What term describes the way an organism occupies a position in an ecosystem, including its biotic and abiotic relations?

The term that describes how an organism occupies a position in an ecosystem, encompassing both its interactions with other living organisms (biotic relations) and its interactions with the physical environment (abiotic relations), is ecological niche. An ecological niche includes not only where an organism lives (its habitat) but also how it interacts with other species and utilizes resources. This concept highlights the role of the organism within its ecosystem, including its feeding habits, reproductive behavior, and interactions with competitors, predators, and prey.

In contrast, habitat refers specifically to the physical space where an organism lives, while ecosystem function pertains to the processes that occur within an ecosystem, such as nutrient cycling and energy flow. Biomass relates to the total mass of living matter in a specific area and does not encapsulate the broader interactions within the ecological context of an organism. These definitions clarify why ecological niche is the most comprehensive term to capture the multifaceted role of an organism within its ecosystem.