Download Brian Gelbach January 22, 2012 20155660 Biology Period 8 Dr

Brian Gelbach
20155660
Biology
Period 8
Dr. Halloran
Ecological Niche
January 22, 2012
In ecology, a niche is a place a certain species in a community. Niches include the
species life story, place in the food chain, and habitat. Since each species has its own
unique niche that makes it different to a habitat, which can be filled with more than one
species. More than one species cannot occupy one niche for a very long time. The
number of resources and enemies can affect population in niches. An abundance of
resources and lack of enemies can lead to the growing of a population. The environment
of a niche can also tell how resources and enemies affect and are affected by the
population. (sciencedaily.com) Another factor of a niche is how an organism can adapt to
its niche. Ecologists that have studied this adaptation have learned that organisms have to
adapt to get energy. The first adaptation an organism has to make is where it is going to
live in its habitat. (mikecurtis.org.uk)
An example of an ecological niche is the niche of the red fox. Its habitat is of the
meadow forest-edge community. The niche of the red fox is that of a predator who hunts
at night and feeds on animals lower on the food chain, such as smaller mammals,
amphibians, and insects, and occasionally fruit. It is the only specie that occupies this
role. In other habitats, a similar niche of the red fox may be taken up. For example, in a
grassland habitat, the coyote is the predator niche. Since the red fox’s role is gathering
food, it also provides for others. For the mosquitoes and black flies in its habitat, the red
fox provides them the leftover blood from its prey. For the small scavengers and
decomposers in its habitat, it provides the scraps or carrion after it has eaten.
(mikecurtis.org.uk)
Work Cited
“Ecological niche.” Sciencedaily.com. 2010. ScienceDaily. 22 January 2012.
<http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/e/ecological_niche.htm>.
“The Ecological Niche.” Mikecurtis.org.uk. 22 January 2012.
<http://www.mikecurtis.org.uk/ecology/ecological_niche.htm>.