CogKnoSys

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Physical

Habitats

A habitat is the set of resources and living conditions in a place that lets a particular species survive and reproduce.

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The idea

In ecology, a habitat is the set of resources and living things in an area that lets a particular species survive and reproduce. Physical factors in a habitat include soil, moisture, the range of temperature and the amount of light. Biotic factors, which come from living things, include the food available and whether predators are present. A species' habitat can be seen as the physical form of its ecological niche, meaning its role and way of life.

Every species has its own habitat needs. Habitat generalists can thrive in many kinds of conditions, while habitat specialists need a very limited set of conditions to survive. A habitat does not have to be a large area. It can be the inside of a plant stem, a rotten log, a rock or a clump of moss. For a parasite, the habitat is the body of its host, or even one part of that body.

Scientists also sort places into habitat types based on features such as vegetation and climate. Forests, grasslands and deserts are land habitat types. Marshes, streams, rivers, lakes and ponds are freshwater types, while reefs, estuaries and the open sea are marine types. Habitats can change suddenly through events such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes or wildfires. They can also change slowly over thousands of years as the climate shifts.

Check yourself

Question 1 of 2

What is a species called if it can thrive in a wide range of conditions?

Pick one. The first pick counts.

Composition

what it's made of

  • Physical factors — Soil, moisture, temperature range and light intensity.
  • Biotic factors — Living influences such as available food and the presence or absence of predators.
  • Species requirements — Each species needs a particular set of conditions to survive and reproduce.
  • Habitat types — Groupings of places by vegetation and climate, such as forest, grassland, marsh or reef.

Connection

how it relates

Under Ecosystems

Related

  1. Climate Patternsstrength 80 of 100

    Climate helps decide which habitat types form in a place, and a shifting climate changes habitats over time.

  2. Mount St. Helensstrength 50 of 100

    A volcanic eruption, like those of Mount St. Helens, can suddenly destroy and reshape the habitats around a mountain.

  3. Water Cyclestrength 50 of 100

    Rain, rivers and evaporation control how much moisture a habitat gets.

Felt

  1. Nature Connectionstrength 40 of 100

    Spending time in natural habitats is a common way people feel connected to the living world.

Change

how and why it evolves

Past
Over millennia, habitats shifted as ice sheets and glaciers advanced and retreated and as weather patterns changed rainfall and sunlight.
Now
Today human activities such as cutting forests, plowing grasslands, damming rivers and draining marshes are changing many habitats directly.
Next
Introduced species and a changing climate will likely keep reshaping habitats, which makes protecting them an important goal for conservation.

Knowledge you can walk. Read the idea, then step up, across or down.

Habitats

A habitat is the set of resources and living conditions in a place that lets a particular species survive and reproduce.

Learn, discuss, create, buy or invest

The idea

In ecology, a habitat is the set of resources and living things in an area that lets a particular species survive and reproduce. Physical factors in a habitat include soil, moisture, the range of temperature and the amount of light. Biotic factors, which come from living things, include the food available and whether predators are present. A species' habitat can be seen as the physical form of its ecological niche, meaning its role and way of life.

Every species has its own habitat needs. Habitat generalists can thrive in many kinds of conditions, while habitat specialists need a very limited set of conditions to survive. A habitat does not have to be a large area. It can be the inside of a plant stem, a rotten log, a rock or a clump of moss. For a parasite, the habitat is the body of its host, or even one part of that body.

Scientists also sort places into habitat types based on features such as vegetation and climate. Forests, grasslands and deserts are land habitat types. Marshes, streams, rivers, lakes and ponds are freshwater types, while reefs, estuaries and the open sea are marine types. Habitats can change suddenly through events such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes or wildfires. They can also change slowly over thousands of years as the climate shifts.

Check yourself

2 quick questions, instant feedback.