By: Jacob Shi
Appearing on Earth 320 million years ago, reptiles continue to fulfill an integral role maintaining biodiversity. Their impact is evident, with over 12,000 recorded reptile species contributing to the balance of ecosystems across the globe. However, people might still have misconceptions about these creatures and the purpose of this article is to provide a brief overview of the benefits that reptiles confer to ecosystems.
Reptiles can be predators that help control the population of their prey which includes insects, birds, and small mammals. As such, they mitigate agricultural and habitat damage caused by uncontrolled pests and an overpopulation of prey species. Reptiles can also be a keystone species, defined as a species that is disproportionately influential to its environment relative to its population size. Some species are considered keystone species because they modify the habitat in a significant way. An example of this would be the Gopher Tortoise native to the southeastern United States. It digs burrows that over 300 other species use as shelter.
Gopher Tortoise
Conversely, reptiles can be a prey species, especially when growing up. In this way, they contribute to the flow of energy within an ecosystem and food web.
Although uncommon, Reptiles also act as a pollinator species, enabling the growth of plants and trees. For instance, the Noronha skink from Brazil. They drink nectar from the flowers of a tree, inserting their head into the flower. In doing so, the anthers and stigmas of the flower make contact with their skin, where the pollen can stick to their skin. As they move across flowers and trees, they deposit the pollen and may pollinate the flower.
Reptiles, being bioindicators, contribute to our understanding of habitats; they can be a factor in determining the quality of their particular habitat. Reptiles are ectotherms and are sensitive to their environment, so a change in reptile behavior can mark a form of damage. Similarly, they can be used to assess environmental pollution and contaminants which bioaccumulate based on variations in population.
Overall, reptiles provide numerous ecological benefits. They contribute to ecosystems through their role as predator, prey, pollinator, and indicator species. Regardless of the specific species and mechanism, reptiles bring immense value to supporting biodiversity.
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