- A habitat is the physical environment where an organism lives, while a niche is the functional role of an organism in its ecosystem.
 - The habitat is defined by abiotic factors like soil, water, temperature, and light.
 - A niche includes the organism's interactions with other species, such as competition, predation, and symbiosis.
 - The fundamental niche is the potential range of conditions an organism can occupy without competition.
 - The realized niche is the actual conditions where an organism lives due to interactions with other species.
 - Habitat can vary in size and type, such as forests, deserts, grasslands, aquatic environments, etc.
 - Niches are unique to species and prevent overlap, minimizing direct competition.
 - Species with similar niches often exhibit resource partitioning to coexist.
 - The habitat provides the necessary resources like food, shelter, and breeding grounds.
 - Niche differentiation allows species with overlapping niches to reduce competition.
 - A specialist species has a narrow niche and relies on specific resources (e.g., panda and bamboo).
 - A generalist species has a broad niche and can adapt to a variety of conditions (e.g., raccoons).
 - Keystone species have a disproportionate effect on their habitat and niche.
 - The concept of ecological equivalence explains species in different habitats having similar niches.
 - Microhabitats are small-scale habitats within larger ecosystems.
 - Examples of habitat: Coral reefs for marine organisms, savannas for elephants, and tundras for polar bears.
 - Examples of niche: Pollinators like bees help plants reproduce while feeding on nectar.
 - Environmental gradients like altitude and latitude influence habitat distribution.
 - Competitive exclusion principle states that two species cannot occupy the same niche indefinitely.
 - Niche overlap occurs when species share resources, often leading to competition.
 - Habitat destruction due to human activities is a major cause of biodiversity loss.
 - Niches are dynamic and can change with environmental conditions or species evolution.
 - The habitat provides the external environment, while the niche determines the organism's ecological role.
 - Autotrophs (producers) occupy the niche of energy converters through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis.
 - Heterotrophs (consumers) occupy niches as herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, or decomposers.
 - A niche also involves an organism's role in nutrient cycling and energy flow.
 - Indicator species often reflect the health of their habitat through their presence or absence.
 - Changes in habitat can lead to species migration, adaptation, or extinction.
 - Habitat and niche concepts are integral to conservation biology and ecosystem management.
 - Niche modeling is used to predict species distributions under various environmental conditions.
 - Ecotones are transitional zones between two habitats with high biodiversity.
 - Habitat fragmentation can disrupt species niches and lead to ecological imbalances.
 - Niches are shaped by both biotic factors (e.g., predation, competition) and abiotic factors (e.g., temperature, water availability).
 - Invasive species often exploit unoccupied or weakly occupied niches, disrupting ecosystems.
 - Habitat restoration is crucial for re-establishing ecological niches and biodiversity.
 - The niche breadth refers to the range of resources a species can use.
 - Studies on habitat and niche help understand species adaptation and ecosystem dynamics.
 - Interactions like mutualism, parasitism, and commensalism define specific niche roles.
 - Understanding niche theory is critical for ecological modeling and conservation planning.
 - The habitat niche concept is used to analyze species behavior and interactions in ecosystems.
 - Climatic changes can force species to shift their niches or lead to niche compression.
 - Endemic species have highly specialized niches, often tied to specific habitats.
 - Ecological succession involves changes in habitat and niche availability over time.
 - Habitat corridors help maintain connectivity for species with specific niche requirements.
 - Human activities like deforestation and urbanization alter habitats and niches.
 - The concept of habitat and niche forms the foundation of ecological research and biodiversity studies.
 
Questions
- What is the primary difference between habitat and niche?
 - Which term refers to the physical space occupied by an organism?
 - What does "niche" include besides an organism's role in the ecosystem?
 - Which is an example of a habitat?
 - What is an example of a niche for bees?
 - What is the niche of a predator in an ecosystem?
 - A habitat can best be described as:
 - What is the difference between fundamental and realized niche?
 - The niche of a decomposer includes:
 - Which of the following affects an organism’s niche?
 - What is the main role of a producer in an ecosystem’s niche?
 - What is the relationship between a habitat and a niche?
 - What term describes a species' use of resources and its interactions?
 - Which concept describes overlapping niches between species?
 - What is an example of resource partitioning?
 - How does a keystone species affect its niche?
 - Which is an abiotic factor affecting a habitat?
 - What happens when two species have identical niches?
 - Which process leads to niche differentiation?
 - What is an ecological niche of fungi?
 - The concept of “competitive exclusion” is related to:
 - What term refers to the range of environmental conditions an organism can tolerate?
 - What is an example of a realized niche?
 - Why is a niche considered dynamic?
 - Which niche-related process ensures coexistence of species?
 - What defines a generalist species' niche?
 - A specialist species is characterized by:
 - What is an ecological indicator of a healthy habitat?
 - What is an example of a keystone species’ niche?
 - Which environmental factor can shrink a species' niche?
 - What defines a niche breadth?
 - Which term refers to physical, chemical, and biological factors affecting a niche?
 - The concept of habitat is most closely related to:
 - Why is niche overlap important in ecology?
 - What is the role of camouflage in a niche?
 - What happens in an ecosystem with no niche overlap?