Bio/Niches

Organisms occupy different places in part because each species has a range of conditions under which it can grow and reproduce. these conditions help define where and how and organism lives.

What is a Niche?

A niche is the range of physical and biological conditions in which a species lives and the way the spices obtains what it needs to survive and reproduce.

Defining the Niche

The definition of a Niche: A niche describes not only what an organism does, but also how it interacts with biotic and abiotic factors in the environment.

• resources and the niche: the term recourse can refer to any necessity of life, such as water, nutrients, light, food, or space. for plants, resources can include sunlight, water, and soil nutrients--all of which are essential to survival. for animals, resources can include nesting, space, shelter, types of food, and places to feed.
• physical aspects of the niche: part of an organism’s niche involves the abiotic factors it requires for survival. most amphibians, for example, lose and absorb water through their skin, so they must live in moist places. if an area is too hot and dry, or too cold for too long most amphibians cannot survive.
• biological aspects of the niche: biological aspects of an organism’s niche involve the biotic factors it requires for survival. When and how it reproduces, the food are all examples pf biological aspects of an organism’s niche. birds on Christmas Island, a small island in the Indian Ocean, for example, all live in different places. thus, each species occupies a distinct niche.