Student Article
Habitats and Ecosystems: Understanding Their Differences and Impact on Biodiversity
Niche (noun): A special role an organism has in its habitat.
Biodiversity (noun): The variety of plant and animal life in a particular habitat.
Ever wondered where animals and plants live?
The difference between a habitat and an ecosystem
Animals and plants live in different places called habitats and ecosystems. A habitat is a place where an organism lives, like a forest or a desert. An ecosystem is a group of living things and how they interact with each other and their environment.
Habitats
Habitats can be big or small. For example, a tree can be a habitat for birds and insects. There are different types of habitats, like forests, grasslands, and oceans. Each habitat has its own plants and animals.
Environments
An environment includes all the living things in a habitat and how they interact with non-living things like water, air, and soil. For example, in a forest ecosystem, trees, animals, and insects interact with the soil and water.
Niches
A niche is a special role an organism has in its habitat. For example, a bee's niche is to pollinate flowers. Different organisms have different niches.
Biodiversity
Biodiversity means having many different kinds of plants and animals in an area. Habitats with lots of different places for organisms to live have higher biodiversity. Tropical rainforests and coral reefs are examples of places with high biodiversity.
© JV Chamary / Our Media
Niche (noun): A special role an organism has in its habitat.
Biodiversity (noun): The variety of plant and animal life in a particular habitat.