Palaeoecology (or paleoecology) is the study of past ecosystems. It uses evidence from fossils, sediments and landforms to reconstruct how ecosystems may have looked and functioned in the past, and how they have changed over time.
The field of palaeoecology emerged in the early 20th century as a way of studying prehistoric environments and their impact on human societies. In the 1950s and 1960s, palaeoecologists began to use modern ecological principles and methods to interpret fossil data, laying the foundations for the development of modern palaeoecology as a scientific discipline.
Today, palaeoecology is an interdisciplinary field that draws on knowledge and techniques from many different disciplines, including biology, geology, climatology, soil science and archaeology. Palaeoecological research has important implications for our understanding of global change, biodiversity loss and habitat destruction. It can also provide valuable insights into the long-term resilience of natural systems and their ability to recover from disturbance.