Information ecology refers to the study of information environments as living systems, where people, technologies, practices, and values interact in complex and sometimes unpredictable ways.
Rather than treating information as a static commodity, this perspective emphasises that information is always situated—shaped by context, culture, and the relationships between those who produce, share, and interpret it.
In an information ecology, each actor—whether human or technological—plays a distinct role, and the overall “health” of the system depends on the diversity and balance among its participants.
This approach encourages us to look beyond individual tools or isolated data points, considering instead the broader patterns and flows that give meaning and resilience to our information landscapes.
By focusing on connections, feedback loops, and emergent behaviours, information ecology offers a way to understand how knowledge is cultivated, sustained, or sometimes disrupted.