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niche Two lichen species flourishing on separate areas on a rock face. Each survives within its own ecological niche.

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ecology
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niche, in ecology, all of the interactions of a species with the other members of its community, including competition, predation, parasitism, and mutualism. A variety of abiotic factors, such as soil type and climate, also define a species’ niche. Each of the various species that constitute a community occupies its own ecological niche. Informally, a niche is considered the “job” or “role” that a species performs within nature.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.