'ecologically-stable' originates from the combination of 'ecology' and 'stable', where 'ecology' refers to the study of organisms and their environment, and 'stable' means not likely to change or fail.

The term 'ecologically-stable' evolved from the increasing awareness of environmental science and the need to describe ecosystems that can withstand changes.

Initially, it meant 'stable in an ecological context', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.