A habitat is where the animal lives; it’s environment. An ecological niche is more about how it fits in. Is it a predator, prey, how does the creature fit into the ecological structure? For instance, a bee’s habitat could be an environment with flowering plants. It’s ecological niche would be more complex; the bee pollinates plants, the plants feed other animals, etc, etc. Ecological niche is interconnectivity with other animals and with plants. Does that make sense?
A habitat is an actual part of the environment, and a niche is what I refer to as the organism’s “job” within that environment. Another way to see it is that a niche is how an organism responds to resources and competition.
So, in short, a niche of an organism depends on the habitat in which it lives.
That’s what I teach my students, at least. I hope that’s enough to point you in the right direction without completely giving it away.
A habitat is where the animal lives; it’s environment. An ecological niche is more about how it fits in. Is it a predator, prey, how does the creature fit into the ecological structure? For instance, a bee’s habitat could be an environment with flowering plants. It’s ecological niche would be more complex; the bee pollinates plants, the plants feed other animals, etc, etc. Ecological niche is interconnectivity with other animals and with plants. Does that make sense?
A habitat is an actual part of the environment, and a niche is what I refer to as the organism’s “job” within that environment. Another way to see it is that a niche is how an organism responds to resources and competition.
So, in short, a niche of an organism depends on the habitat in which it lives.
That’s what I teach my students, at least. I hope that’s enough to point you in the right direction without completely giving it away.