Practice Flashcards
Flip to reveal answersWhat is an ecological niche?
Track your progress — Sign up free to save your progress and get smart review reminders based on spaced repetition.
All 12 Flashcards — What is an ecological niche?
Sign up free to track progress and get spaced-repetition review schedules.
Question
What is an ecological niche?
Answer
The **role** a species plays in its ecosystem — its **abiotic tolerances**, its **food source** and its **interactions** with other species.
Question
What three things describe a niche?
Answer
**Abiotic tolerances** (e.g. temperature, oxygen), the **food/energy source**, and **interactions** with other species.
Question
What is the difference between a habitat and a niche?
Answer
A **habitat** is *where* an organism lives (its 'address'); a **niche** is its *role* — how it lives (its 'job').
Question
Can two species share a habitat but have different niches?
Answer
**Yes** — e.g. two fish in the same lake that feed on different foods have the same habitat but different niches.
Question
Define an abiotic factor.
Answer
A **non-living** physical condition of the environment, such as temperature, oxygen, light or pH.
Question
Define a biotic factor.
Answer
A **living** influence on an organism, such as predators, prey, competitors or partner species.
Question
What is a tolerance range?
Answer
The range of an abiotic factor (e.g. temperature) within which a species can **survive and grow**.
Question
What is the fundamental niche?
Answer
The **full** range of conditions and resources a species **could** occupy if there were **no competitors**.
Question
What is the realized niche?
Answer
The **smaller** part of the fundamental niche a species **actually** occupies once **competitors** are present.
Question
Why is the realized niche smaller than the fundamental niche?
Answer
Because **competition** restricts the species to part of its potential range (the start of competitive exclusion).
Question
How should you answer a niche question using a data table?
Answer
**Read the data** (e.g. temperature ranges) and deduce from the numbers — do not answer from general memory of the species.
Question
Why might a small fish be more abundant among submerged plants than floating plants?
Answer
Submerged plants are part of its niche — they provide **more shelter from predators** and **more food**, so the fish survives better there.
Read the notes
Full study notes for What is an ecological niche?
Topic 2.10 hub
Ecological niches
More from Topic 2.10
All flashcards in this topic
Biology exam skills
Paper structures & tips
Track your progress with spaced repetition
Sign up free — Aimnova tells you exactly which cards to review and when, so you remember everything before your IB exam.
Start Free