The Mighty Jungle
The Mighty Jungle, #14
Reeks: The Mighty Jungle
Paul A. Lynch
- Birds
- have
- a
- far-reaching
- influence
- in
- the
- environment;
- from
- providing
- food
- for
- other
- animals
- and
- humans
- to
- playing
- a
- vital
- role
- in
- maintaining
- the
- balance
- of
- natural
- ecosystems.
- With
- approximately
- 13%
- of
- current
- extant
- bird
- species
- being
- considered
- globally
- threatened
- with
- extinction,
- it
- is
- clear
- that
- their
- importance
- to
- the
- environment
- is
- increasingly
- under
- pressure.
- Birds
- are
- known
- to
- perform
- a
- variety
- of
- ecological
- roles,
- such
- as
- devouring
- pests,
- pollinating
- flowers,
- dispersing
- seeds,
- scavenging
- carrion,
- cycling
- nutrients,
- and
- modifying
- the
- environment
- in
- ways
- that
- benefit
- other
- species.Not
- only
- are
- they
- useful
- to
- humans,
- but
- they
- are
- also
- observed,
- fed
- and
- used
- as
- artistic
- and
- spiritual
- inspiration
- by
- millions
- of
- people
- around
- the
- globe.Furthermore,
- birds
- are
- conspicuous
- in
- many
- habitats,
- occur
- worldwide
- and
- are
- better
- known
- than
- other
- vertebrate
- groups.Moreover,
- due
- to
- climate
- change
- and
- human
- movements,
- the
- spread
- of
- avian
- diseases
- has
- become
- a
- threat
- to
- global
- commerce,
- which
- can
- cause
- considerable
- loss
- of
- life.Overall,
- birds
- are
- an
- important
- part
- of
- the
- environment
- and
- provide
- a
- variety
- of
- ecosystem
- services
- that
- are
- essential
- to
- their
- survival
- and
- the
- well-being
- of humans.
pro-mbooks3 : libris
