What is a niche?

A niche is the functional area within which an organism exists. This can be a specific habitat it inhabits, how it shelters itself, a food source it can exploit and can include all abiotic or biotic interactions with its ecosystems. Niches arise through competition for resources and mutations leading to niche expansion allowing an organism to exploit a niche through physiological or behavioural adaption. The advantage of having a unique niche is a reduction in interspecific competition