The niche of an organism is the functional role that it plays within an ecosystem.
The niche is determined by the biotic factors, which comprise living features such as animals, plants and fungi, and abiotic factors comprising the non-living features such as sunlight, water availability and weather, resources, food, etc.
Example of Niche – An example of an ecological niche is that of the dung beetle. The dung beetle, as its name suggests, consumes dung both in larval and adult form. Dung beetles store dung balls in burrows, and females lay eggs within them.
This allows hatched larvae immediate access to food. The dung beetle in turn influences the surrounding environment by aerating soil and rereleasing beneficial nutrients. Therefore, the dung beetle performs a unique role in its environment
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