* Ecology: This field studies how organisms interact with their environment. Their "way of life" within an ecosystem is often described by their niche, which encompasses their role, resources used, and interactions with other species.
* Behavior: The study of how organisms act and react to their environment. Their "way of life" can be described through their behavior patterns, such as mating rituals, feeding strategies, or social interactions.
* Life History: This refers to the major events in an organism's life, including growth, reproduction, and survival. A species' "way of life" can be understood through its life history strategy, which involves trade-offs between different life stages and how they contribute to fitness.
* Lifestyle: This is a more general term that can encompass any aspect of an organism's life, from its diet and habitat to its social structure and migration patterns.
So, depending on your focus, you could use terms like niche, behavior patterns, life history strategy, lifestyle, or even ethology (the scientific study of animal behavior).