What is your role in your family? We all have roles we play in our families. Sometimes we even have more than one role. We can be a comedian. We can be a helper. Whatever you job or role is in your family you are a piece of you family and without you your family would not operate the same way.
Ecosystems are like families. Every plant and animal has a role to play in an ecosystem. Scientists called ecologists call this the plant or animal’s niche. A niche can be defined as the job or role an animal has in its environment. You and the members of your family may have more than one role. Plant and animals can have more than one niche too. When a bird eats fruit from a tree it performs two niches, consuming food for energy and spreading the seeds of the tree.
I have often wondered what niches humans have in their tiny ecosystem called home. What roles or jobs do you think you have in your home? Think of the things that you help survive. You may also use different organisms in your home to survive. Make me a list and send them to me in a comment.
After that you might want to check out some of the animals at this website.
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/animals.htm
