1. Roles in an Ecosystem

Roles in An Ecosystem 

What roles do coral reef organisms have?

Corals are not rocks or plants, but little animals that live in a carbonate shell they create. They have a symbiotic relationship with zooxanthellae, tiny photosynthesizing organisms. The zooxanthellae provide food for the coral and the coral provides a safe home for the zooxanthellae. Together they form the base of a complex ecosystem.

Roles in Ecosystems

There are many different types of ecosystems. Climate conditions determine which ecosystems are found in a particular location. A biome encompasses all of the ecosystems that have similar climate and organisms.

Different organisms live in different types of ecosystems because they are adapted to different conditions. Lizards thrive in deserts, but no reptiles are found in any polar ecosystems. Amphibians can't live too far from the water. Large animals generally do better in cold climates than in hot climates.

Despite this, every ecosystem has the same general roles that living creatures fill. It’s just the organisms that fill those niches that are different. For example, every ecosystem must have some organisms that produce food in the form of chemical energy. These organisms are primarily algae in the oceans, plants on land, and bacteria at hydrothermal vents.