Think of it as a species' job or role in the big office called the ecosystem. Just as every employee at a workplace has a specific role (like the manager, the IT guy, or the receptionist), every species in an ecosystem does its own unique job!

• Biotic = Living things (e.g., plants, animals, fungi)

• Abiotic = Non-living things (e.g., sunlight, rain, temperature)

  🌟 An ecological niche involves both living and non-living components.

Imagine wearing a winter jacket on a beach. Sounds terrible, right? Just like you have a preferred environment, species have "zones of tolerance" for things like temperature or humidity. This determines where they live, or their habitat. For instance, cacti thrive in deserts but would struggle in a rainforest!

• Synthesizers: Plants use light, water, and carbon dioxide to make their own food (photosynthesis). Think of them as chefs cooking their meals.

• Takers: Animals obtain their food from other organisms. Imagine going to a restaurant every day.

  🌟 Special Tip: To avoid a food fight (competition), species pick a food specialty. Like how you might call dibs on the last slice of pizza! And, to be the best at their specialty, species develop unique traits, or adaptations.