Molecular ecology is a field of study that focuses on the use of molecular biology tools to understand the processes underlying the distribution and abundance of organisms in their natural environments. Synonyms for molecular ecology include molecular biology applied to ecology, molecular population genetics, and evolutionary genetics. These terms emphasize the integration of molecular and evolutionary processes within the context of ecology, with an emphasis on understanding species interactions and environmental factors influencing genetic diversity. Other related fields within this area of study include ecological genomics, which uses genomics tools to study the genomic basis of ecological adaptation, and molecular biogeography, which examines patterns of population genetics and gene flow across geographic ranges.