habitat

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In ecology, the localized environment in which an organism lives, and which provides for all (or almost all) of its needs. The diversity of habitats found within the Earth's ecosystem is enormous, and they are changing all the time. They may vary through the year or over many years. Many can be considered inorganic or physical; for example, the Arctic icecap, a cave, or a cliff face. Others are more complex; for instance, a woodland, or a forest floor. Some habitats are so precise that they are called microhabitats, such as the area under a stone where a particular type of insect lives. Most habitats provide a home for many species, which form a community.

Each species is specially adapted to life in its habitat. For example, an animal is adapted to eat other members of a food chain or food web found in the same habitat. Some species may be found in different habitats. They may be found to have different patterns of behaviour or structure in these different habitats. For example, a plant such as the blackberry may grow in an open habitat, such as a field, or in a shaded one, such as woodland. Its leaves differ in the two habitats.

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