Life Overlooked
The caterpillar is a member of the lepidoptera (an insect order made up of butterflies and moths) in its larval stage (Seymoure, 2018). Caterpillars consume plant material and leaves which occupies their time spent eating or searching for food (Cinici, 2013). Causing them to be viewed as pests, rather than insects with great ecological and economic importance. Caterpillars are of immense economic importance because they can be used for biological control of invasive pest plants that are the real threat to crops (Cinici, 2013). However, caterpillars are a strong balancing organism within the ecosystem. It is common to find that most people place value in developed butterflies and moths neglecting that butterflies and moths first exist as caterpillars in their life cycle (Caterpillar Custodians…2016:6).
Caterpillars are food sources for animals and people in certain regions and cultures. Because caterpillars contain higher amounts of fat and protein than fish, beef and lentils, environmental scientists are interested in exploring the farming of caterpillars to treat malnutrition and food security(Cinici, 2013). Caterpillars also assist in the survival of birds and other insects making them important in maintaining the biodiversity and balance of the animals within agroecosystems (Cinici, 2013). The birds and insects which prey of caterpillars are important to pest control and plant reproduction since the presence of too many caterpillars can stunt the growth of plants (Caterpillar Custodians…2016:4).
Butterflies and moths are important pollinators and many environmentalists and scientists have focused their efforts in preserving the moths and butterflies by protecting the caterpillars (Seymoure, 2018). The value of moths and butterflies warrant the conservation of caterpillars. Butterflies and moths are a highly diverse species and biodiversity is important. In science and education butterflies and moths are considered ‘model’ organisms for biological research concerning embryology, genetics, evolution, and biodiversity because butterflies and moths are a unique source for data (Seymoure, 2018). Environmental changes can be traced using caterpillars and moths because their presence are an indicator of healthy environments and ecosystems and they  greatly benefit the environment through pollination (Caterpillar Custodians…2016:7). Caterpillars, butterflies, and moths alike represent beauty and peace in nature literature, religion, and natural science (the transformative life cycle and migration of caterpillars, moths, and butterflies are part of the school curriculum in primary).
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Frogs, unbeknownst to many are at the risk of extinction and scientists are attempting to predict how frogs will respond to continuous disturbances of their environment and how will they adapt in order to survive (Gonzalez, 2017). They are amphibians, which means they are animals capable of existing in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Frogs play an important role in the food chain as both prey and predators (Gonzalez, 2017). As tadpoles’, frogs feed on algae which helps in regulating blooms and significantly reducing the chances of algal contamination that will ruin water quality and suffocate other water species (Gonzalez, 2017).
A variety of animals like birds, snakes, fish and monkeys’ prey on frogs as an important source of food and the potential disappearance of frogs can disturb the intricate food web with cascading effects that will be felt throughout an entire ecosystem(Gorg & Hipporgi 2007) . Frogs are highly effective and sensitive indicator species. The frog’s ability to exist on both land and water means that their health is a direct reflection of the collective effect of both distinctive ecosystems (Karin, 2018). Because they can only survive within suitable land and require habitats with freshwater and have easily permeable skin that can easily absorb bacteria, chemicals, and other toxins (Karin,2018). These traits make them especially sensitive and susceptible to changes in the environment, making them great indicators of the health of the environment (Karin, 2018). A part of a frog’s diet are all the insects that most people consider pests, this includes adult mosquitoes and their larvae which are transmitters of diseases deadly to humans like Malaria, Dengue fever and Zika (Rowley, 2016). Frogs are used by scientists and environmentalists to understand biological phenomena like how reptiles, birds and mammals grow, develop, and reproduce (Gorg & Hipporgi 2007). Making them important in research because they are constant instruments of experiment throughout the history of science.
Frogs also produce diverse toxins that are being researched for their potential as therapeutic drugs (Karin, 2018). Scientists have found over 200 beneficial alkaloids in the skin of frogs one if which is a more potent pain killer than existing drugs like morphine except without the addictive qualities of morphine (Rowley,2016). Toxins secreted by frogs contain peptides that can be used to heal deep cuts and bruises and repair organs. These toxins have also been found to provide treatment for Alzheimer’s, seizures, heart attacks, strokes and even cancer (Rowley,2016).
Frogs are extraordinary species, often overlooked despite the fact that their disappearance would drastically rewire ecosystems on Earth and change how humans inhabit their many environments. Â Scientifically, that which affects the frogs will affect humans and every other form of life (Gorg & Hipporgi 2007).
Mosses are species that facilitate biological nitrogen fixation (Sheriffs, [Sa]). They are a
phylum of non-vascular plants and produce spores for reproduction instead of seeds and do
not grow flowers, wood, or true roots. For several insects and other invertebrates, mosses
provide a food source and habitat (Sheriffs, [sa]). The bigger mosses are in size, the more
help they lend to the performance of existing ecosystems by filtering, retaining, and
stabilizing ground water and removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere (Sheriffs, [sa]).
Mosses cycle nitrogen efficiently and are important to phosphorus cycling that absorbs
phosphate and reduces the availability of vascular uptake (Sheriffs, [sa]). They represent an
important component of plant diversity because of mosses influence on soil climate, nutrient
content and decomposition facilitate surface accumulation and long-term soil carbon
accumulation, while cycling water, nutrients, energy, and carbon (Jiang, Fan, Hu, Zhao &
Wu, 2018). Ecologically mosses break down any substrates that are exposed while releasing
nutrients for the use of plants that succeed them. They assist in controlling soil erosion by
covering the surface and retaining nutrients (Jiang, Fan, Hu, Zhao & Wu, 2018).
There are several environmental benefits of moss gardening that many do not know of, like
how mosses help reduce air pollution and do not require half as much water as grass does
(Sheriffs, [sa]). They can grow anywhere, even between cracks and bricks, this ability allows
them to reclaim land in desolate places, like areas where mining activities took place.
Harmful pesticides or chemical fertilizers are not needed to sustain mosses; therefore, they
can improve the health of the garden (Sheriffs, [sa]). Within mosses are biochemical
compounds that act as an antibiotic, deterring fungal infections and assisting in combating
groundwater contamination by repelling impurities (Jiang, Fan, Hu, Zhao & Wu, 2018).
These characteristics make mosses natural guardians of soil, promoting health and thus the
health of plants growing from the soil.
Mosses are also the largest repository for carbon on the planet, which is a significant role in
the environment (Sheriffs, [sa]). They are especially important in the early stages of
ecological succession which is the beginning of a new generation of plant species in the
environment, like after mining has occurred as mentioned above or after wildfires (Ogwu,
2019). Peat mosses are a type of moss species that is economically important because it is
used as fuel due to its clean burning ability and used to generate electricity in other parts of
the world like Ireland(Sheriffs, [sa]) . Like frogs, mosses help monitor the health of
ecosystems with specific focus on atmospheric contamination (Ogwu,2019).
