Résumé
Both ecology and evolutionary biology aim to explain biodiversity dynamics. Although these fields share may similarities with regard to the forces and concepts involved, they have been separated more than they should. Recently, attempts to bring them closer together became more prevalent, with the rising idea of “eco-evolutionary dynamics”. We propose a historical and analytical account of this rapprochement. We distinguish between different views of eco-evolution, based on the role of the relative pace of ecology and evolution in defining genuine eco-evolutionary processes. We then build a conceptual map of the interactions between ecology and evolution, categorizing the depth of their association, from parallelism (similar processes in both fields) to articulation (intraspecific and interspecific variation taken into account, similar pace). Four focal elements of this map that have driven rapprochement are highlighted: Demography governs individual variation and can generate eco-evolutionary feedbacks through density- or frequency-dependent processes; Temporal and spatial modulators, including migration, enable eco-evolutionary coupling; Intraspecific and interspecific competition can produce character displacement that reshapes communities and ecosystem functioning; The abiotic environment links functional ecology and evolution through its predictability. Eco-evolution offers a more comprehensive understanding of biodiversity, which is essential for improved forecasting and nature-based solutions to the crisis.