Functional ecology is a sub-discipline of ecology that focuses on understanding the relationship between an organism's traits and its environment, and how these traits contribute to the overall functioning of ecosystems. This field examines how organisms' traits, behaviors, and physiology interact with their environment to influence ecosystem processes such as nutrient cycling, energy flow, and species interactions. Functional ecologists study how different species adapt to their environment and how their traits influence their role in ecosystem dynamics. This research area is crucial for understanding and predicting how ecosystems will respond to environmental changes and human impacts.