Laura Anderson
Earth is one big ecosystem; and to keep an ecosystem thriving you need gardeners! So who are the gardeners of our world? You might be surprised to find our animals play a big part in keeping our natural world thriving!
First up is bees - obviously! These buzzing insects are perfectly adapted to pollination, transferring pollen between flowering pants. As a key pollinator they help plants grow, reproduce and produce food. In Europe, bees are responsible for pollinating 80% of wildflowers, whilst globally 75% to 95% of flowering plants on Earth require help with pollination. In total there are 20,000 species of bees, with around 270 of them living here in the UK. In the Northeast there are 100 recorded species of bees! The UK would be lost without our wild bees for they pollinate 85% to 95% of our country’s insect pollinated crops.
Next up is bats! This might be a surprise, but bats play an important role as nature’s pesticide! A total of 70% of bats, including all UK species, are vital for controlling insect populations. In fact, the Brazilian free-tailed bat is recognised as an “insect management service” on certain farms, and in some areas these flying mammals eat so many insects the need for man-made pesticides are reduced! In addition to their insect-eating skills, there are 8 species of bats known as an “indicator species”. These bats are important to scientists when indicating a change in certain aspects of biodiversity.
Beavers are another animal striving to protect our wildlife. Nicknamed the “ecosystem engineers”, these rodents are a keystone species, known for their ability to build incredible dams. These dams create channels and wetland habitats, which encourage wildlife to flock to the area - including otters, water voles, birds, amphibians, insects, fish, and plants! Not only that, but these dams reduce downstream flooding by holding back water after heavy rain. They increase water retention, keep the water clean, and reduce the effects of agricultural runoff and pesticide by trapping organic sediments - ultimately improving water quality downstream! Beavers have been improving UK’s waters since 2002 when they were reintroduced.
Recently reintroduced in 2022, bison have made their return to the UK. These bovines are another keystone species; their symbiotic relationship with prairie grasses creates a variety of benefits. As they walk they stir soil and plant seeds, as they graze they create nesting grounds for birds. Our European bison eat bark and fell trees creating woodland clearings that provide new spaces for other wildlife. In addition to this, their habit of wallowing - where they roll around in the soil - creates depressions in the earth. These wallows fill with water and create breeding areas for amphibians and a source of drinking water. The Wilder Blean Project is working hard to bring these benefits to the UK, with the first baby bison being born in October 2022 for the first time in thousands of years!
Predators also play a pivotal role in keeping our world’s ecosystems in order. Wolves are a critical keystone species, through regulating prey populations these canines ensure that plants are able to grow back after excessive grazing. This is vital for keeping a natural level of biodiversity in an ecosystem. By acting as a pest control, wolves had a great impact in Yellowstone National Park. These predators reduced the elk populations, which allowed vegetation to grow back. This increase in flora encouraged beavers to return, which then led to the return of waterfowl and wetland birds to return! Despite proposals, there are no plans to reintroduce wolves back into the UK, though we may want to rethink this. Our deer populations are at their highest and causing havoc to our woodlands, accumulating to a total of £4.5 million worth of damage.
Our animals aren’t the only ones working to keep our world’s gardens clean. Fungi have a major role in breaking down decaying material and recycling organic matter. Without fungi, we would have a world littered with dead animal and plant matter - gross! By breaking down insoluble compounds, fungi help soluble nutrients be released back into the soil. Not only is this crucial for soil health but it also aids with plant growth.
So as you can see, there are a lot of individuals working hard to keep nature’s gardens thriving!
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