ecological niche
Organism's environmental position
An ecological niche is the role a species occupies within its environment—where it lives, what it eats, when it's active, how it interacts with other species.
The concept captures not just physical habitat but the organism's entire way of making a living: Every species fills a unique ecological niche.
The term extends metaphorically to any specialized position someone or something occupies: The company found its ecological niche in sustainable packaging.
Differential reproductive success
- fitnessGood physical shape
- evolutionSpecies changing over generations
- speciationFormation of distinct species
- convergent evolutionIndependent origin of similar features
coevolution · acclimatization · selection pressure · survival strategy
Interconnected organisms and surroundings
- biomeMajor ecological community
- microhabitatSmall distinct living area
- environmentExternal conditions affecting life
- territoryLand under jurisdiction
range · forest · wetland · coral reef · grassland · desert · tundra · savanna
Organism that consumes others
- preyAnimal being hunted
- producerOne who makes things
- consumerOne who acquires goods
- decomposerOrganism breaking down corpses
herbivore · carnivore · omnivore · detritivore · scavenger · pollinator · keystone species · apex predator
Simultaneous presence together
- displacementRemoval from usual location
- dominanceSuperior influence over others
- territorialityDefense of claimed space
- carrying capacityPopulation an environment sustains
Expert in one field
- generalistOne with broad expertise
- endemic speciesLife found nowhere else
Two-way biological benefit
- commensalismNeutral host, benefiting guest
- parasitismOne benefits, one suffers
- mycorrhizaeFungal-root mutualistic associations
- pollinationFlower reproductive transfer
natural selection
Differential reproductive success
- fitnessGood physical shape
- evolutionSpecies changing over generations
- speciationFormation of distinct species
convergent evolution · coevolution · acclimatization · selection pressure · survival strategy
ecosystem
Interconnected organisms and surroundings
- biomeMajor ecological community
- microhabitatSmall distinct living area
- environmentExternal conditions affecting life
territory · range · forest · wetland · coral reef · grassland · desert · tundra · savanna · marine
predator
Organism that consumes others
decomposer · herbivore · carnivore · omnivore · detritivore · scavenger · pollinator · keystone species · apex predator · filter feeder
coexistence
Simultaneous presence together
- displacementRemoval from usual location
- dominanceSuperior influence over others
- territorialityDefense of claimed space
carrying capacity · population density · competitive advantage
specialist
Expert in one field
- generalistOne with broad expertise
- endemic speciesLife found nowhere else
mutualism
Two-way biological benefit
- commensalismNeutral host, benefiting guest
- parasitismOne benefits, one suffers
- mycorrhizaeFungal-root mutualistic associations
pollination · lichen · cleaner fish · gut microbiome · facilitation
- ecologyhabitat, ecosystem, balance, food webs, food chain
- biodiversityspecies diversity, endemism, genetic diversity, biodiversity hotspots, biota
- food websfood web, food chain, food chains, producer, consumer
- biogeographybioregion, species range, endemism, dispersal, native range
- ecological datawildlife monitoring, population density, ecosystem health, keystone species
- ecotonesecotone, transition zone, forest edge, treeline, timberline
niche, ecology, niches, ecological, ecologist, ecologically, ecologists, ecologies