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i-ekholoji — isiZulu
Ubudlelwano phakathi kwezinto eziphilayo kanye nendawo yemvelo ezihlala kuyona. Leli temu lisuselwe egameni lesi-Griki elithi “oikos” elisho “ikhaya”. I-ekholoji yisifundo (noma isayensi) sobudlelwano phakathi kwezinto eziphilayo kanye nemvelo eziphila kuyona, okubandakanya izimo zasemoyeni, zasemanzini kanye nezasemhlabathini. Ngalokho-ke lesi sifundo sibandakanya izinto ezingaphili kanye nezinto eziphilayo ezakha imvelo yendawo ethile. Usayizi wendawo okuphila kuyona izinto eziphilayo ezithile uyahlukahluka kusukela ezindaweni ezincane (ezibizwa ngama-micro-habitats), ezinye zazo okuyizindawo zokuhlala ezincane impela ezilingana nengxenye engaphansi yeqabunga, noma kube yizindawo ezinkulukazi futhi ezibanzi kakhulu emhlabeni okutholakala kuzona izilwane nezitshalo ezinhlobonhlobo (bheka i-“biome”). Kodwa-ke, itemu elithi “ekholoji” liyasetshenziswa nakwezinye izimo eziningi. Sivamise ukukhuluma “nge-ekholoji” yendawo ethile noma yesifunda esithile, kodwa empeleni sisuke siqonde ukukhuluma ngezici zendawo ethile noma zesifunda esithile, futhi kahle-kahle singakhulumi ngesifundo sobudlelwano phakathi kwezinto eziphilayo kanye nalezo ezingaphili ezitholakala endaweni ethile noma esifundeni esithile.
