Background
Each Species has a Role
Biodiversity is “the variability among living organisms from all sources including terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems, and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species, and of ecosystems.” It is the foundation of life on Earth. - International Union for Conservation of Nature, (About Biodiversity, http://iucn.org/what/tpas/biodiversity/about at 11/14/2011)
Each species has a specific niche, a specific role and function in an ecosystem. These roles include capturing and storing energy, providing food, predation, decomposing organic matter, cycling water and nutrients, controlling erosion, controlling pests and climate regulation.
