The natural world is incredibly complex. The relationships between species are foundational to the health and well-being of entire ecological spaces.
Learning about the natural world around us and the creatures that make it up can help us understand our place. Here are four animals that are essential to their ecosystems.
Elephants
Elephants are huge animals that move long distances in search of food and water. They move through ecological spaces ranging from rainforests to deserts during their travels. On the way, their large bodies help create new pathways through dense growths, allowing other animals to find a niche.
Whether they’re eating or moving, elephants create essential living spaces. By clearing out the forest floor, elephants allow the light to penetrate, increasing the diversity of plants that grow there. They can also knock food sources down from trees, allowing other animals to feed.
Birds
Birds play an essential role in ecosystems around the world by pollinating flowers, eating insects, and scavenging carcasses. The diverse forms and behaviors that birds have make them well adapted to various climates and weather patterns.
As birds migrate, they disperse seeds from plants they’ve fed on, allowing them to spread worldwide. When birds excrete, they help recycle essential nutrients back into the soil. They play a crucial role in the decomposition and sanitization of natural spaces.
Bees
Bees are famous for their importance as pollinating insects. As they collect pollen to feed their offspring, they transfer it between flowers. Many flower species wouldn’t be able to pollinate if bees were absent from the environment.
Many animals, such as badgers, opossums, and bears, feed on honey due to its positive health effects. Unfortunately, the bee population has declined because of increased pressure on their environment. Learning how to identify different types of bee species is essential to managing their population.
Beavers
Many people don’t realize just how vital beavers are to their ecosystems. By cutting down trees and damming up waterways, they help create small ecological niches that other animals rely on. The leftover wood becomes home to insects, so biodiversity increases.
Beavers are natural engineers that have a significant impact on their environment. When beavers arrive in biological spaces, they turn them into wetlands. Their actions help keep the waterways healthy and more manageable.
The Natural World Is Full of Wonders
While humans think of themselves as the arbiters of nature, many animals do a much better job of keeping it intact.
The world would look very different if certain species were to disappear. Learning about the animals that are essential to their ecosystems can help us value them more.
