ecological niche
Americannoun
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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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"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 ● Jan. 11, 2026
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 ● Feb. 25, 2025
Hopefully some possible futures include an ecological niche for humans.
From Scientific American ● Nov. 7, 2023
In some areas, species have had tens of millions of years to migrate and specialize, “filling each ecological niche completely.”
From National Geographic ● Oct. 13, 2023
The Earth then was full of awesome, nightmarish lizards—the dinosaurs, immensely successful creatures, which filled virtually every ecological niche.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
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