Chinese Giant Salamander
1. What role does your species have in its ecosystem?
Shallow mountain streams are home to the rare and shy Chinese giant salamander, where it has many roles within its ecosystem. It is a symbol of a healthy freshwater ecosystem that humans and other animals depend on (McNeil, 2010). The Chinese Giant Salamander is a key component of the food chain as both prey and predator. Salamanders eat many invertebrates, making sure that the rivers and streams do not become over populated (Mcneil, 2010). The Chinese Giant Salamander’s ecological role is to provide aquatic animals with food when they are young and as the salamanders grow up they become the predators and feed on the aquatic animals that once fed on them; this has a positive effect on the ecosystem keeping the balance of species populations. The Chinese Giant Salamander also ensures that within its ecosystem there is great biodiversity (Qiang, 2009). Without the Chinese Giant Salamanders the ecosystems in the mountainous regions of China would be unbalanced. These salamanders have an important role in showing the vast biodiversity in China and Japan and losing them decreases biodiversity.
Amphibians in general are often referred to as “indicator” species, species that indicate environmental change and vital aspects of safe water (Qiang, 2009).On land, the amphibian serves a purpose of indicating whether the environment is healthy or not. The salamanders do this by breathing through the pores in their skin (McNeil, 2010). The Chinese Giant Salamander also belongs to the flesh-eaters, which is an important species for the freshwater ecosystems of mountainous areas, playing an important ecological role in maintaining the balance of freshwater ecosystems of mountainous areas (Qiang, 2009). Most of the rivers where the giant salamanders live have becomes very polluted forcing the animals to migrate downstream to breed. Many of them die on their journey downstream or never end up finding clean and safe water to lay
Shallow mountain streams are home to the rare and shy Chinese giant salamander, where it has many roles within its ecosystem. It is a symbol of a healthy freshwater ecosystem that humans and other animals depend on (McNeil, 2010). The Chinese Giant Salamander is a key component of the food chain as both prey and predator. Salamanders eat many invertebrates, making sure that the rivers and streams do not become over populated (Mcneil, 2010). The Chinese Giant Salamander’s ecological role is to provide aquatic animals with food when they are young and as the salamanders grow up they become the predators and feed on the aquatic animals that once fed on them; this has a positive effect on the ecosystem keeping the balance of species populations. The Chinese Giant Salamander also ensures that within its ecosystem there is great biodiversity (Qiang, 2009). Without the Chinese Giant Salamanders the ecosystems in the mountainous regions of China would be unbalanced. These salamanders have an important role in showing the vast biodiversity in China and Japan and losing them decreases biodiversity.
Amphibians in general are often referred to as “indicator” species, species that indicate environmental change and vital aspects of safe water (Qiang, 2009).On land, the amphibian serves a purpose of indicating whether the environment is healthy or not. The salamanders do this by breathing through the pores in their skin (McNeil, 2010). The Chinese Giant Salamander also belongs to the flesh-eaters, which is an important species for the freshwater ecosystems of mountainous areas, playing an important ecological role in maintaining the balance of freshwater ecosystems of mountainous areas (Qiang, 2009). Most of the rivers where the giant salamanders live have becomes very polluted forcing the animals to migrate downstream to breed. Many of them die on their journey downstream or never end up finding clean and safe water to lay