Forest orderlies are animals that can clean their own habitat with their actions. And let their behavior be caused only by instincts developed over the long years of evolution, yet their role in the region’s ecosystem cannot be underestimated. 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 the strong external differences, they are all excellent environmentalists.
The role of birds in the forest ecosystem
By nature, all birds are orderlies in the forest. 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 the leaves of trees, destroy wood and bark, and also carry various infectious diseases.
By eating beetles and caterpillars, birds reduce their numbers, which minimizes damage to the environment. Such a food chain allows achieving harmony, which is so necessary for the normal growth of the forest.
Although all birds are the orderlies of the forest, there are still species that do their job best. For instance:
- A woodpecker is the main doctor in the forest, because he is able to pick out pests directly from a tree trunk. Besides knocking on it with his beak, he makes insects crawl out of the shelter, thereby making them vulnerable to other hunters.
- Pink starling actively preys on locusts. That is why this bird is such a welcome guest not only in the forests, but also in orchards.
- Starlings are the fastest orderlies in the forest. According to rough estimates of scientists, they can catch up to 400 bugs in one day.
Ants - Little Guardians of the Forest
But not all insects harm the environment. There are those who seek to protect her from pests by all means. Everyone heard about them, and yet not many people know why ants are orderlies in the forest.
In fact, everything is quite simple. Ants destroy almost all insects that dare to crawl into their territory. Moreover, they can easily cope with the enemy, which surpasses them both in size and in physical strength. And all because ants are a team that can act as one mechanism.
In addition, in their construction they use small garbage, thereby cleaning the forest. If you believe the experts, then five anthills is enough to maintain a clean area of one hectare.
Wolves - Forest predators
Many are afraid of wolves, and for good reason. These predators always hunt in packs and do not disdain any prey. And yet they were nicknamed the orderlies of the forest. Want to know why?
First of all, wolves, like any predators, eat corpses of animals. Due to this, so few fell in the forest that it reduces the risk of various diseases. In addition, wolves prefer to kill weak and sick animals, preventing them from continuing their race. Such a natural mechanism allows improving the gene pool and increasing the chances of survival of the species.
In addition, wolves control the number of herbivores. There is a known case when in America in one of the states almost all wolves were exterminated. Subsequently, the herbivore population increased so much that pastures did not have time to overgrow with new grass. Poor animals died of starvation, and their corpses became centers of serious illness.