Niche Flashcards
Define a niche.
The ecological niche of an organism is the functional role it plays in the community
What information is included in an organism’s niche?
4
What it eats
What it is eaten by
How it interacts with organisms
How it interacts with its abiotic environment
Why can two organisms with identical niches not survive for long in the same habitat?
This is because they would both compete in some way e.g. for food, space, nesting sites etc.
How do swallows, thrushes and blackbirds prevent competition?
(3)
By occupying different niches in the same habitiat
The swallow feeds on aerial insects
The thrush feeds on ground insects and snails
The blackbird takes insects on trees, but mostly eats fruit and worms
What do swallows feed on?
Aerial insects
What do thrushes feed on>
Ground insects and snails
What do blackbirds feed on?
Insects on trees, but mostly fruits and worms
How do edible and flat periwinkles prevent competition?
3
They occupy different niches
Edible periwinkles feed on algae scraped from rocks
Flat periwinkles feed on larger seaweeds
