Ecological Niche

Definition

An ecological niche refers to the role and position that an organism occupies within its environment. It includes the resources it uses, interactions with other species, and its overall contribution to the ecosystem.

Analogy

Think of an ecological niche as a specific job or role within a company. Just like different employees have different roles and responsibilities, each organism in an ecosystem has its own unique ecological niche.

Related terms

Habitat: A habitat is the physical environment where an organism lives. It provides the necessary resources and conditions for survival.

Competitive Exclusion Principle: The competitive exclusion principle states that two species competing for the same limited resources cannot coexist indefinitely. One species will outcompete and exclude the other.

Resource Partitioning: Resource partitioning refers to the division of limited resources among different species to reduce competition. It allows multiple species with similar needs to coexist by utilizing resources at different times or in different ways.