The Important Role of Balancing the Ecosystem - Case Study Example

Bees, Wasps, Termites and Ants on the Ground INTRODUCTION Each living thing plays a role in smaller ecosystems that comprise the bigger ecosystem. The way they do – or not – the things they are supposed to do (how they live, eat, mate, or deal with their hosts, predators or preys) affect that larger community. This, in general, points out to how a certain organism or groups of organisms “behave.” Insects, small as they are, outnumber the humans or any other living organism living in the land masses. You can find them anywhere. Special to this group are the so-called “social insects.” These are a group of insects (ants, bees, wasps and termites) that live in colonies or nests. They were proclaimed “social” because they manifest three main characteristics: group integration, division of labor, and overlap of generations (“Social Insects”). Ecology – which is the study of the relationships, distributions, and abundance of organisms, or groups of organisms, in an environment (Dodson et al. 2) – is the field of science that primarily deals with how these features affect the rest of the organisms surrounding this group. Socializing, like it does to humans, gives the same benefits to these insects. Unlike the other animal species that dwell alone and do not live in groups, these social insects do their specific tasks not only to help itself, but more importantly, to be able to contribute to the whole colony – which, in one way or another, plays an important role of balancing the ecosystem as a whole. BENEFITS OF SOCIALIZING The Social Insects. The way these invertebrates – animals with no spine – do what they do [probably] can lead biologists to think that humans are not the only ones who have brains. Although many claim that these insects only act by instincts, it is undeniably considerable that one of them must have thought of living together as a group and giving each other a task to do, can make them the most successful species in the world. They are even called “superorganisms” for being able to maintain such a complex organization in the management of their colony by the use of “organizing intelligence” (Hoyt, and Schultz 132). Division of Labor. One of the advantages of living together is the division of labor between individuals. Almost all of the species from this group follow the same principle of dividing the colony. Bethell was able to witness this in the laboratory of the famous “ant-expert” Edward O. Wilson where he described seeing “million-daughter queens, division of labor, major and minor workers, dwarf gardeners, weavers, soldiers, slave hunters” (54). Social insects, as well as the rest of the animal kingdom, have a list of tasks that has to be done: looking for food, collecting it, feeding the young ones, maintaining the nest and protecting their homes. It may be possible to do all of these things but it will take a long time. Assigning each member of the nest or colony a specific task surely spares them from wasting it. Food. Food is one of the most essential sources of survival. Social insects search food more efficiently just by being in a group, especially hunting for larger preys or going on to a farther journey; these will not be problems (“Social Behavior”). There are assigned workers to look for food in colonies (or nests): it can be in the form of crops, nectar, leaves, or another insect. The only role of these harvesters is to hunt for and bring it to the colony to prevent famine. While others use their antennas, some of them leave a trail of pheromones from and towards a food source for the others to follow (Gordon). After having been able to gather, these harvesters will take the food to the feeders; distribution of food will then start. Protection. Animals sometimes depend on others to protect themselves. What a thousand of bees can do against an enemy who threatens their home is far from what a single bee can. Hence, a single warning from a member about a perceived danger can easily spread across the group by communicating with each other; thus, immediate action can be done. There will be more “eyes, ears, or equivalent sensory structures on the alert” (Berenbaum 60). As they say, there is strength in numbers. Instead of attacking, a predator may doubt his capability to conquer the tiny insects if the number of its preys beats it by a thousand. Mating and Maintaining the Breed. Besides being a signal for others to follow during food collection, pheromones is also used by the insects for other purposes as it readily detected by others (Griffin 16). Some use it to coordinate their mating time (Berenbaum 61). Furthermore, the search for a mate will be much easier when an insect already belongs to colony. Another benefit of grouping together is that it allows the older members of the colony to look after the young ones (Kindersley). They take care of them because these young ones will have to play the same roles in the future the roles they do in the present; and therefore, maintain the existence of the breed. The Social Insects and the Ecosystem Most of us believe that ants, termites, bees and wasps are [only] pests that destroy our plants or any wooden things inside our homes, eat up our uneaten food, and carry diseases; but in fact, they also supply us and the whole ecosystem a long list of benefits just by being them. An article in Green Teacher enumerated the importance of these insects. Ants are told to help the earth. In spite being “predators” sometimes, they are much used in “aiding seed dispersal” and “regulates populations of the other insects on