Habitat and Niche Concepts

The video explores the concepts of habitat and niche in biology. A habitat is defined as the environment where an organism lives, including all biotic and abiotic factors. Examples of habitats include forests, oceans, and deserts. The niche, first defined by Charles Elton in 1927, describes the role of a species within its community and the environmental factors affecting its distribution. While organisms can share a habitat, they cannot share the same niche due to differing roles and interactions. The video also distinguishes between fundamental and realized niches, explaining that a fundamental niche is the potential mode of existence of a species without competition, while a realized niche is the actual mode of existence resulting from competition and other factors.

What is the main focus of the video?

• The life cycle of plants

• The process of photosynthesis

• The difference between habitat and niche

• The anatomy of animals

Which of the following is an example of a habitat?

• A bird's role in a forest

• The ocean

• A bee's method of pollination

• A predator's hunting strategy

What does a habitat include?

• Neither biotic nor abiotic factors

• Only biotic factors

• Only abiotic factors

• Both biotic and abiotic factors

Who first defined the concept of niche?

• Charles Darwin

• Gregor Mendel

• Charles Elton

• Alfred Wallace

What does a niche describe?

• The physical space an organism occupies

• The role and environmental factors affecting a species

• The genetic makeup of a species

• The lifespan of an organism

Can two organisms share the same niche?

• No, because their roles differ

• Yes, but only if they are the same species

• No, never

• Yes, always

What is an example of organisms sharing a habitat but not a niche?

• Frogs and toads in a pond

• Lions and tigers in a savannah

• Birds and bees in a tree

• Fish and whales in the ocean

What is a fundamental niche?

• A niche with limited resources

• A niche with competition

• A niche without competition

• A niche with predators

What characterizes a realized niche?

• It is theoretical and without competition

• It is the actual conditions where a species lives

• It is the same as a fundamental niche

• It is a niche with no environmental factors

Which of the following is true about realized niches?

• They are often smaller due to competition

• They are always larger than fundamental niches

• They do not exist in nature

• They are the same as fundamental niches