Ecology is the study of how living organisms interact with each other and with their physical environment. Some basic ecological concepts include:

1. Ecosystems: An ecosystem is a community of living and non-living things that interact with each other in a particular environment. Examples of ecosystems include forests, oceans, and grasslands.
2. Biodiversity: Biodiversity refers to the variety of living organisms in an ecosystem. A high level of biodiversity is important for the health and stability of ecosystems.
3. Habitat: A habitat is the natural environment where an organism lives. Every species has a specific habitat that it has adapted to over time.
4. Food chain: A food chain is the sequence of organisms in an ecosystem through which energy and nutrients pass as one organism eats another. For example, plants are eaten by herbivores, which are then eaten by carnivores.
5. Niche: A niche refers to the role or position that an organism has in an ecosystem. This includes things like the type of food it eats, the time of day it is active, and the type of habitat it lives in.

Understanding these basic ecological concepts is important for understanding the relationships between living organisms and their environment, and how human activities can impact the health and stability of ecosystems.