Otters play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy ecosystem. They are considered a keystone species, meaning that they have a disproportionately large impact on their environment compared to their abundance. Here are some ways that otters contribute to a healthy ecosystem using the ACE approach:
1. Altering the physical environment: Otters create burrows in riverbanks and estuaries, which helps to aerate the soil and prevent erosion. This creates microhabitats for other species to thrive.
2. Controlling prey populations: Otters feed on a variety of invertebrates, fish, and small mammals. By controlling the populations of these prey species, otters help to maintain a balanced ecosystem and prevent overgrazing or overpopulation of certain species.
3. Nutrient cycling: Otters consume prey and excrete waste, which returns nutrients to the ecosystem. This helps to cycle nutrients through the food web and maintain the health of plants and other organisms.
4. Supporting biodiversity: Otters prey on a wide range of species, which helps to support biodiversity by preventing any one species from becoming dominant in an ecosystem. This diversity is essential for maintaining the overall health and resilience of an ecosystem.
Overall, otters play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy ecosystem by influencing the physical environment, controlling prey populations, cycling nutrients, and supporting biodiversity. Through the ACE approach, we can recognize the importance of otters in ecosystem functioning and work to protect and conserve these charismatic animals for the benefit of all species.
Using ACE, how do otters create a healthy ecosystem?
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