- 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?