ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Metabolic ecology

Metabolic ecology is like feeding your body with different kinds of foods to keep it healthy. Just like how you eat veggies, fruits and proteins to keep yourself healthy there are different types of organisms in the environment that eat different things to stay healthy.

Some organisms like plants make their food by themselves like how you grow your own veggie patch in the garden, while others like animals have to eat other organisms to get their food.

Just like how we use energy from the food we eat, organisms use energy from their food to grow, move and reproduce. Metabolic ecology looks at how different organisms use food and energy in different ways to make sure they survive in their environment.

It's like a big game where everyone has their winning strategies based on the foods they eat and how they use their energy. Some organisms are slow and steady, while others are fast and quick to catch prey.

Scientists study metabolic ecology to understand how different organisms are affected by changes in their environment and how they adapt to these changes.

In summary, metabolic ecology is all about understanding how different organisms use food and energy to keep them healthy and survive in their environment.