Ecosystems

I am like a giant, secret family where everything has a special job, but nobody ever has to be told what to do. Think about it. The bright, warm sun sends down energy to a little flower, making it grow tall and colorful. Then, a fuzzy bee comes buzzing by to sip the flower’s sweet nectar. A moment later, a little bird with cheerful wings swoops down and gobbles up the bee for a tasty snack. But I am more than just the plants and animals. The cool water in the stream, the fresh air you breathe, and the dark, rich soil under your feet are all part of my big team, too. We all work together in a perfect, secret dance. What am I?

For a long, long time, I was a secret. But people are very curious, and soon they started to notice me. Clever scientists, men and women with notebooks and wondering eyes, would sit quietly by ponds or walk softly through forests. They watched everything very carefully. They saw that the wiggly tadpoles needed the green algae to eat, and the fish needed the tadpoles. They noticed that the frogs needed the buzzing flies, the flies needed the sweet plants, and the plants needed the sunlight and water to grow big and strong. They realized that everything was connected, like a giant puzzle where every piece fits just right. One very clever man named Arthur Tansley was watching me very closely a long time ago, in 1935. He decided I needed a special name so everyone could talk about my secret family. He gave me my name, which means a 'home system,' because that’s exactly what I am. I am a home for all sorts of living things, from the tiniest bug to the biggest bear, and we all live and work together.

Are you ready to know my name? I am an Ecosystem! I am not just in faraway forests or deep oceans. I am everywhere. A tiny puddle left after the rain is a little ecosystem for wriggly worms and tiny creatures. A big park in your city is an ecosystem for squirrels, birds, and tall trees. The whole giant ocean is one of my biggest ecosystems, full of whales and fish. It is very important for everyone in my family to stay balanced and healthy. And guess what? You are in my family, too. You are a very important part of me, and you can help keep me strong. You can help by planting flowers for the bees, keeping rivers and lakes clean for the fish, and learning all about the amazing creatures that live in your own backyard. When you help any part of my family, you help all of me.