Forest orderlies are animals that can cleanse their own habitat through their actions. And even if their behavior is due only to instincts developed over many years of evolution, one should not underestimate their role in the ecosystem of the region. But who are they?
If we talk about those animals that live on the territory of the Russian Federation, then three large groups should be noted. These are birds, ants and wolves. Despite strong external differences, they are all excellent environmentalists.
The role of birds in the forest ecosystem
By nature, all birds are forest orderlies. This is due to the fact that they feed on insects, which, in turn, are the main pests. Judge for yourself, because it is insects that eat tree leaves, destroy wood and bark, and also carry various infectious diseases.
Eating beetles and caterpillars, birds reduce their numbers, which reduces the damage to the environment to a minimum. Such a food chain allows you to achieve harmony, which is so necessary for the normal growth of the forest.
Although all birds are forest orderlies,but still there are species that do their job best. For example:
- The woodpecker is the main doctor in the forest, because he is able to pick out pests straight from the tree trunk. In addition, by tapping on it with his beak, he makes the insects crawl out of the shelter, thereby making them vulnerable to other hunters.
- Pink starling is actively hunting locusts. That is why this bird is such a welcome guest not only in forests, but also in orchards.
- Starlings are the fastest nurses in the forest. Scientists estimate that they can catch up to 400 bugs in one day.
Ants are little guardians of the forest
But not all insects harm the environment. There are those who seek to protect it from pests with all their might. Everyone has heard of them, and yet not many people know why ants are the orderlies of the forest.
It's actually quite simple. Ants destroy almost all insects that dare to crawl into their territory. At the same time, they can easily cope with an enemy that surpasses them both in size and in physical strength. And all because the ants are a team that can act as one mechanism.
In addition, they use small debris in their construction, thereby clearing the forest. According to experts, five anthills are enough to keep an area of one hectare clean.
Wolves are predatory orderlies of the forest
Many people are afraid of wolves, and for good reason. These predators always hunt in packs and do notdisdain any prey. And yet they were called orderlies of the forest. Want to know why?
First of all, wolves, like any predators, eat animal corpses. Thanks to this, there is so little carrion in the forest, which reduces the risk of various kinds of diseases. In addition, wolves prefer to kill weak and sick animals, preventing them from continuing their race. Such a natural mechanism improves the gene pool and increases the chances of survival for the species.
Besides, wolves control the number of herbivores. A case is known when in America in one of the states almost all wolves were exterminated. Subsequently, the population of herbivores increased so much that pastures did not have time to overgrow with new grass. Poor animals died of starvation, and their corpses became hotbeds of serious diseases.
