoʊˌfɪziˈɒlədʒi/
KK: /iˌkoʊˌfɪziˈɑlədʒi/
The study of how living things function and interact with their environment.
Ecophysiology helps us understand how plants adapt to climate change.
Ecophysiology is formed from "eco-" (from Greek "oikos", meaning house or environment) and "physiology" (from Greek "physiologia", meaning the study of nature or natural functions). The term refers to the study of how organisms interact with their environment and how environmental factors affect their physiological processes.
Think of 'eco-' as relating to the 'environment' and 'physiology' as the 'study of natural functions'. This helps you remember that ecophysiology is about understanding how living things function within their environments.