Author's Note: In this piece I want the reader to understand the
importance of balance in every type of ecosystem. Every animal and plant is
important in it's habitat. If the population increases or decreases the effect
will be negative on the biome. These effects can include loss of food and loss
of habitat. In this piece I plan on improving my word choice.
Ecosystems
rely on one thing; balance. Every animal and organism in it’s biome relies on
each other to keep it balanced. If they fail, it will result in extinction or
loss of animals leaving to find a better habitat. There are three major rolls
in the food chain that help keep the balance; producers, consumers, and
decomposers. Each of these groups have a important part in keeping the circle
of life running.
The
producers keep the food chain stable by taking over the base of it. Producers
are known for producing their own food from the sun. This process is known as
photosynthesis. It consists of using energy, carbon dioxide, and water to make
glucose. This process keeps plants living and feeding others. Producers are not
only plants, but algae and some types of bacteria are also included in this
group. The secondary group, consumers, benefit the most from this group.
Consumers
are not able to make their own food so they get it from plants or other
producers. There are three types of consumers that make up the largest part of
the food chain; herbivores, omnivores, carnivores. Herbivores only eat
vegetation, carnivores only eat meat, while omnivores eat both vegetation and
meat. Consumers can both be prey and predator depending on the animal.
Decomposers
are known for dieting on dead animals and plants. They clean up the floor of
the habitat, feed themselves, and release nutrients into the ground. The most
common decomposers are fungi, mold, and bugs. Although these creatures are not
pretty to look at, without them the earth would be covered in trash and the
producers would not be able to get the nutrients they need.
The
circle that these roles create is very important but very fragile. Human
actions can create chaos among creatures in every type of habitat. One type of
negative action is hunting. Hunting can help keep control of some populations
but it can get to be too much. For example, if hunting got to be too much for
deer, and they became extinct, coyotes and wolves would have to give up their
larger meals and move on to more of the smaller meals, such as small rodents.
By this action the race of the small rodents could be in endangered. Cutting
down trees can also cause a risk to many animals. Prey will find lack of
protection and will be forced to either move to find more or be found by
predators.
The
food chain has always been a key factor in the balance of an ecosystem. Each
level can obtain something and provide something for another. With this cycle
it is able to control the population and keep it at a reasonable size. Each
ecosystem has different types of food chains with different types of animals,
but they all provide the sense of balance that they need to live and keep their
species alive.
