ecological niche

American  

noun

Ecology.

1. the position or function of an organism in a community of plants and animals.

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ecological niche Cultural  

1. The place or function of a given organism within its ecosystem.

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Different organisms may compete for the same niche. For example, in a forest there may be a niche for an organism that can fly and eat nectar from blossoms. This niche may be filled by some sort of bird, or an insect, or even a mammal such as a bat.

Example Sentences

"Did jaws evolve in order to create a new ecological niche, or did our ancestors fill an existing niche first, and then diversify?" asks Prof. Sallan.

From Science Daily

This ability allows Balanophora to spread quickly into the narrow ecological niche it prefers: dark, moist forest undergrowth where few other plants can survive.

From Science Daily

The terror birds, which out-competed the mammals in occupying this particular ecological niche, may even have driven mammalian predators to take to the forests instead.

From Salon

"Our ancestors have chosen an ecological niche where the world is slow enough to make survival possible," the authors write.

From Salon

In modern ecosystems, that process has led closely related birds of paradise to develop different displays while sharing ecological niches.

From New York Times