What is ecology? Ecology is the branch of biology that deals with the relations of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings. Sometimes it may involve, the movement that seeks to protect the environment, especially from pollution. Natural selection, predation or starvation, the dichotomous key, biodiversity, habitats, food chains and predators/prey all make up ecology. What are some cool facts about the wood turtle? - 6 to 9 inches - Clutch size varies from 3 to 18 eggs - Eggs need 47 to 69 days to hatch -Recognized by it's sculpted shell and orange coloration on the legs and neck -A statewide monitoring program is needed to track long-term population trends