The Department of Plant Ecology and Geography was founded in 1972, as a logical consequence of the development of Phytoecology and Phytogeography, which were initiated at the University of Belgrade by academics Josif Pančić (1814 – 1888) and Nedeljko Košanin (1874 – 1934). Immediately after the end of World War II, two new subjects were introduced at the then Faculty of Natural Sciences in Belgrade: Phytogeography and Plant Ecology. The first course was taught by Prof. Ljubiša Glišić, and the second by Academician Stevan Jakovljević. Since 1956, these two subjects have been merged into one, under the name: Ecology and Geography of Plants. At that time, the teaching of this course was taken over by Prof. Milorad M. Janković, who, from 1972 until his retirement in 1990, led and developed the Department, and formally founded the Department of Plant Ecology and Geography. Practical teaching in the subject of Plant Ecology and Geography was introduced in 1959, and its implementation was initially attended by Radoje Bogojević, then Branka Stevanović (1970), Vladimir Stevanović (1974) and others. From 1989 to 2012, Prof. Vladimir Stevanović took over the management of the Department, then Prof. Dmitar Lakušić (from 2012 to 2021), and after him Prof. Marko Sabovljević (from 2021 to 2024). Today, the Department is headed by Prof. Dr. Tamara Rakić.

Today, the Department employs eight teachers, seven researchers, and one professional associate. In addition, numerous scholarship holders from the Ministry of Education, as well as doctoral students, are occasionally engaged in the implementation of teaching and scientific activities.

The teaching areas within which the members of the Department implement theoretical and practical teaching are: general ecology, plant ecology and phytogeography, as well as environmental protection with a special emphasis on the research and protection of endangered species and habitats.

Teachers and associates at the Department are currently participating in the implementation of teaching in 35 subjects, independently or in cooperation with other departments of the Faculty of Biology, namely: 10 mandatory courses in three modules of basic academic studies in Biology (Ecology and Environmental Protection, Biology, Molecular Biology and Physiology); 4 mandatory and 7 elective courses in two modules of master's academic studies in Ecology; and 3 mandatory and 11 elective courses in two modules of doctoral studies in Ecology.

In addition to theoretical and practical work on exercises, teaching in several subjects also takes place in the fields throughout the Balkan Peninsula. This includes visits to characteristic localities and work in nature, especially in places characterized by ecological specificities and the presence of characteristic or unique plants and plant communities. A large number of students are involved in professional research projects of the members of the department, and in this way educational activities implemented by the department also take place.

Scientific research within the Department, in the broadest sense, encompasses the general ecological laws of the existence, survival, and distribution of plants on local, regional, and global scales, both at the level of individual populations and species, and at the level of plant communities and ecosystems as a whole. In this sense, the main directions of the Department's scientific work are focused on:

A) research into the flora of vascular plants and bryophytes of the Balkan Peninsula as one of the most important centers of plant biodiversity in Europe.

B) research into the phylogenetic relationships and phylogeographic history of taxonomically complex aggregates and genera within which numerous "hidden" taxa are still found among sister species. Special attention is directed towards the study of allopatric speciation, hybridization, and the formation of polyploid lineages.

C) research into the ecological adaptations of plants, which are manifested at the physiological and structural levels.

D) research into vegetation diversity as a very important aspect of the plant biodiversity of Serbia and the Balkan Peninsula.

D) research related to biodiversity protection. Also, part of the activity is directed towards the conservation and reintroduction and/or introduction of endangered species to natural and potentially natural habitats.

D) research into the bioaccumulation potential and strategies of metallophytes on different types of geological substrates and anthropogenic metalliferous substrates with the aim of selecting suitable candidates for application in phytoremediation and phytomining.