Ecology is two close things, and people slide between them. First, it is the real web of links in a place: plants, animals, people, soil, water and weather, all affecting one another. Second, it is the science that tries to understand that web.

Ecology is two close thingsEcology其實是兩個很接近的東西，and people slide between them而大家常常在這兩者之間滑來滑去。First, it is the real web of links in a place第一，它是某個地方裡真實存在的連結網：plants, animals, people, soil, water and weather植物、動物、人、土壤、水和天氣，all affecting one another彼此都互相影響。Second, it is the science that tries to understand that web第二，它是那門試著去理解這張網的科學。

A forest has an ecology; so does a pond. If you take out one piece — the bees, the wolves, the clean water — the other pieces shift. People also stretch the word in daily talk: “the ecology of a classroom,” “office ecology,” meaning how the parts of a system get along even when no trees are involved.

A forest has an ecology一座森林有自己的ecology，so does a pond一個池塘也有。If you take out one piece如果你拿掉其中一塊——the bees, the wolves, the clean water像蜜蜂、狼群、乾淨的水——the other pieces shift其他的部分就會跟著改變。People also stretch the word in daily talk大家在日常說話裡也會把這個字用得更寬："the ecology of a classroom," "office ecology,"像「the ecology of a classroom」、「office ecology」，meaning how the parts of a system get along意思是一個系統裡各部分怎麼相處，even when no trees are involved就算完全跟樹木無關也一樣。

That stretch is common, but a little loose; the tidy meanings are the living web and the science of it.

That stretch is common, but a little loose這種用得更寬的用法很常見，但有點鬆散；the tidy meanings are the living web and the science of it精確的意思就是那張活的網，還有研究它的那門科學。

Though actually, ecology is not just a prettier word for environment. Environment is more like the surroundings; ecology stresses the relationships.

Though actually不過其實，ecology is not just a prettier word for environmentecology不只是environment的一個比較好聽的說法。Environment is more like the surroundingsenvironment比較像是周遭的環境條件；ecology stresses the relationshipsecology強調的是彼此之間的關係。

A German scientist, Ernst Haeckel, coined Ökologie in 1866; English took the idea as ecology. Underneath are Greek οἶκος, “house,” and -λογία, “study of” — so the picture is “the study of our house,” the living world we live in.

A German scientist, Ernst Haeckel, coined Ökologie in 1866一位德國科學家Ernst Haeckel在1866年創了Ökologie這個字；English took the idea as ecology英文把這個概念吸收成ecology。Underneath are Greek οἶκος, "house," and -λογία, "study of"底下是希臘文的οἶκος「房子」和-λογία「……的研究」——so the picture is "the study of our house,"所以整個畫面就是「研究我們的房子」，the living world we live in也就是我們住在其中的這個活生生的世界。