Habitat, Niches, and Species Interactions

habitat

the place where an organism lives and gets the resources it needs to survive.

microhabitat

a smaller area within a habitat, like under a leaf or inside tree bark.

microbiome

the community of microorganisms living in or on another organism or environment

tolerance

the range of environmental conditions in which a species can survive and reproduce

niche

how a species lives within its habitat: how it gets food, reproduces, and interacts with others

intraspecific competition

competition between members of the same species

interspecific competition

competition between different species

competitive exclusion principle

when two species compete for the same niche at the same time, one will eventually outcompete the other

resource partitioning

when species share similar resources but divide them up

predator-prey relationship

one species hunts and eats another; their populations affect each other

herbivory

when animals eat plants, affecting the plants’ growth and population

keystone species

a species that has a major effect on the ecosystem, removing it can cause the whole ecosystem to collapse

mutualism

a relationship in which both species benefit

commensalism

a relationship in which one species benefits and the other is unaffected

parasitism

a relationship where one species lives on or in another, harming the host while benefiting itself