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Biodiversity: Why is it so important?
Importance of Plants
Plants are the only living things that can turn the sun’s energy into food (a process called photosynthesis).
Without them, life would not exist. Plants provide the energy source for all food chains. When the
plants are eaten by herbivores, they pass on some of the energy they have made. When a herbivore
is then eaten by a carnivore, it passes some of its energy onto the next link in the chain.
What Would Happen if Plants Where Removed?
Without plants, the number of herbivores would decline and this in turn would reduce the
number of carnivores, and so on, through the chain. Try to think of an example where this
has occurred e.g. where habitat destruction has removed the primary food source.
Benefits of Minibeasts
Some people regard most ‘creepy crawlies’ simply as pests, in need of extermination! Indeed
some of them can be pests to us humans, spreading diseases and eating our crops, but in
fact, all invertebrates are a very important part of life in the habitat in which they live.
In Woodlands
Invertebrates are found in all layers, from the floor to the canopy (branches and leaves of the trees)
and they are a very important source of food for several mammals and birds. Some birds feed only
on insects and most seed-eating birds feed their babies on insects. Hundreds of different butterflies
and moths lay eggs on the leaves of the trees. When the caterpillars hatch they feed in huge numbers
on the leaves. During the summer, a large oak tree can support 400,000 caterpillars at any one time!
If all these caterpillars survived, then the trees would be stripped bare of leaves. Before this happens,
the population of small woodland birds usually increases and many of the caterpillars are eaten.
Decomposers
Many of the minibeasts which live in leaf litter are classed as decomposers
and they have a very important job to do in an ecosystem.
As well as feeding on dead leaves, some of them also eat dead trees and the droppings and dead bodies
of animals. In fact, any waste plant and animal material is eaten. All waste material still contains nutrients.
The minibeasts break the material into tiny bits and use some of the nutrients in them for themselves. The
fragments left are then easier for microscopic worms, fungi and bacteria to feed on and break down even
more, releasing nutrients into the soil. The plants soon absorb these nutrients, and so the cycle continues.
If the decomposers did not exist, then nothing would rot down and we would be
surrounded by piles of dead bodies! Next time you try to swat a fly, remember that
although it may be a nuisance to you, it is also one of nature’s recyclers’!
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Biodiversity: Why is it so important?
Why Are Birds Important?
Wild birds are an integral part of the ecosystem and serve many important purposes, including:
Insect and rodent population control
Distribution of seeds that leads to forest conservation
Food sources for bird predators
By studying and conserving birds, we can better understand the relationships between all living
things on our planet and how the interactions of those relationships can affect humans directly.
The Importance of Trees
Since the beginning, trees have furnished us with two of life’s essentials, food and oxygen.
As we evolved, they provided additional necessities such as shelter, medicine, and tools.
Today, their value continues to increase and more benefits of trees are being discovered.
Trees are an important part of every community. Our streets, parks, playgrounds and
backyards are lined with trees that create a peaceful, aesthetically pleasing environment.
Trees contribute to their environment by providing oxygen, improving air quality, climate
amelioration, conserving water, preserving soil, and supporting wildlife. During the process
of photosynthesis, trees take in carbon dioxide and produce the oxygen we breathe.
Many animals, including elephants, koalas and giraffes eat leaves for nourishment. Flowers
are eaten by monkeys, and nectar is a favourite of birds, bats and many insects. Animals
also eat much of the same fruit that we enjoy. This process helps disperse seeds over great
distances. Of course, hundreds of living creatures call trees their home. Leaf-covered
branches keep many animals, such as birds and squirrels, out of the reach of predators.
Trees have supported and sustained life throughout our existence. They have a
wide variety of practical and commercial uses. Wood was the very first fuel, and
is still used for cooking and heating by about half of the world’s population. Trees
provide timber for building construction, furniture manufacture, tools, sporting
equipment, and thousands of household items. Wood pulp is used to make paper.