The term "ecology" was coined in 1866 by a German scientist named Ernst Haeckel. Ernst Haeckel was a prominent biologist, philosopher, and artist who made significant contributions to various fields, including zoology, evolutionary biology, and ecology. He is credited with introducing and popularizing the concept of ecology through his work, particularly his book titled "Generelle Morphologie der Organismen" (The General Morphology of Organisms). Haeckel used the term "Ökologie" in the German edition of this book to describe the study of the relationships between organisms and their environment. The term "ecology" has since been adopted and widely used in scientific and environmental discourse worldwide.