plants” (Stubbs, Hagevik, and Hessler 34). These insects also aerate the soil by the holes that they dig deep down in making their homes. These holes become ways for the water to reach the deeper-situated roots. They, too, help in the process of degradation – they turn dead animals and plants into its simplest forms and convert them into nutrients. With this, the plants and trees will have more sources of food and of its all other basic needs to survive. These plants, then, are able to support all the other organisms/element’s needs: provide food to the animal kingdom, becomes shade to the other plants, produces the oxygen that we need, and other functions. These social insects are also considered important to the food chain. They are considered the primary consumers that feed on plants. With the kind of food that they eat, they become the source of protein and energy of the secondary consumers (Warren). The story goes on and on – and just like a predetermined sequence, everyone in the ecosystem gets benefited. Pollination is also another thing these creatures do. It is said that the bees, which are the primary pollinators, have adapted themselves to the different kinds of flowers. They have developed tongues to accommodate themselves directly to the part of the flower that produces the nectar. In the process of acquiring food, these insects constitute to the process of pollination by transferring the seeds from one part of the plant to another – which promotes fertilization. This is how plants propagate (“Pollination”). “Without them, we would also lose some of the wild plants and flowers in the world” (“Supersocieties”). Insects also help us know the situation of our environment. A little change in the environment tends to affect the insects’ courses of actions. Ecologists see changes in the behavior of these fellows early on. These creatures shift their pattern of living even with the slightest change in nature; through this, their activities become good signs to predict the true condition of our ecosystem (Snowdon). Living in groups is one essential part of the bugs’ world. They do things better when they are together. Eventually, by acting as one, they benefit the world with their very significant roles. People cannot say that we do not need them because we do depend on them. Without the presence of these insects, there will be no balance in the ecosystem. Everything may falter. Just like what the writer of The Diversity of Life had once said, “If all the insects were to disappear, humanity probably could not last a few months” (Wilson, qtd. in Warren.) CONCLUSION Socializing benefits the social insects the way humans benefit from it. For them, number equals security. Unlike the other animal species that dwell alone and do not live in groups, these social insects do their specific tasks not only for its survival, but more importantly, to be able to contribute to the whole colony where they belong. If we throw garbage to the bodies of water, we should expect flood coming on our way. If we will not mind if our cars gives off black smoke, it could mean that we do not care if we inhale the same kind of air. Likewise, some things eat while some are eaten in this world. There is a cycle that we must follow. These insects may unknowingly do what the ecosystem needs them to do; but if these creatures are to stop what their work even for a day, surely, the earth will suffer more in the loss of them than of the people. The cycle of life will absolutely be severely affected: the food chain will be disrupted, flowers will not bloom, honey will not be manufactured, and sources of minerals for our diet’s daily allowances will surely diminish. Hence, people must realize that it is important to appreciate the significance of other things no matter how small they are. Everything must be well represented. Balance must be maintained for we will never know what will happen next. Works Cited Berenbaum, May R. Bugs In The System: Insects and Their Impact on Human Affairs. Cambridge, MA: Perseus Publishing, 1995. Print. Bethell, Tom. “That’s Life: The Evolution of Edward O. Wilson.” The American Spectator Mar. / Apr. 2002: 54. Print. Dodson, Stanley I., et al. Ecology. New York: Oxford UP, 1998. Print. Gordon, David. “Collective Intelligence in Social Insects.” AI Depot. AI Depot, n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2010. . Griffin, Donald R. The Question of Animal Awareness: Evolutionary Continuity of Mental Experience. New York: Rockefeller UP, 1976. Print. Hoyt, Erich, and Ted Schultz, eds. Insect Lives: Stories of Mystery and Romance from a Hidden World. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1999. Print. Kindersley, Dorling. “Insects.” Fact Monster. Pearson Education, 2007. Web. 11 Mar. 2010. . “Pollination.” Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online, 2010. Web. 11 Mar. 2010. . Snowdon, Charles. “Significance of Animal Behavior.” Animal Behavior Society. Animal Behavior Society, n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2010. . “Social Behavior.” Biology Reference. Advameg, n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2010. . “Social Insects.” Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online, n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2010. . Stubbs, Harriet, Rita Hagevik, and Edward Hessler. “Investigating Ants: Projects for Curious Minds: Why Ants?” Green Teacher Summer 2003: 34. Print. “Supersocieties.” Buglife. Buglife, n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2010. . Warren, Zora. "The Importance of Insects: Beneficial Bugs.” 4 Mar. 2002. Web. 11 Mar. 2010. Read More