The scientific term for a living organism's role in its environment is its niche. This concept encompasses the organism's habitat, resource use, interactions with other species, and its functional role within the ecosystem. A niche defines how an organism fits into its ecosystem and how it contributes to processes like energy flow and nutrient cycling. Understanding an organism's niche is crucial for studying biodiversity and ecosystem dynamics, as it helps ecologists assess the effects of species interactions and environmental changes on communities and habitats.