collocation · formal
ecological niche
UK/ˌiː.kəˈlɒdʒ.ɪ.kəl niːʃ/US/ˌiː.kəˈlɑː.dʒɪ.kəl niːʃ/e·co·LOG·i·cal NEECH
the role and position a species has in its environment, including how it gets food and interacts with others
Examples
“When an invasive species arrives it can displace natives by taking over their ecological niches.”
“Two species cannot occupy exactly the same ecological niche for long without competition.”
“Understanding a species' ecological niche helps conservationists plan reintroduction projects.”
Band 8 sentence
“To reintroduce a species successfully, conservationists must ensure the habitat can support its ecological niche without excessive competition.”
Collocations
- occupy an ecological niche
- ecological niche overlap
- shift ecological niche
Word family
Common mistakes
habitat→ecological niche
ecology niche→ecological niche
the niche→an ecological niche
Say it for a higher band
5role→6habitat→7+ecological niche
Synonyms
role in the ecosystem
functional role
Easily confused
habitat
“The panda's habitat consists mainly of bamboo forests in mountainous regions.”
role in the ecosystem
“Bees play an important role in the ecosystem by pollinating plants.”
Related words
Learn this word with the rest of its set, and get reminded at the right time.
In Nature & Animals
Learn it with its set