microhabitat
MY-kroh-hab-ih-tat
Definition
A small, specialized environment with unique conditions that differ from the surrounding larger area and support specific organisms.
Etymology
Derived from the Greek 'mikros' meaning small and the Latin 'habitat' meaning 'it dwells,' referring to the specific place where an organism lives.
In the news
The article uses the term to describe the fragile ecosystem at the base of the redwood tree, which is damaged when visitors trample the soil and remove the specialized environment where small organisms live.
A coastal redwood named Hyperion stands 115.9 metres tall in a hidden fold of Redwood National Park, taller than the Statue of Liberty, and the National Park Service refuses to disclose its location after tourists trampled the root system of the previous record-
Read the full article ↗ScienceBlog.com