What distinguishes a habitat from a niche?

The distinction between a habitat and a niche is fundamental to understanding ecosystems. A habitat refers to the physical environment or place where an organism lives, encompassing all the physical and biological factors present in that environment. This includes aspects such as climate, soil type, and available resources like food and shelter.

In contrast, a niche describes the role of an organism within its environment. This includes how it interacts with other organisms, its behavior, and its use of resources within its habitat. The niche reflects how an organism contributes to the ecosystem, including its position in the food web, its reproductive habits, and its interactions with both biotic (living organisms) and abiotic (non-living elements) components.

Therefore, the correct answer highlights the relationship between habitat and niche: while a habitat is the environment where an organism lives, a niche is the specific role it plays within that environment. This understanding is crucial for studying ecology and the dynamics of biological communities.