Aquatic ecology and Biodiversity

Unit 1- Aquatic ecology

1.1.3. Sub divisions of ecology
Ecology broadly divided into subdivisions (Kirchrer and Schroter, 1902)
• Autecology
• Synecology

Autoecology
Autoecology is the study of individual organisms in relation to environment. It includes the study of life history, behavior, home range, population dynamics etc. Its great significance in economic biology such as fish culture, prawn culture, pearl culture etc.

Synecology
Synecology is the study of groups of organisms, which are associated together as a unit in relation to environment. It includes the study of community and ecosystem. It deals with the study of pond ecosystem, rocky shore, sandy shore, coral reefs ecosystems etc. Synecology is philosophical and deductive. It is largely descriptive. According to Herreid (1977) when autecology and synecology are studied together, the synecologist paints the outline of a picture with a broad brush and an autecologist paints the finer details.