The habitat of an organism provides several key resources that are essential for its survival:
• Food - The habitat provides a source of nutrition in the form of food that the organism can consume. This could be plants, other animals, algae, bacteria, etc. depending on the organism.
• Water - Most organisms need access to fresh water for hydration, drinking, and other biological processes. The habitat determines the availability and access to water sources.
• Shelter - The habitat provides shelter and protection from environmental extremes like high winds, heavy rains, freezing temperatures, intense sunlight, etc. The shelter could be in the form of trees, caves, burrows, etc.
• Space - The habitat provides adequate space for the organism to carry out key activities like moving around, resting, finding mates, raising offspring, etc. depending on the organism's size and needs.
• Oxygen - For aerobic organisms, the habitat provides oxygen in the air or water that they can breathe. Aquatic habitats provide oxygen dissolved in the water for aquatic animals.
• Substrate - Some habitats like forests provide substrates for organisms to attach to, climb on, hide under, build nests, etc. The substrate could be trees, rocks, leaf litter, etc.
• Burrowing material - Certain organisms depend on suitable soil, mud or sediment in their habitat to burrow into for shelter, nesting, etc. The composition and moisture of the burrowing material is important.
• Nesting material - Many organisms require suitable materials in their habitat to construct nests, webs, dens for living, raising offspring, resting, etc. Sticks, leaves, twigs, moss, etc. serve as nesting materials for many habitats.