Habitat. This term refers to the place where a plant or animal lives. For a water lily, its only habitat is a pond or a slow-moving river. In contrast, a species such as a blackberry may be found in more
than one habitat, e.g. heathland, woodland and in hedges. The common rat, often associated with humans, is seen in various habitats (e.g. farms, sewers, hedgerows and food stores).
On a smaller scale, the term microhabitatis used to pinpoint a particular part of a plant or soil where a particular plant, or a small organism occurs. The glasshouse whitefly occupies the under-leaf
microhabitat of a Fuchsia plant. The wilt fungus Verticillium alboatrumlives in the xylem micro-habitat of plants.
Niche. Given the dynamic way that plants and animals grow in size and numbers, and compete against each other, it is not surprising to find that each species of plant or animal has an ideal location for its best growth and survival (this location is called its niche). The term ‘niche’ carries with it an idea of the specialization that a species may exhibit within a community of other plants and animals. A niche involves, for plants, such factors as temperature, light intensity, humidity, pH, nutrient levels, etc. For animals such as pests and their predators, there are also factors such as preferred food
and chosen time of activity determining the niche. The term is rather hard to apply in an exact way, since each species shows a certain tolerance of the factors mentioned above, but it is useful in emphasizing specialization within a habitat. The biologist, Gause, showed that no two species can exist together if they occupy the same niche. One species will, sooner or later, start to dominate.
For the horticulturalist, here is the important concept that for each species planted in the ground, there is an ideal combination of factors to be considered if the plant is to grow well. Although this concept is an important one, it should not be taken to an extreme. Most plants tolerate a range of conditions, but the closer the grower gets to the ideal, the more likely they are to establish a healthy plant.
than one habitat, e.g. heathland, woodland and in hedges. The common rat, often associated with humans, is seen in various habitats (e.g. farms, sewers, hedgerows and food stores).
On a smaller scale, the term microhabitatis used to pinpoint a particular part of a plant or soil where a particular plant, or a small organism occurs. The glasshouse whitefly occupies the under-leafmicrohabitat of a Fuchsia plant. The wilt fungus Verticillium alboatrumlives in the xylem micro-habitat of plants.
Niche. Given the dynamic way that plants and animals grow in size and numbers, and compete against each other, it is not surprising to find that each species of plant or animal has an ideal location for its best growth and survival (this location is called its niche). The term ‘niche’ carries with it an idea of the specialization that a species may exhibit within a community of other plants and animals. A niche involves, for plants, such factors as temperature, light intensity, humidity, pH, nutrient levels, etc. For animals such as pests and their predators, there are also factors such as preferred food
and chosen time of activity determining the niche. The term is rather hard to apply in an exact way, since each species shows a certain tolerance of the factors mentioned above, but it is useful in emphasizing specialization within a habitat. The biologist, Gause, showed that no two species can exist together if they occupy the same niche. One species will, sooner or later, start to dominate.
For the horticulturalist, here is the important concept that for each species planted in the ground, there is an ideal combination of factors to be considered if the plant is to grow well. Although this concept is an important one, it should not be taken to an extreme. Most plants tolerate a range of conditions, but the closer the grower gets to the ideal, the more likely they are to establish a healthy plant.
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