Habitat and Microhabitats

Population

⬜ All the organisms in an ecosystem which belong
to the same species make up a population.

⬜Populations in our area include:

◼ Humans

◼ Deer

◼ Squirrels

◼ Mice

◼ Different types of birds

Community

⬜ All the
populations in
an ecosystem
make up a
community.

⬜ All the birds,
deer, mice,
squirrels, and
humans living
together in
Austin make a
community.

Habitats

⬜ The place an organism lives is its habitat.

⬜ A woodpecker’s habitat is a tree.

⬜ A snake living in the forest uses

the forest floor as its habitat.

⬜ What is your habitat?

What does a habitat

provide?

⬜ An organism’s habitat provides the correct
temperature and amount of moisture an
organism needs.

⬜ For example, a

tadpole’s habitat must include water!

What else does a habitat

provide?

⬜ An organism’s habitat also provides the correct
kinds of food and shelter an organism requires.

⬜ For example, a salamander in the forest
requires dark places to

live and insects to eat.
This is all provided by
the forest floor!

Niche

⬜ A niche describes how an organism survives

⬜How an organism obtains food and shelter

⬜How an organism

avoids danger

⬜How an organism

cares for its
young

⬜ Can you describe

your niche?

So What’s a Microhabitat?

⬜
“Micro” = small or very
small

⬜
Habitat = the place an
organism lives

⬜
So Microhabitat = a
localized (small) habitat
within a larger ecosystem

⬜
An aquarium is a good
example of a microhabitat

Microhabitat Examples

⬜ A log rotting in the woods

⬜ a pond

⬜ a flowing river

⬜ a garden

⬜a school yard

Microhabitat Examples

⬜A log rotting in the woods

⬜What species live here?

◼ Termites

◼ Bacteria

◼ Moss

◼ Fungus

◼ Millipedes

◼ Spiders

◼ Worms

Microhabitats

⬜Each microhabitat supports a variety of species

⬜What about the microhabitat of our
schoolyard?

Variety

⬜ Just as each biome supports different species
due to its environment, each microhabitat
within a biome can support different species