What is an ecological niche?

ecological niche it is the set of conditions that allow each species, whether animal or plant, to survive in the environment. It is the way of life of these populations and includes variables such as humidity, temperature, habits, food availability, predators, type of reproduction, among others.

The niche also shows how each species exploits the resources available in nature, that is, it represents the ecological role of each one in the ecosystem.

This includes their ecological relationships, for example how they feed, reproduce or escape predators.

These factors are crucial to discover why a population can adapt well in a certain environment, but cannot survive in another.

As there are no identical species, each one interacts with the environment in a different way, therefore, each species has a different niche.

Types of ecological niche

there are two types of ecological niche

: O fundamental and the accomplished, both of which consider the elements that allow the conservation of a viable population.

The difference is that the fundamental ecological niche makes this assessment disregarding other species, while the accomplished analyzes these factors with the presence of predators and competitors.

If two species have the same ecological niche, using the same environmental resources, they naturally tend to compete with each other.

In this case, there are two hypotheses: these species end up changing their niche, or they enter into such intense competition that one causes the extinction of the other. However, there are some species that, even having the same niche, manage to coexist in the same environment.

Difference between ecological niche and habitat

It is important to emphasize the difference between Habitat It is Ecological Niche, which are related concepts and therefore often confused.

The habitat is local where each species lives, while the niche refers to the function that the species develops within the habitat.

In the same habitat, there may be several different niches.

See too:

• Ecological relationships of living beings
• Ecological relations – Society and colony
• Intra and Interspecific Interactions