Ecological release is a term used to describe the phenomenon in ecology where a species' populations expand in the absence of predators or competitors. Synonyms for this term include "niche expansion," "habitat expansion," "range expansion," or simply "population growth." In other contexts, ecological release can also refer to the process of a species adapting to new environmental conditions in order to survive, which is often called "evolutionary adaptation." Additionally, the term "ecological opportunity" is sometimes used to describe the conditions that lead to ecological release, such as the death or absence of competing species or changes in climate or habitat. Regardless of the terminology used, ecological release is a crucial concept in understanding the dynamics of ecosystems and the ways that species interact with one another.